FBI wants public help solving encrypted notes from murder mystery

[Graham Cooper]

On Mar 31, 12:18 pm, "Stretto" <Stre... at Nowhere.com> wrote:
> "Joe Snodgrass" <joe.s... at yahoo.com> wrote in message
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> news:c37e8e0b-a825-4ac5-9886-8828ab1faf94 at x8g2000prh.googlegroups.com...
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> > FBI cryptanalysis hasn’t decrypted notes from 1999 murder mystery
>
> >http://tinyurl.com/4d56zsz
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> > The FBI is seeking the public's help in breaking the encrypted code
> > found in two notes discovered on the body of a murdered man in 1999.
>
> > The FBI says that officers in St. Louis, Missouri discovered the body
> > of 41-year-old Ricky McCormick on June 30, 1999 in a field and the
> > clues regarding the homicide were two encrypted notes found in the
> > victim's pants pockets.
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> > The FBI says that despite extensive work by its Cryptanalysis and
> > Racketeering Records Unit (CRRU), and the American Cryptogram
> > Association, the meanings of those two coded notes remain a mystery
> > and McCormick's murderer has never been found. One has to wonder
> > though, if the FBI can't figure this out, who can? But I digress.
>
> > From the FBI: "The more than 30 lines of coded material use a
> > maddening variety of letters, numbers, dashes, and parentheses.
> > McCormick was a high school dropout, but he was able to read and write
> > and was said to be 'street smart.' According to members of his family,
> > McCormick had used such encrypted notes since he was a boy, but
> > apparently no one in his family knows how to decipher the codes, and
> > it's unknown whether anyone besides McCormick could translate his
> > secret language. Investigators believe the notes in McCormick's
> > pockets were written up to three days before his death."
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> > "Standard routes of cryptanalysis seem to have hit brick walls," said
> > CRRU chief Dan Olson in a statement. To move the case forward,
> > examiners need another sample of McCormick's coded system-or a similar
> > one-that might offer context to the mystery notes or allow valuable
> > comparisons to be made. Or, short of new evidence, Olson said, "Maybe
> > someone with a fresh set of eyes might come up with a brilliant new
> > idea."
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> > The FBI says it has always relied on public tips and other assistance
> > to solve crimes though breaking a code may represent a special
> > circumstance.
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> > For larger images of the notes go here. [LINK]
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> > If you have an idea how to break the code, have seen similar codes, or
> > have any information about the Ricky McCormick case, write to CRRU at
> > the following address:
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> > FBI Laboratory
> > Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit
> > 2501 Investigation Parkway
> > Quantico, VA 22135
> > Attn: Ricky McCormick Case
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> > There is no reward being offered, just the knowledge that you may be
> > solving an intriguing murder mystery, the FBI stated.
>
> No other information about the guy? It might help. If the note is of any use
> then people and places would be in it. If that is the case then it would
> help to know where he lived and some of the names of people he knows.
>
> The note seems like it may not be just encrypted but a sort of
> compression(or rather shorthand/jargon) was used. Was the guy a drug dealer?
> It could be a list of "clients" or information about where he sold drugs(the
> numbers look like street addresses or amounts.
>
> If these kinda notes were so common from this guy then surely the FBI should
> have many more?
>
> Seems like the FBI could do more if they wanted it really solved..



I can use my psychic powers to solve the crime!

I did a test on the Australian Channel 9 News website a few months
ago...

Given a sequence of photos tell who is a notorious criminal and who is
a professional surfer!

I got every one right!  My psychic channels were spot on, e.g. "had a
big magazine following" -> SURFER



G. Adam