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FBI Wants You To Solve Encrypted Notes From Murder

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-you-mean-muuuuuurder dept.

coondoggie writes "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."

6 of 466 comments (clear)

  1. we are volunteers by alphatel · · Score: 4, Interesting
    If the Fed really wants help they should consider providing:
    • Images at sizes greater than 100kb and 600x600 pixels.
    • Scans with resolutions higher than 96 dpi.
    • Tear up my dossier (I know I must be on it because I'm an American).
    --
    When the foot seeks the place of the head, the line is crossed. Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe.
  2. Lots of patterns by davidbrit2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Weird. There are enough patterns and repetitions to make it look like it's just something simple, like a substitution cipher or similar. The sequence 'NCBE' appears enough times to be statistically meaningful, I'd wager.

  3. Text version of the code by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I've retyped the code of the first note (to as good an extent as I can given the 600x600 resolution). Here's the results, and don't shoot me if there's a mistake:

    (mndmknearse-n-d-ta-knare)
    qtfrnenptnsenpbsercbbnsenprseinc
    prsenmrsedprehlduldncbe(tfxlftcxlnlbe)
    al-prppitxlyppiyncbemekseincdrcbrnseprse
    wldrcbrnsentsgnentxse-crsle-citrsewldncde
    alwlpncbetsmelrserlsevrglsneasnwldncbe
    (nopfsenlsrencbe)ntegddmnsencurercbrne
    (tenetfrnencbrtsencbeinq)
    (firsepqseonde71ncbe)
    (cdnseprsednsde74ncbe)
    (prtseprseonrede75ncbe)
    (tfnqcmspsolemrdelusetotewldnwldncbe)
    (194wld'sncbe)(trfxl)

    Actually all uppercase, but the fitler wouldn't allow me.

  4. Re:I'd like to, but... by Stray7Xi · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I can't violate the DMCA. Sorry.

    Seriously, the guy's been dead for 11 years...

    So only 59 more years to go on his copyright. I'll consider downloading it then, until then I'm supporting the artist.

  5. Re:I've cracked it! by wooferhound · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The larger versions of the encrypted notes are here . . .
    http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/march/cryptanalysis_032911/image/gallery
    It appears that each word ends with an E with some kind of prefix, almost all words end with SE but also common are NE and BE, and sometimes TE and LE
    Could be some kind of variation of Pig Latin ?

    --
    We are Dead Stars looking back Up at the Sky
  6. Re:I've cracked it! by Whatsisname · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The unabomber did that sort of stuff. He left tons of false clues in the packages he sent, and it caused the FBI to undergo the most expensive manhunt in its history. Only they didn't even catch him, his writing was recognized by his brother.