FBI wants public help solving encrypted notes from murder mystery

[Joe Snodgrass]

On Mar 30, 10:18 pm, "Stretto" <Stre... at Nowhere.com> wrote:
> "Joe Snodgrass" <joe.s... at yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> 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
>
> > 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.
>
> > 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."
>
> > "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."
>
> > 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.
>
> > For larger images of the notes go here. [LINK]
>
> > 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:
>
> > FBI Laboratory
> > Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit
> > 2501 Investigation Parkway
> > Quantico, VA 22135
> > Attn: Ricky McCormick Case
>
> > 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...

As to which crime was being committed, I'm going with numbers running
or loan sharking.  There's no reason for any crook to keep any record
of any other crime, except prostitution, where phone books come in
handy.

Thievery is not an honest business, and records of what went down,
where and with whom can only hurt you.  Unless of course, it's a grand
list of felonies that he was using to blackmail the participants.

But I can't see gathering that much info from blackmail.  I always
thought it involved one guy blackmailing one victim.  This would imply
a factory scale process, and he'd need some way to lure his prey into
the trap.

Of course, that WOULD be a good way to get murdered.