FBI Wants You To Solve Encrypted Notes From Murder 466
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."
we are volunteers (Score:5, Interesting)
Lots of patterns (Score:4, Interesting)
Text version of the code (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.
Re:I'd like to, but... (Score:4, 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.
Re:I've cracked it! (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/march/cryptanalysis_032911/image/gallery [fbi.gov]
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 ?
Re:I've cracked it! (Score:4, 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.