Solve a Murder!

[Lits]

Check this craziness out! If anyone could crack this code, I bet it's one of the brains in our faction!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110329/ts_yblog_thelookout/fbi-asks-public-for-help-breaking-encrypted-notes-tied-to-1999-murder

[Revalis]

Oooh. Cool find.

EDIT:

Found someone who typed out the notes:

P1

(MNDMUNEA8SE-N-STAUNARE) ((ACSM)))
TFRNENI1NSENPBSERCBBNSENPRSE1NC
PRSE NMQSEBPREHLDWLDNCBE (TFXLFTCXLNCBE)
AL-PRPPITXLYPPIYNCBEMGKSEINCDRCBRNSEPRSE
WLDRCBRNSE NT06NENTXSE-C8SLE-CLTRSEWLDNCBE
ALWLDNCBETSMELISERLSEVRGLSNEASNWLDNCBE
(NOPFSENLSRENCBE) NTEGDDMNSENCURERCBRNE
        (TENETFRNE NCBRTSENCBE1NG)
           (FLRSEPQSEONDE71NCBE)
           (CDNSEPQS6ONSDE 74NCBE)
           (PQTSGPQSEONREDE 75NCBE)
(TFNQCMSPSOLEMRDELUSE TOTE WLDNINLDNCBE)
                     (194 WLD'S NCBE) (TRFXL)

NOTES

ALPNTEGLSE-SE ERTE
  VLSEM7SE-CTSE-WSG-FRTSE
    PNRTRSEONPRSEWLDNCBE
     NWLDXCRCMSPNEWLDSTSMEXL
            DULMT6T6TUNSENCBEXC

            (MUNSA1STENMUNARSE)
KLSE-LKSTE-TRSE-TRSE-MKSEN-MRSE
            (SAE6NSESENMRSE)

NMNLCBRNSEPTE2PTEWSREBRNRE
86 MLSE 745PRKSE29K CN08OLE 175RTRSE
35 6LE CLGSEJUNUTXEDKQSEPSESHLE
651MTCSEHTLSENCUTCTRSNMRE
99.84.32UNEPLSEUCBSEAOLTSENSKSENB'SE
NSREONSE PUTSEWLDNCBE(3XORL)

DNMSENRSE1NRNTRLERCBRNSENTSRCRONG
LSPNSENGSPSEMKSERBSENCBGAUXLR
   HMCRENMRENCBE      1/2MUNDDLSE

D-W-M-4MPL XDRLX

[Adad]

Spaced it out a little more like the actual writing and added missing lines to the best of my ability.

NOTE: half of the letters/numbers typed out could be wrong as the writing is rough. L's may be C's, 3's-8's, 1's-I's etc etc etc

[Manic Velocity]

Something about this screams "publicity stunt" to me.  It could easily be an April Fool's prank, as the date is just around the corner.  The FBI has no idea what this message contains and they're just handing it over to the public?

Also this: The bureau isn't offering any reward for assistance in solving the case at this time

Seriously?  The FBI employs some of the best code breakers on the planet, and if Joe-Schmo from Sticksville Oklahoma cracks this thing they won't even maybe offer him a job to come work for them?  A decade old, seemingly uncrackable code, and all he'd get is a "Thanks. You're better at this than we are. Now go back to your shitty desk job".

A quick google search reveals nothing (aside from all the web articles posted within the last two days) about a Ricky McCormick from St. Louis, Missouri, who was found dead with encrypted notes in his pockets.  There is a wiki article, but that looks like it was only posted within the last 24 hours.  It references the FBI website, and the Yahoo article.  Even back in 1999, you'd think there would be something about it in the St. Louis local news.

Maybe I'm just cynical, but something about this seems off.

[Adad]

The fact that it is on their official site leads me to believe it's legit. Though I agree it's odd you can't find any articles or anything from the time it happened.

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/march/cryptanalysis_032911/cryptanalysis_032911

[Adad]

I'd like to know what the hell NCBE means. It appears on almost every line on "P1" often after numbers

[Manic Velocity]

I'd like to know what the hell NCBE means. It appears on almost every line on "P1" often after numbers

I noticed that as well.  It does look like it could be a real encryption.  There are a few patterns to make out at a glance.  But I'm still skeptical.  :\

[Ghisteslwchlohm]

I just watched Zodiac 2 days ago. I would love to be able to crack codes like this, but I don't usually have the concentration to sit down a long time and work it out. Flashing lights and floating planets are a lot more effective.

[Lits]

Legit or not, the person to crack it would have to be seriously saavy. I can't even begin to work on it, my brain goes all fuzzy.

It would be cool if one of us solves it though, even if it only says "APRIL FOOLS!!!" over and over again.

[Paitryn]

I'd like to know what the hell NCBE means. It appears on almost every line on "P1" often after numbers

someone posted in the comments that programmers use NCBE to mean No Change Before Entry to represent strings of code that worked properly.

someone mentioned coded bipolar disorder, but the medications dont make sense at all. One is for severe mania (which bi polars can have) but the other is for allergies.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/article_bcc02074-5b1a-11e0-b199-0017a4a78c22.html

from the St. Louis today. either they just made up the article to coincide with the FBI report or its legit. St. Louis has a lot of crime so its no surprise it didnt get national attention.

[Paitryn]

This line looks like a product key for windows or games back then

KLSE-LKSTE-TRSE-TRSE-MKSEN-MRSE

windows keys only have 5 sets instead of 6 though.