Unsolved Code Found in Dead Man's Pockets Baffles FBI

Ricky McCormick's cryptic notes remain a mystery 25 years after his body was discovered in a Missouri cornfield.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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In 1999, the decomposed body of 41-year-old Ricky McCormick was found in a Missouri cornfield, with cryptic notes stuffed in his pockets. Despite efforts by the FBI's Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit, the code has never been cracked, leaving investigators and amateur codebreakers stumped about the meaning behind McCormick's strange scribbles. Theories range from the notes being a simple diary to McCormick being involved in a criminal conspiracy, but the true nature of the code remains an unsolved mystery.

Why it matters

The unsolved code found on McCormick's body has captivated the public's imagination for over two decades, highlighting the challenges law enforcement can face in deciphering complex ciphers and the enduring allure of unsolved mysteries. The case also raises questions about McCormick's life and potential involvement in criminal activities that may have led to his death.

The details

Police found two square pieces of paper in McCormick's pockets, covered in a scrawl of capital letters and numbers, some bound by parentheses or wrapped in circles. Investigators believed the notes were written by McCormick, who had a history of mental illness and was described as developmentally disabled and illiterate. The FBI's Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit has been unable to crack the code, despite analyzing it for over a decade. Theories about the notes range from them being a simple diary to McCormick being a drug courier involved in a criminal conspiracy.

  • On June 22, 1999, McCormick went to the ER at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis complaining of chest pains and trouble breathing.
  • On June 25, 1999, McCormick returned to a different ER, this time being diagnosed with an asthma flare-up.
  • Approximately 48 hours later, McCormick's body was found in a Missouri cornfield.

The players

Ricky McCormick

A 41-year-old man with a history of mental illness and developmental disabilities whose decomposed body was found in a Missouri cornfield in 1999, with cryptic notes in his pockets that have never been deciphered.

Tom O'Connor

A major with the St. Charles County Police Department who investigated McCormick's death, stating that they could not even determine if it was a homicide.

Dan Olson

The former chief of the FBI's Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit, who reopened the McCormick case in 2009 and challenged the public to help crack the code.

David Tiefenbrunn

A captain with the St. Charles County Police Department who says the case remains open, but the department's confidence in deciphering the code is low.

Elonka Dunin

A respected cryptology expert and author who has studied McCormick's notes and believes they may have been written by someone else, potentially as part of a criminal conspiracy.

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What they’re saying

“We are really good at what we do, but we could use some help with this one.”

— Dan Olson, Former chief of the FBI's Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit (FBI press release)

“My guess is he was a drug courier, and the notes were related to that: destinations, or something he was supposed to give to somebody. That he showed up dead means that something didn't go well.”

— Elonka Dunin, Cryptology expert and author (Popular Mechanics)

“It probably makes more sense to occupy oneself with McCormick's thoughts, views, and activities' leading up to his death.”

— Klaus Schmeh, German computer scientist and cryptology expert (Popular Mechanics)

What’s next

The St. Charles County Police Department says the case remains open, but they have low confidence in ever deciphering the code found in McCormick's pockets. The FBI has also gone silent on the case in recent years, removing the 2011 press release that asked the public for help in cracking the cipher.

The takeaway

The unsolved code found on Ricky McCormick's body has captivated the public's imagination for over two decades, highlighting the enduring mystery of unsolved crimes and the challenges law enforcement can face in deciphering complex ciphers. Despite efforts by the FBI and amateur codebreakers, the true meaning behind McCormick's cryptic notes remains one of the most perplexing unsolved cases in modern American history.