Missouri's Cryptic Killer

Found dead and already rotting in a cornfield, Ricky McCormick’s murder has stumped FBI agents since he was found on June 30, 1999. He was poor and was not able to read or write, spending much of his time alone, even in school. This is likely why his disappearance went unnoticed. If it weren’t for the cryptic notes in his pockets, his death may have been overlooked as well. Due to the quick decomposition rate, it was difficult to determine the cause of death. Still, foul play had been suspected. Although the notes were not originally revealed to the public, the FBI’s Cryptanalysis and Racketeering Records Unit was stumped for 12 years and decided to seek assistance from those who enjoy a good puzzle. These cryptic notes had stumped even the best of code crackers and continue to puzzle those who try to solve them. In the weeks before his death, McCormick had picked up a job moving weed for the Hamdallah brothers. Could this be related to his death? He had also been to the Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s ER multiple times, talking of chest pains and shortness of breath. This wasn’t very surprising, given that he smoked multiple cigarettes a day and drank a lot of coffee. Still, nothing arose that would push the case towards a close. Now, over 25 years later, this case remains unsolved and continues to puzzle the police.