004Crime Facts

The 51-Year Code

Name: The 51-Year Code
Uploaded: 2026-03-16
Description: An unidentified killer terrorized Northern California in the late 1960s, sending taunting cryptograms to newspapers. One cipher — 340 characters — defeated every codebreaker for half a century.

“A serial killer sent the police a coded message in 1969. It took 51 years to crack it.”

Case #004

A SERIAL

KILLER SENT

An unidentified killer terrorized Northern California in the late 1960s, sending taunting cryptograms to newspapers. One cipher — 340 characters — defeated every codebreaker for half a century.

“A serial killer sent the police a coded message in 1969. It took 51 years to crack it.”

The Turn

In 2020, three independent codebreakers finally cracked it. The message read: "I hope you are having lots of fun trying to catch me." After 51 years, it revealed nothing. The case remains open.