6 Things You Need to Know About CrowdSolve

For two years CrimeCon attendees have asked for a weekend-long event to dive deep into one case. It’s a good idea, so we took it a step further. CrimeCon: CrowdSolveattendees will have a chance not only to re-examine a case, but to actually help solve it. CrowdSolve is a new, completely immersive experience that is heavy on education and activism. It differs from our annual CrimeCon convention in a bunch of ways so here are a few things to know before CrowdSolve rolls into Seattle from October 17-20:

• Two cases for the price of one. Many months ago, CrimeCon producers selected the baffling 2009 disappearance of a young mother, Nancy Moyer, to investigate at CrowdSolve. Recent developments in the case (great news!) mean that investigators are now much more limited in what they can share with us. To fulfill our commitment to the Moyer family and also provide CrowdSolvers with the best experience, we will spend Friday assisting the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office on the Moyer case, with the rest of the weekend dedicated to our new featured case (more info coming soon!) See more details in our official statement. (We're also making a HUGE announcement about our featured case this Wednesday, August 28 at 2:00pm ET . Check the blog and our social media pages for details!)

• It’s not a game. If you’re looking for a 3-day murder mystery game, CrowdSolve is not it. CrowdSolvers will learn investigative concepts from world-class experts and the apply them directly to the case. Attendees may comb through long-overlooked records, analyze witness statements, walk through a crime scene reconstruction, and develop theories that will ultimately go back to the investigating agency. Come ready to work!

• Attendees will have accomplices. CrowdSolvers will be assigned to working groups so that the experience is extremely intimate and hands-on. It sounds cheesy to say, but every year at CrimeCon we see many people meet as strangers and leave as partners in crime. Since attendees will work closely with other CrowdSolvers and investigators, we expect (and hope!) to see many more friendships blossom in Seattle.

• The work matters. The cases are real. The victims are real. Their families suffer real trauma...and they’re at the end of the line. CrowdSolve may be the Hail Mary pass that they need to crack their loved one’s case.

• Sensitivity and discretion are important. CrowdSolve attendees will have access to files never seen by the public - and it’s unlikely that they’re filled with puppies and unicorns. The ideas and theories we generate may someday become publicly visible. “The families will have to live with what we put out there for the rest of their lives,” says James Baysinger (host of the Hide & Seek podcast that covers the Moyer case). CrowdSolvers are likely to be required to sign confidentiality agreements to maintain the integrity of the event and the investigation.

• For the best experience, stay at the Westin Seattle . Staying at the host hotel:

• Eliminates time spent driving, parking, walking, or waiting for an Uber, which eats into your limited time at CrowdSolve. Hotel guests simply roll out, get ready, and BAM! - they’re right in the middle of the action as soon as they walk out the door.

• Provides more opportunities to bump into experts and speakers. This means more chances to vet your theories, ask questions, and get to know your fellow CrowdSolvers.

• Means that when you crash, you can crash. These will be long days. The afternoon slump is real. Hotel guests can sneak away to their room for a power nap (just come back relaxed, refreshed, and ready to solve a mystery!)

Click hereto reserve your hotel room for CrimeCon: CrowdSolve