The Laff in the Dark located at 210-A-A-A West Pike Avenue was entered, and their attention was drawn to the human-like display, which was hanging from a rope. Criminologist E. Williams and filing officer examined the display, and noted beneath the outer covering there appeared to be bone-type structure having bone like joints. There was also noted to be a small trace of hair on the back of a leg. The display remarkably resembled a human cadaver in size and proportion.
 

The body was transported to the LA Medical Examiner's office, where an autopsy was performed, confirming the remains were human, that the cause of death was from a bullet wound and that body had been embalmed using arsenic, which had mummified the body. The use of arsenic led the examiner to believe "John Doe" had died between 1905 and the late 1930's. On December 9th, the coroner's office released a statement, and the Sonney family quickly identified the body as Elmer McCurdy.

Elmer McCurdy had been born to a life of shame in 1880 to Sadie McCurdy, an unmarried 17 year old who still lived with her parents. While his father was never confirmed, it was speculated that it may have been a cousin who was 7 years older than the young Sadie and who had lived with the family for a short while.

In an attempt to spare the family the embarrassment of his birth, Sadie's brother and his wife Helen adopted the infant. His adopted parents raised Elmer along with his younger brother (cousin) for ten years, until his "father" died. At this time, "Aunt Sadie" moved into the house to help the widowed Helen take care of the two boys. After a brief period of time, Helen asked Sadie to assume responsibility for Elmer, and Sadie agreed.

The two women sat the young boy down to explain to him the circumstances of his birth. Taking the news well at first, perhaps attributed to youthful naivety, until about the time he turned fifteen, when a growing feeling of betrayal by his mother prompted him to run away.

Drinking and rebellious, the young man worked at various jobs until joining the service in 1910 where he served his time and was honorably discharged.

Finding a job proved difficult and McCurdy took to heavy drinking and criminal pursuits. Teamed with three other men, Elmer set out to rob the "Iron Mountain" train. The would be robbers boarded the train successfully, however, this being Elmer's first attempt at cracking a safe, he misjudged the amount of nitro needed and according to reports by the Pacific Express Company, the door blew completely off of the safe, melted the nearly $4,000 in silver coins and the explosion tore a gaping hole into the side of the express car. Using a crowbar, McCurdy attempted to chip the silver from the walls and floor it had adhered to but with little success. When the train pulled into the station, it was figured the robbers made off with $450.

McCurdy parted ways with his partners and soon found new ones, first pulling a poorly planned bank heist and then returning back to the trains. Holding up the M.K.&T. passenger train number 23, the crew made off with one of the smallest hauls in history, and for Elmer, this would be his last. Their hiding area soon surrounded by officers, they waited until dawn before the first shots were fired, and reportedly, the very first shot by McCurdy. Gunfire exchanged for an hour, at the end of which, McCurdy was found dead.

That evening, Elmer McCurdy's body was brought into town on the back of a wagon, where it was placed in a wicker basket, photographed, and turned over to the undertaker. The body sat in a back room for six months unclaimed. The arsenic used in the embalming fluid had preserved the body perfectly and the mortician had discovered when the body was removed from the slab, it was able to stand. Dressing the "embalmed bandit" in the attire from his last gunfight, they positioned him in the corner of the mortuary, gun placed in hand, where he stood on exhibit for 5 years.

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