Elmer McCurdy: The True Crime Story and Key Facts
Elmer McCurdy: American outlaw (1880–1911). The documented story, timeline and key facts of the case.
Elmer J. McCurdy was an American outlaw who was killed in a shoot-out with police after robbing a train in Oklahoma in October 1911. Dubbed "The Bandit Who Wouldn't Give Up", his mummified body was first put on display at an Oklahoma funeral home and then became a fixture on the traveling carnival and sideshow circuit during the 1920s through the 1960s. After changing hands several times, McCurdy's remains eventually wound up at The Pike amusement zone in Long Beach, California, where they were discovered by crew members for the television series The Six Million Dollar Man and positively identified in December 1976.
Why the case is remembered
The Elmer McCurdy story remains one of the most discussed entries in true-crime history, covered in documentaries, podcasts and books. The summary above follows the publicly documented record.
Text adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Facts reflect the documented public record.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Elmer McCurdy?
Elmer J. McCurdy was an American outlaw who was killed in a shoot-out with police after robbing a train in Oklahoma in October 1911.
Why is the Elmer McCurdy case famous?
It is one of the most documented bank robber cases, widely covered by true-crime media.
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