Theodore Curphey

Theodore Joscelyn Curphey (October 25, 1897 – November 27, 1986) was an American coroner who was the chief coroner for Los Angeles and Nassau (New York) Counties.

Curphey was elected Nassau County medical examiner on December 15, 1937, by the Nassau County Board of Supervisors. Prior to becoming county medical examiner, Curphey had worked as a pathologist at St. John's Hospital in Brooklyn and Meadowbrook Hospital In his first year as coroner, he was involved in a dispute with local morticians over delay in issuing death certificates. In November 1958, Curphey's autopsy procedures were investigated by a grand jury, He later said she had lethal doses of both Nembutal and chloral hydrate and she could have been killed by either.

Curphey also administered the autopsies of Jack Westrope, George Reeves, Davey Moore, Red Sanders, and Dorothy Dandridge.

Curphey retired on October 25, 1967, from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office. After his retirement he served as consultant in forensic medicine and on the Suicide Prevention Bureau, which he founded. On November 27, 1986, Curphey died at age 89.

Curphey was married to the former Aies Norrild, of Copenhagen, from 1928 until her death in 1973. They had a son and a daughter.