Fact Check: The Mother Of Christopher Todd Erick Did NOT Find Her Deceased Son In An Exhibit Of Plastinated Real Bodies In Las Vegas -- That Exhibit Predates His Death

Lead Stories first encountered the image (circled in yellow below) on a 2014 archived page promoting an exhibition in Atlanta, GA by premierexhibitions.com. This is another exhibition company which has also hosted permanent and traveling exhibits of plastinated human bodies.

Plastination is a multi-step process which preserves the anatomy of specimens by replacing fluid and fat with some form of curable polymer or resin which will harden and not decay. Gunther von Hagens is the German anatomist who developed plastination, and runs a competing exhibit company, Body Worlds. According to bodyworlds.com it can take up to one year to complete all the stages of the plastination process.

A Google Lens reverse image search of this archived photo pointed to the 2006 photo at Getty Images. Imagine Exhibitions, Inc. celebrated their 15th year in business in 2024, so they must have acquired this plastinated body at some point after it had already been on display in another company's exhibition. At 12 minutes, 15 seconds (archived here) an Oct. 19, 2016 YouTube video shows a nearly 360 degree view of the same display which was then at Bally's Las Vegas.

Mother found out about the Real Bodies Exhibit in 2018

Many social media posts tell some version of the story that Kim Erick Smith was visiting the exhibit in Las Vegas when she recognised her son, plastinated and on display. This is not how Smith tells it. She has a Facebook account, which she maintains publicly to raise awareness, memorialize, and seek justice for her son -- who she believes was murdered. She has written extensively on the (now defunct) website chriserick.com (archived here). On March 5, 2025 she posted (archived here) a link and a screenshot of an April 9, 2018 news.com.au article on her Facebook page. Looking back, she captioned it:

this is where I saw Chris' body for the first time. The article also mentions torture.....

The linked article (archived here) is titled, "'Real Bodies: The Exhibition', controversy about 'disturbing' origins of corpses" includes a video which appears to have been made using stock promotional press footage. Editorial text overlays have been added. Although Smith believes the body pictured in the video was her son, she is mistaken. That body had been on display for many years before her son died.

The nonexistent link to the Real Bodies display in Las Vegas

The Real Bodies exhibit (archived here) now at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas features plastinated human bodies in dynamic poses. The exhibit is a permanent attraction in Las Vegas, the property of Imagine Exhibitions, Inc. They manage additional Real Bodies exhibits which travel to cities around the world. In the FAQ section of the website it states:

Where have the bodies in the REAL BODIES come from?
The specimens in REAL BODIES are provided by Dalian Hoffen Bio-Technique Co. Ltd. The specimens are all unclaimed bodies that have been donated by the relevant authorities to medical universities in China. The specimens featured in the exhibition were donated legally, were never prisoners of any kind, showed no signs of trauma or injury, were free of infectious disease and died of natural causes.

Christopher Todd Erick was found dead On Nov. 10, 2012

Christopher Todd Erick died where he resided at his grandmother's house in Midlothian, TX. He was found by his grandmother at 4 p.m.. The circumstances of his death are complicated by several factors, he was born with a heart defect but was a strong young man, he had been hospitalized at a psychiatric facility earlier in the year and was just in court days prior to his death. According to the medical examiner's autopsy report, a note which could be considered a suicide note was found, but it was not known if the note was recent or from one of several past suicide attempts. The amended death certificate lists the cause of death as cyanide toxicity, with anomalous coronary artery and aortic dissection noted as underlying causes. The manner of death, be it murder or suicide, was ruled undetermined (pictured below). His body was cremated.

(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot from web.archive.org/web/20210405012141/https://www.chriserick.com/Autopsy%20Report%205%20001.jpg.)

Not enough evidence of foul play for a grand jury to indict

On Aug. 6, 2014 cbsnews.com published an article (archived here) titled, "Charges coming in cyanide poisoning death of Texas man?" This was followed on Aug. 8, 2014 by an article (archived here), "No indictment in cyanide poisoning death of Texas man". The second article opens:

Ellis County District Attorney Patrick Wilson told 48 Hours' Crimesider that the grand jury, which was convened Wednesday, found no merit to allegations that Christopher Erick was murdered. He said a thorough investigation was done by his office and authorities and the case is now closed.

Kim Erick Smith has chronicled many of the details which make her suspect her son was murdered and why she feels the investigation was mishandled. A six page report addressed to the criminal investigation division of the Midlothian police department dated March 14, 2016, appeared on the now-defunct chriserick.com website (archived here). On page three of this 2016 report Smith made several points in regards to, and acknowledging, the cremation of her son's body.