The Gruesome True Story of Grave-Robbing Serial Killer Ed Gein

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Ed Gein’s crimes were the stuff nightmares are made of.

Beyond the frightening scenes in horror films, consider the real-life Wisconsin serial killer who served as inspiration for classics like Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs.

I just *knew* it was only a matter of time before Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan brought Ed Gein into the Monster universe! After they did such incredible work on Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers, I was practically counting down the days! The newest season of their anthology series finally dropped on Netflix Oct. 3, and honestly, Charlie Hunnam is *perfect* as the seemingly normal farmer who, underneath it all, was capable of such horrifying things. It turns out he had way more secrets than anyone could have imagined!

Quite literally, he also had a habit of exhuming bodies and crafting everyday objects from bones, skin, and other bodily remains.

In a Netflix interview, Murphy explained he pictured Hunnam in the role after seeing a paparazzi photo of the Sons of Anarchy actor that struck him as “haunted.” He felt there was “something very Ed about him.”

To which the British actor cracked, “I must have been having a bad day.”

Honestly, taking on the role of Gein would have been incredibly challenging for any actor. The real story, the things that actually happened in Plainfield around 70 years ago, are just so deeply disturbing. It’s a story that really gets under your skin, and I think portraying that truthfully would be a huge undertaking. It’s a testament to the power of the story that it still resonates so strongly today.

Who was Ed Gein?

Edward Theodore Gein was born on August 27, 1906, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, as the second son of George Gein and Augusta Gein. As noted in Harold Schechter‘s 1989 book Deviant, his parents had actually been hoping for a daughter.

The complex connection between Ed and Augusta served as the inspiration for the character of Norman Bates, the mother’s close friend, in Richard Bloch‘s 1959 novel Psycho. A year later, Alfred Hitchcock made the story famous with his film adaptation.

In 1914, the Gein family settled on a secluded 195-acre farm in Plainfield, a small village with a population of approximately 700 people.

George struggled with alcohol abuse and was controlling, and Augusta was equally demanding. According to Schechter, she insisted her sons promise to avoid relationships with women to remain “uncontaminated.” Ed and his older brother Henry Gein appeared to accept a life of solitude, continuing to live on the farm after their father passed away in 1940.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr. N.G. Berrill explained in the 2023 docuseries Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein that a particularly harmful situation arises when a grown man remains deeply and unhealthily attached to his mother – a dynamic she described as a form of psychological incest. She questioned, “How did this intense closeness develop, and why couldn’t he break free from this relationship?”

Oh, it just breaks my heart to even think about it! Our beloved Henry… he was gone so suddenly in 1944, a heart attack when he was only 42. I can’t even imagine how Ed must have felt. He was left all alone with Augusta, and it wasn’t long before tragedy struck again. She had a terrible stroke shortly after, and when she passed away in 1945, Ed was absolutely crushed. It’s just… devastating. I’ve read everything about them, and it’s clear he never truly recovered. It’s so sad!

According to Schechter in the series, Ed was an extreme case of someone overly dependent on his mother. He viewed Augusta as perfect, unable to do anything wrong, and would break down in tears whenever he talked about her after being arrested.

Who were Ed Gein’s victims?

On November 16, 1957, Frank Worden came home from a deer-hunting trip to a disturbing scene at his family’s hardware store. He discovered a trail of blood leading from the counter to the back door, along with empty .22-caliber shell casings. His mother, Bernice Worden, 58, was missing.

A receipt for anti-freeze was found near the cash register, and Fred recalled that Ed had asked about it the previous day. He immediately contacted the sheriff, and deputies headed to the Gein farm.

Investigators found Bernice’s body-without her head-hanging in the woodshed on the property, according to information presented in The Lost Tapes. Her heart was discovered inside a plastic bag.

I heard the news – poor Ed was located at a neighbor’s home later that night and was immediately taken into custody. Meanwhile, the investigators kept searching his property for more evidence. It’s a really unfortunate situation, and I just hope everyone involved gets the support they need. Things like this can be so disruptive to a community, and it’s important to remember that investigations take time. You can find more information here, but let’s respect the process and the privacy of those affected.

Investigators discovered the head of Mary Hogan, a 54-year-old tavern manager who had been missing since 1954, inside a paper bag. The tavern showed evidence of a struggle the night she disappeared, including bullet casings and bloodstains. According to The Lost Tapes, Ed had made a joke to others in town about having her “down at his place,” but nobody realized he meant it as a serious threat.

In recordings of an interview with law enforcement following his arrest, Ed admitted to killing the two women-and to exhuming bodies and storing remains at his home (although he claimed he didn’t disturb his mother’s grave). He explained that he located recent graves by reading obituaries in the newspaper.

He didn’t explain things directly, saying he couldn’t recall many details, but he did suggest he “must have used a knife” when he harmed Bernice.

When questioned about private female body parts discovered hidden in his home, Ed responded, “I wouldn’t get any pleasure from it, or anything like that.”

Did Ed Gein kill Evelyn Hartley?

The Netflix series Monster suggests that Ed committed the murder of 14-year-old Evelyn Hartley (portrayed by Addison Rae), but investigators never conclusively linked him to her vanishing in October 1953.

I was so worried when I read about Evelyn. She was babysitting, and when the teenager she was watching didn’t call their parents like they were supposed to, the teen’s father went to check things out. According to the Spokesman-Review, he found a basement window open and went inside. The child was asleep, thankfully, but Evelyn was nowhere to be found. What’s even more terrifying is that they found blood spatter both near the window and on the lawn outside. It’s just a truly awful situation, and I’m hoping for her safe return. It’s incredibly frightening to think about what might have happened.

Ed stated he wasn’t involved in Evelyn’s disappearance, and according to Schechter, he successfully completed two polygraph examinations.

Was Adeline Watkins really Ed Gein’s girlfriend?

Following Ed’s arrest, Adeline Watkins-who played Suzanna Son in the show Monster-publicly stated that she used to date him.

She reportedly told the Minneapolis Tribune, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, that she loved him and continues to feel that way, describing him as “good and kind and sweet.”

Adeline recalled their last date as February 6, 1955, the day she rejected Ed’s proposal. However, she clarified, “It wasn’t because of anything wrong with him. The issue was with me. I think I was worried I couldn’t meet his expectations.”

Besides enjoying books together, she mentioned they would talk about all the murders they’d ever learned about. Eddie would explain what the killer did wrong and where they went wrong. She found these conversations particularly interesting.

Initially, reports claimed she had been with Ed for 20 years. However, Adeline later told the Stevens Point Journal that they only dated on and off for around seven months. She also made it clear that she never visited his home.

What happened to Ed Gein?

In November 1957, Ed was accused of killing Bernice and entered a plea of not guilty, claiming insanity. However, he was found unable to participate in a trial and was instead sent to a state hospital for treatment.

In 1968, authorities determined he was capable of discussing the case with a lawyer and allowed him to have a trial before a judge only. The defense claimed that Ed did not intend to kill Bernice; he was simply examining a gun for sale at Worden Hardware when it unexpectedly discharged.

Judge Robert H. Gollmar convicted Ed of murder. However, a later trial to assess his mental state led to him being sent back to the state hospital.

Ed died at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in 1984 at the age of 77.

He’s buried with his family – parents and brother – at Plainview Cemetery, but his grave isn’t marked with a tombstone. Over time, people damaged it by chipping pieces off, and eventually, the entire stone was stolen in 2000. While authorities recovered it, they’ve kept it in storage to discourage people from visiting the grave as a tourist attraction. Instead, those looking for a memento have been taking pieces from his mother’s tombstone.

And Hunnam in Monster: The Ed Gein Story isn’t the only actor who’s proven their skills by portraying a serial killer. Here are some other unsettling performances:

Zac Efron played the role of the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy in the 2019 movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Shortly before he was executed in 1989, Bundy admitted to committing 30 murders during the 1970s.

 

The 2002 film Dahmer starred Jeremy Renner as serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who was infamous for murdering and dismembering nearly 20 men and boys from 1978 to 1991.

Chad Michael Murray also portrayed Ted Bundy in the 2021 movie Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman.

Joshua Jackson played the role of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgeon from Texas, in the 2021 Peacock series Dr. Death, which was based on the popular podcast with the same title.

Echoing the notoriety of Jeffrey Dahmer, Marc Meyers‘ 2017 movie My Friend Dahmer featured Ross Lynch as the infamous serial killer during his time in high school.

In The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Darren Criss completely transformed from his role in Glee to play the serial killer Andrew Cunanan. This performance won him an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award.

Damon Herriman has portrayed the notorious cult leader Charles Manson twice. In Quentin Tarantino‘s Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood, he’s known as “Charlie.” He also played Manson in a 2019 episode of Mindhunter, acting alongside Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany in a scene.

In American Horror Story: Cult, the events surrounding the Manson family murders were depicted. For this, Evan Peters, the main actor in AHS, portrayed the notorious cult leader, Charles Manson.

Mindhunter continues to impress! Cameron Britton delivered a truly terrifying performance as Ed Kemper in the Netflix series Mindhunter.

The 2013 film The Frozen Ground featured John Cusack as serial killer Robert Hansen, also known as Butcher Baker. Hansen was arrested and found guilty in 1983 after kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and killing at least 17 women.

Brian Dennehy portrayed John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer and sex offender responsible for the murders of at least 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978, in a 1992 television special presented in two parts.

Charlize Theron received an Oscar for playing Aileen Wuornos, a woman who committed a series of murders, killing seven men in Florida from 1989 to 1990. The 2003 film Monster also features Christina Ricci as a character inspired by Tyria Moore, Wuornos’ former partner.

In the ninth season of American Horror Story, Zach Villa portrayed the actual serial killer Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker. Ramirez frightened people living in Los Angeles and San Francisco from 1984 to 1985. He passed away while serving a life sentence in prison in 2013.

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2025-10-04 15:18