Ed Gein Today: Killer Featured in Monster Season 3
The notorious crimes of Ed Gein, infamously known as the “Butcher of Plainfield,” have inspired numerous fictional characters and films. However, the chilling true story behind his gruesome acts will soon be in the spotlight once again. Ryan Murphy, the creator of the acclaimed Netflix series Monster, announced on September 16 that Gein will be the subject of the show’s third season.
British actor Charlie Hunnam is set to portray Gein, with production for the new season slated to begin next month. As of now, a release date and further casting details have not yet been disclosed.
Monster previously explored the life of Jeffrey Dahmer in its first season, which became Netflix’s third most-watched English-language series. The second season, focusing on convicted killers Lyle and Erik Menendez, is scheduled to premiere on September 19.
Who Was Ed Gein?
Ed Gein was a grave robber and murderer who confessed to two homicides but is believed to be linked to several other unsolved cases. His criminal activities came to light in 1957 when he was suspected in the murder of Bernice Worden in Plainfield, Wisconsin. An investigation into Gein’s home uncovered a horrific collection of human organs and items fashioned from body parts. Ultimately, Gein was convicted of Worden’s murder and was institutionalized until his death in 1984 at the age of 77. His heinous actions served as inspiration for various fictional killers, including Norman Bates from Psycho, Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs, and Leatherface from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Upbringing and Family Deaths
Edward Theodore Gein was born on August 27, 1906, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was the son of George, a timid alcoholic, and Augusta, a fanatically religious woman. Ed grew up with his older brother, Henry, in a household dominated by their mother’s strict religious views on lust and sin.
In 1915, Augusta relocated the family to a farm outside Plainfield, Wisconsin, where Ed remained largely isolated, attending school but seldom venturing beyond the farm. Following George’s death in 1940, Ed and Henry took on various odd jobs to support their family. Tragically, in 1944, while burning brush on the property, a fire got out of control, resulting in Henry’s death. Although initially deemed accidental, circumstances surrounding his demise led to speculation that Ed might have been involved. Devoted obsessively to his mother, Ed never left home or dated women. After Augusta’s death in late 1945, Ed’s mental state deteriorated significantly. He preserved her room in pristine condition while allowing the rest of the house to fall into disarray and developed a fascination with anatomy literature.
How Many People Did Ed Gein Kill?
Gein managed to sustain himself as a handyman and, despite his peculiar behavior, also worked as a babysitter. During this time, several residents of the area mysteriously vanished. Notably, Mary Hogan, a 54-year-old tavern owner from nearby Pine Grove, disappeared in December 1954.
On November 16, 1957, Bernice Worden, 58, went missing from her hardware store in Plainfield. Her son, Frank, a deputy sheriff, suspected Gein. Following Gein’s apprehension at a neighbor’s house, authorities entered his home that night, discovering Worden’s headless and disemboweled body hanging from the ceiling. Her head was later found in a sack, and her heart was discovered in a plastic bag. Further searches revealed an array of horrifying items, including organs preserved in jars, skulls used as soup bowls, and a belt made of human nipples.
During interrogation, the 51-year-old Gein confessed to murdering Worden and Hogan three years prior, admitting to shooting both women, who bore a resemblance to his deceased mother. He also revealed that he had exhumed numerous corpses to collect body parts, engage in necrophilia, and create masks and suits from human skin to wear in his home. Despite the evidence, authorities struggled to link him to other recent murders and disappearances.
Gein’s shocking crimes earned him numerous infamous nicknames, including the “Butcher of Plainfield,” which referenced both his hometown and his tendency to dismember victims. This title was notably featured in the 2007 made-for-video film Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. He has also been referred to as the “Plainfield Ghoul” and the “Grandfather of Gore.”
In March 1958, rumors circulated about Gein’s farmhouse burning down, allegedly amidst speculation that the site might be transformed into a museum. Initial assumptions suggested the fire was intentionally set, though the official cause was never confirmed.
Trial
Following Ed Gein’s arrest, his attorney, William Belter, entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. In January 1958, Gein was deemed unfit to stand trial after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was subsequently committed to Central State Hospital in Waupun, Wisconsin, where he worked in various capacities, including mason, carpenter’s assistant, and medical center aide. By early 1968, he was determined to be fit to stand trial. In November of that year, he was found guilty of the murder of Bernice Worden. However, he was also declared insane at the time of the murder, leading to his recommitment to Central State Hospital. Aside from a rejected petition for release in 1974, Gein remained relatively unnoticed during his time in institutional care.
Death
In the late 1970s, as his health deteriorated, Gein was transferred to the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, Wisconsin. He passed away on July 26, 1984, at the age of 77, due to complications from lung cancer and respiratory illnesses. Gein was buried in a county cemetery near Plainfield, Wisconsin, where his grave became a site of interest for tourists, some of whom chipped away pieces of his gravestone as souvenirs. In June 2000, the gravestone was stolen, initially leading Waushara County police to suspect occult groups might be involved. The tombstone was recovered a year later and placed in storage; Gein’s gravesite now remains unmarked.
Cinematic Influence
Gein’s disturbing life and crimes have significantly influenced popular culture, particularly in the realm of horror films. His obsessive attachment to his deceased mother served as a key inspiration for Robert Bloch’s 1959 novel Psycho, which Alfred Hitchcock adapted into a film in 1960. This iconic movie starred Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins, with the latter portraying the unstable Norman Bates.
Gein’s legacy also extends to other infamous characters, such as Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). The Texas Chain Saw Massacre opens with a narration that implies the story is based on real events, borrowing elements from both Gein’s and Elmer Wayne Henley’s cases. Director Tobe Hooper noted in a 1997 documentary that stories of Gein’s atrocities were part of his childhood, serving as a “campfire tale” of horror. His recollection of these events deeply influenced his work.
Gein’s life and crimes have been the subject of dramatizations, including the films In the Light of the Moon (2000) and Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield (2007). Additionally, he has been referenced in numerous songs, including Slayer’s 1990 single “Dead Skin Mask.”
Recent Documentaries and Series
In September 2023, MGM+ released the four-part docuseries Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein, featuring previously unreleased audiotapes from Gein’s interviews with law enforcement following his arrest. These tapes, kept by a county judge, shed new light on Gein’s persona, contrasting sharply with the archetypal image of a charming serial killer. According to director James Buddy Day, the recordings reveal a meek and mild mannered individual, but they also highlight the chilling nature of Gein’s crimes, portraying him as “a monster in plain sight.”
Looking ahead, in September 2024, TV writer and producer Ryan Murphy announced that Gein will be the subject of the third season of Monster, a popular crime anthology series on Netflix, with British actor Charlie Hunnam set to portray him. The release date for this season has yet to be announced.