A notorious serial killer in American history, Ed Gein, whose gruesome acts inspired iconic films like Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, is the subject of a new Netflix series called ‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’.
Gein, also known as the ‘Butcher of Plainfield’ and the ‘Plainfield Ghoul’, was convicted of murdering two women in rural Wisconsin during the 1950s – Mary Hogan and Bernice Worden. Beyond these tragic killings, Gein gained notoriety for his disturbing hobby of exhuming bodies from local cemeteries to create macabre household items and a skinsuit, shocking the world and dispelling romanticized notions of rural America.
Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on August 27, 1906, Gein grew up in a troubled family environment with a strict Christian mother, Augusta, and a violent alcoholic father, George. Isolated by his mother’s strict rules, Gein and his brother Henry were kept away from society, leading to a dysfunctional upbringing.
Following his mother’s death in 1945, Gein’s mental state deteriorated, eventually leading him to commit heinous acts. Living as a recluse on his family farm after her passing, Gein preserved his mother’s bedroom as a shrine for over a decade.
The discovery of Bernice Worden’s body in Gein’s home in 1957 exposed a horrific scene – with human skin furniture, bowls made from skulls, and other gruesome items found. Gein confessed not only to Worden’s murder but also to killing Mary Hogan and robbing graves for body parts.
Gein’s crimes captured global attention, with media outlets reporting on the grotesque details and his chilling nicknames, such as the “Plainfield Ghoul” and the “Mad Butcher”. Diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychosis, Gein was deemed legally insane in 1958 and spent the rest of his life in mental health institutions until his death in 1984.
His twisted actions and fixation on his mother inspired infamous characters in Hollywood, like Norman Bates in Psycho and Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. In the Netflix series ‘Monster’, British actor Charlie Hunnam portrays Gein, immortalizing his dark legacy.