Ed Gein

Ed Gein was an American murderer whose gruesome crimes gained worldwide notoriety in the 1950s, when it was discovered that he robbed graves and used body parts to make household items and other objects. In 1968 Gein was found guilty of murdering a woman, though he also confessed to killing another person. In addition, some believe he murdered his brother, who died in mysterious circumstances during a fire. The death, however, was ruled an accident. Ed Gein inspired numerous books and horror films.

Ed Gein’s behavior inspired numerous books and movies, notably three of the most influential horror/thriller films ever made: Psycho (1960), directed by Alfred Hitchcock and based on Robert Bloch’s powerful 1959 book; The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), which also drew from the life of Texas serial killer Elmer Wayne Henley; and The Silence of the Lambs (1991), an Oscar-winning adaptation of Thomas Harris’s best-selling novel (1988).

In addition to films, Gein was the subject of various documentaries. In 2025 Netflix released the series Monster: The Ed Gein Story, starring Charlie Hunnam as the killer.

It is unknown if Ed Gein killed his brother, Henry. In 1944 Henry died in mysterious circumstances during a fire near the family’s secluded farm in Plainfield, Wisconsin. The brothers reportedly had been burning vegetation when the blaze grew out of control. Later that day Ed reported his brother missing to the police, yet he was able to lead them directly to the body. Despite bruises discovered on Henry’s head, the death was ruled an accident, likely from asphyxiation. No autopsy was performed.

People later speculated that Ed killed his brother. Henry and Ed reportedly clashed over their religious and domineering mother. Ed idolized her, while Henry was apparently disturbed by her influence and occasionally confronted her in Ed’s presence. This tension fueled later theories that Ed may have fatally struck Henry in the head and then set a fire to conceal his involvement. However, Ed denied harming his brother, and no evidence emerged to prove otherwise.

During the police investigation into the disappearance of Bernice Worden in 1957, authorities found that Ed Gein had systematically robbed graves and collected body parts, which he used to make household items and clothing. The macabre findings included a chair upholstered in human skin, face masks, and boxes of various body parts. He also had created a “woman suit” that he could wear. In addition, officials discovered the head of Mary Hogan, a tavern operator who had disappeared in 1954. Gein’s “house of horrors” was destroyed by fire in 1958, and the origins of the blaze remain unclear.

On July 26, 1984, Ed Gein died from respiratory failure related to cancer; according to some sources, he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He was 77 years old and living at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, Wisconsin. Gein was buried at his family’s plot in Plainfield Cemetery in Wisconsin. His grave was marked by a headstone that, over time, was damaged by souvenir hunters and ultimately stolen in 2000. Although the stone was later recovered, authorities decided to leave the grave unmarked.

Ed Gein confessed to killing two women: Bernice Worden and Mary Hogan. Some people also believe he killed his elder brother, Henry Gein. Learn more in our article.

No, Ed Gein did not help law enforcement catch Ted Bundy. This claim was popularized by the Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story. In the show, FBI investigators visit Gein in a psychiatric institution, seeking his help in finding a serial killer later revealed to be Ted Bundy. There is no evidence this happened. FBI agent John Douglas did talk to Gein as part of early efforts to develop criminal profiling techniques. However, he said that Gein was “so psychotic that it really wasn’t much of an interview.”

Ted Bundy’s eventual capture was largely by chance. In 1975 he was pulled over by a Utah policeman for driving suspiciously after a short car chase. During a search of his vehicle, questionable items were found, notably a ski mask and handcuffs. He was taken into custody, and an investigation later linked him to an attempted kidnapping and multiple murders. Bundy escaped from prison twice before his final arrest in 1978.

American serial killer Ed Gein was known as “the Butcher of Plainfield.” He also earned the nickname “the Plainfield Ghoul.”

Ed Gein remained in a mental hospital until he died on July 26, 1984, in Madison, Wisconsin.