A recent true crime series penned by the writer of Netflix’s Jeffrey Dahmer chronicle has stirred up strong reactions among viewers, leaving them both disturbed and perplexed.
The newest production from renowned filmmaker Ryan Murphy delves into the chilling narrative of Ed Gein, a notorious figure who rose to infamy as one of the most heinous killers in American history following a spree of murders and body desecration in 1950s Wisconsin.
Part of Murphy’s ‘Monster’ anthology, the show sheds light on the psyche of the infamous murderer for the first time, though many enigmas surrounding Gein’s actions remain unresolved.
Gein, known as The Butcher of Plainfield, garnered notoriety for his gruesome acts, which served as inspiration for fictional villains such as Psycho’s Norman Bates and Silence of the Lambs’ Buffalo Bill.
The reclusive Gein, residing alone in a secluded Plainfield residence he once shared with his family, eluded detection for years until the vanishing of a local woman in 1957 led authorities to unveil his macabre secrets.
Upon searching the property, law enforcement uncovered eerie artifacts like bowls crafted from skulls, masks fashioned from human facial skin, and a skull with a “face mask” identified as belonging to one of Gein’s victims, Mary Hogan, a 54-year-old tavern owner.
Gein faced charges for the murders of Mary Hogan and Bernice Worden, a 58-year-old woman. The twisted killer, aged 51 at the time, confessed to both brutal slayings.
Bernice’s decapitated and disemboweled head was discovered on Gein’s premises, with the victims bearing a resemblance to Gein’s deceased mother.
While Gein’s atrocities against women are widely documented, speculation persists over the circumstances of his brother’s demise, intriguing Netflix enthusiasts eager for more details.
In the series opener, viewers witness Gein viciously assaulting his elder brother Henry, striking him with a wooden object and later attributing injuries to a fire incident upon police intervention.
Despite indications of foul play, Gein was never convicted in connection to Henry’s death, prompting ongoing speculation about the actual events.
Edward Theodore Gein, born on August 27, 1906, was the second son of George and Augusta Gein, the latter reportedly desiring a daughter, as depicted in Harold Schechter’s book Deviant.
Following their father’s passing, Ed and Henry managed the family farm and undertook odd jobs in the community, with Henry expressing concerns over Ed’s fixation on their devoutly religious mother Augusta.
Henry’s relationship with a divorced mother of two and plans to relocate raised suspicions, culminating in his mysterious demise during a fire-related incident on the family property.
Despite initial beliefs attributing Henry’s death to natural causes, later scrutiny pointed towards potential involvement by Ed, as their mother Augusta suffered a fatal stroke shortly thereafter.
Gein, who denied any culpability in his brother’s death, entered a plea of insanity and was deemed unfit for trial, leading to his confinement in mental health facilities until his demise from lung cancer at 77 in 1984.
The unsettling narrative surrounding Ed Gein continues to captivate audiences, drawing attention to the unresolved aspects of his dark and disturbing legacy.