As the subject of Ryan Murphy‘s new Monster series, watchers of the Netfilx true crime phenomenon are trying to separate fact from fiction in The Ed Gein Story.
Murphy is known to seize upon true crime events that have long been a source of fascination of Hollywood. He’s previously tackled the Menendez Brothers and OJ Simpson—but Ed Gein might be his most unintentionally influential subject yet, despite most people having never heard of him. Gein’s gruesome history of murder is said to have inspired a number of famous films, including The Silence Of The Lambs, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Psycho—three of the biggest horror films ever made. However, each of these films—and Murphy’s new interpretation of Gein’s story—offer their own spin on the murderous figure at their core.
In Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the serial killer is played to unnerving perfection by Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, The Gentlemen). But how much of this character is real, and what liberties were taken with the horrifying story of Ed Gein? Here, we break down the true story of the Monster serial killer.
WARNING: Graphic Content and Spoilers ahead
Who Is Ed Gein? The Life and Crimes Of The Netflix Serial Killer
Ed Gein is one of the most notorious killers in American history—famous for grave robbing, murder and making skin suits of his victims.
Hailing from Plainfield, Wisconsin, and sometimes called the Plainfield Ghoul or the Butcher of Plainfield, Gein lived a reclusive life, working as a handyman in his local community. Up until 1945 he lived on a rural property with his family, all of whom died within the space of five years. Gein’s father, George, was the first to pass away, succumbing to heart failure in 1940. It has been suggested that Gein’s father had been abusive to Gein and his older brother, Henry.
In 1944, Henry died at the age of 43 in a fire. Some researchers have alleged Gein was responsible for the death of his brother, but no autopsy was ever conducted and the official cause of death remains asphyxiation from the fire.
Gein was very close to his mother, Augusta, a devout Lutheran who preached to her son that sex was evil. She suffered a stroke shortly after Henry’s death, after which Gein became her primary carer. As depicted in Monster: The Ed Gein Story, it is believed Gein was obsessed with and heavily influenced by his mother (portrayed by Laurie Metcalf in the series), and the relationship impacted Gein’s crimes, where he preferred victims who reminded him of his mother.
In 1945, Augusta Gein suffered a second, fatal stroke, killing her and leaving Gein entirely alone.
The Murders Begin
Trigger Warning: Extremely graphic content
Gein confessed to ‘body snatching’—exhuming dead bodies from graves—which he claims began in 1947. Speaking to investigators, Gein said he estimated around 40 visits to the cemetery for this purpose, but felt he was in a ‘daze-like’ state, and didn’t retrieve bodies during every visit. Presumed to be a symptom of his obsession with his mother, Gein targeted the graves of recently-deceased middled-aged women.
Gein would make clothing and objects from the body parts of his victims. After Gein was caught and police searched his home, they found chairs upholstered in human skin, skulls on bedposts, a skin corset in the style of a woman’s torso, multiple faces of skinned victims, a belt of nipples, and dozens more horrifying body parts and clothing items made from Gein’s victims.
Gein’s first confirmed murder was committed in 1954, after he shot Mary Hogan, a 54-year-old divorced tavern owner. Hogan had been missing and it wasn’t until Gein’s arrest that he admitted to her murder.
In November, 1957, Gein committed his second confirmed murder with the kidnapping and beheading of local hardware store owner Bernice Worden.
When police raided Gein’s house in search of Worden, they found her body strung up by her ankles in Gein’s barn, partially flayed, with some of her organs removed. She had been decapitated, and her head was discovered inside Gein’s house.
How Was Ed Gein Caught?
Receipts showed that Gein was the last customer Bernice Worden served in her hardware store before her disappearance. This lead investigators straight to Gein’s house, where they discovered the grizzly scene, including Worden’s mutilated body.
How Many People Did Ed Gein Kill?
Ed Gein was only ever convicted of killing two people—Mary Hogan and Bernice Worden—to which he confessed.
However, it has been alleged he could be behind other killings. In The Ed Gein Story, Addison Rae plays a babysitter, Evelyn, who Gein was once questioned about. The teenage Evelyn had been babysitting when she disappeared from a home in Wisconsin. When questioned, Gein denied involvement and passed two lie detector tests to that end. None of Evelyn’s remains were found on Gein’s property.
When Gein was arrested, investigators reportedly found the remains of at least 15 different women in his home. It is unknown which had been killed by Gein.
Was Gein Ever Convicted?
Ed Gein was found guilty of the murder of Bernice Worden, but later found not guilty by reason of insanity. Having said that, he was ordered to be institutionalised at mental facility, where he spent the rest of his life. He was never tried for Mary Hogan’s murder, but did confess to the crime.
How Did Ed Gein Die?
Ed Gein lived a relatively long life in various mental care facilities until his death. Gein died on July 26, 1984 at the age of 77, a resident of the Mendota Mental Health Institute. He died of respiratory failure, linked to lung cancer.
What Did Ed Gein Look Like?
If you’re wondering how close Charlie Hunnam came to the real Ed Gein, there are some obvious physical differences. Ed Gein, who was arrested at the age of 51, was a slight man with greying hair at the time of his arrest. With his small stature, some investigators had wondered if he was even capable of wrenching bodies from their graves.
Hunnam, 45, who is famous for his broad frame, committed to the part of Gein, reportedly losing around 13 kilograms for the role.
“I lost almost 30 pounds just to get a more malnourished, light frame. Ed was incredibly lithe. And so that was a big part of the physicality,” Hunnam told Tudum. “I spent a lot of time thinking about where his energy was, that he’s not particularly confident or, like, front-foot type of energy … How to not take up a lot of space, not to be sort of front and center and too confident in my physicality was really important.”
Hunnam also pitched his voice higher for the role.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to watch on Netflix from October 3, 2025.
