Ed Gein

 

Ed Gein while being arrested

 

Early Life

Ed Gein was born Edward Theodore Gein to George and Augusta Gein in La Crosse, Wisconsin on the 27^th of August 1906.

Ed was the eldest of two children, he’s younger brother was named Henry Gein.

Ed and his brother lived in almost constant solitude under the rule of their mother who taught them from a young age that all outside people especially girls, “are the devil’s children” and that the only person they were allowed to trust was only herself and each other.

Ed never seemed to find a problem with his mothers tyranny almost following her every word and rule, much to the dismay of his younger brother Henry who had allot of issues with the way that they were being raised by Augusta.

Henry was constantly beaten by Augusta because of his extrovert personality, unlike Ed who had an extremely introvert personality but not even this or his loyalty to his mother could help him escape the abuse from Augusta.

Even into their late 30s the Gein brothers stayed attached to the family farm on the outskirts of Plainfield, Wisconsin, it was only after the death of their father in 1940 that they started to work outside of the farm as handymen for the town’s people.

The Gein brothers were described as honest, loyal and hard working men.

Death of Henry Gein

On May 16 1944, Ed reported to the local authorities that his brother went missing after they were burning a marsh on their farmland the previous day.

With a search party following him he almost instantly guided them to the dead body of his brother lying on a patch of land untouched by a fire.

Even though the local authorities were suspicious of the circumstances and a possible Cain and Abel scenario due to bruises found on Henry’s head, no further investigation was conducted and the cause of death was concluded as asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation.

First known Murder

After the disappearance of Bernice Worden a local hardware store owner, local authorities got a call from Bernice’s son stating that he believes Ed is responsible for his mother’s disappearance.

Her sons suspicion was based on a order placed for a gallon of anti-freeze by Ed Gein and that the receipt for that order was the last receipt written out by his mother.

It was later determined that Ed shot Bernice with a .22 rifle.

Ed Gein's Farm house

Arrest, Evidence and Trail

Already suspicious of Ed due to the event with his brother, investigators raided Ed’s home and what they found was shocking to say the least.

Furniture, eating utensils, masks and clothing items made from human body parts were found in almost every corner of Ed’s home, most notably a belt made from woman’s nipples, soup bowls made from human skulls and masks made from human faces.

Also found in the home within a burlap sack was the severed head of Bernice Worden.

Moving the investigation to a shed located on the property, the investigators found the body of a woman, later confirmed to be the headless body of Bernice Worden, strung up by the ankles and mutilated.

After the arrest Ed was questioned by County Sheriff Art Schley and finally got a confession from Ed, but during the interrogation Art assaulted Ed and the confession was ruled inadmissible.

In Waushara County court Ed was found mentally incompetent and unable to stand trail and was sent to a state hospital for the criminally insane.

After 11 years in Mendota State Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, Ed was found sane enough to stand trail.

Ed’s trail lasted a week and he was found guilty of first degree murder on November 21st 1968 by Judge Robert H. Gollmar.

Ed spent the rest of his natural life in a metal hospital.

Death

Ed Gein died of heart failure due to cancer on July 28 1986 in the Mendota Mental Health Institute and was buried in the Plainfield Cemetery.

Notable Events

On March 21 1958 while Ed was incarcerated his house burned down and it was suspected to be arson committed by the some of the folks living in Plainfield at the time.

Ed Gein became the inspiration for the horror movies, Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs.

After being constantly vandalized Ed Gein’s Tombstone was stolen in the year 2000, recovered in 2001 and is now on display in a museum in Waushara County.

Ed Gein's Tombstone in 1999

Ed Gein's Tombstone before vandalism