Plainfield, WI — The chilling legacy of Ed Gein, whose macabre practices startled a quiet Wisconsin town and influenced several infamous fictional killers in American pop culture, will soon receive fresh attention through the lens of a new true crime series. Netflix’s “Monster” announced it will focus its third season on Gein, with British actor Charlie Hunnam slated to portray the notorious figure known as the “Butcher of Plainfield.”
Born Edward Theodore Gein in 1906 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, his early years were dominated by a repressive upbringing under the watchful eye of his fervently religious mother, Augusta. The family relocated to a secluded farm outside Plainfield, which became the scene of the horrific crimes discovered in 1957. Following the death of his brother Henry under mysterious circumstances and later his mother, Gein unraveled, his mental state deteriorating markedly.
The gruesome nature of Gein’s activities came to light after the disappearance of Bernice Worden, a hardware store owner, in November 1957. Gein was quickly apprehended and an investigation into his home revealed horrifying evidence, including human organs stored in jars and clothing crafted from human skin. His confession to the murders of Worden and another local woman, tavern owner Mary Hogan, alongside his nocturnal grave robbing, sent shockwaves through the community.
At his 1968 trial, Gein was found guilty of Worden’s murder but was declared insane and thus spent the remainder of his life in psychiatric institutions. He died in 1984, aged 77, from cancer-related complications. Despite the gruesome nature of his crimes, Gein’s story has continued to fascinate and horrify in equal measure, cementing his place in the annals of American crime history.
The impact of Gein’s life and crimes extended far beyond the small town of Plainfield. His story was the eerie inspiration behind notable horror figures such as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” Leatherface in “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” and Buffalo Bill in “The Silence of the Lambs.” Each character embodies elements of the isolation, madness, and macabre fascinations that defined Gein’s life.
Moreover, recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in Gein’s story, evidenced by the 2023 release of the MGM+ docuseries “Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein,” which unveiled previously unheard audiotapes of Gein’s interviews with law enforcement. These tapes, which had been stored for decades, provide a haunting insight into the mind of one of America’s most disturbing killers.
Adding another layer to the saga, the town of Plainfield experienced a peculiar event in 1958 when Gein’s farmhouse, rumored to become a macabre museum, mysteriously burned down. While the property’s destruction ended any such plans, it sparked further intrigue and debate surrounding the handling and remembrance of such gruesome histories.
Even decades after his death, the legacy of Ed Gein continues to ripple through culture and crime history, stirring a complex mixture of horror, curiosity, and revulsion. With the upcoming season of “Monster,” a new audience will likely grapple with the dark tales of the man who became the “Butcher of Plainfield,” proving that the fascination with the macabre aspects of human nature remains a potent narrative force.