Ed Gein

The words “based on a true story” can add a lot more horror and make films more relevant. Scary movies tend to bring our most horrible nightmares to life. But Ed Gein brought the demon to life and made them a reality. Because he only killed less than three people, he does not entirely fit the definition of a serial killer, but movies like Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, all about serial killers influenced by him, bring out different aspects of Gein. Born on August 27, 1906, Ed Gein was not only a murderer but also a body snatcher. His victims were both alive and dead. On November 16, 1957, Gein was arrested for the murder of Bernice Worden. When police investigated his house, not only did they find Worden’s decapitated body, but also human remains. Bowls were made from human skulls, lap shade and chairs made form human skin, face masks that were hung around the walls like decorations and the head of a past victim, Mary Hogan, who had gone missing three years before. He had gathered all these items from different cemeteries. Augusta Gein, was more than Ed Gein’s mother, she was also his best friend. He worshiped every move that his mother made, even though she had stripped him of his manhood. When she died, his world was devastated and that was when he began raiding tombs. He would also find himself having intercourse with dead corpses. On July 26, 1984, Gein died of respiratory and heart failure at the Mendota Mental Health Institute.