Inside The 'Monster', Ed Gein's Real-Life Crimes - Human Skin Furniture, Lampshades, Masks, And More

Netflix’s latest entry in the true-crime Monster anthology, Monster: The Ed Gein Story, dives into the disturbing tale of one of America’s most notorious killers, infamously known as the ‘Butcher of Plainfield’. The series shines a spotlight on the man who inspired iconic characters in horror classics, such as Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Psycho.

But none of the fictional horrors come close to Gein’s real-life story. In the 1950s, Ed lived an isolated life in the quiet town of Plainfield, Wisconsin, under the shadows of a domineering mother. When his crimes were discovered, investigators found disturbing artefacts from his house, including, but not limited to, human skin masks, gloves, a full ‘woman suit’, and furniture. 

Monster: The Ed Gein Story, which premiered on Netflix on October 3, 2025, not only explores Ed’s crimes but also showcases the psychological and familial influences that drove him. Adding to those goosebumps, let us give you an insider glimpse into the ‘Plainfield Ghoul's’ origin and his heartrending trail of crimes.

Ed Gein’s early life and family influence

They say a monster is not born, but made by society. In Ed Gein’s case, it’s a dark and disturbing rendition of this popular saying in psychologically messed-up ways. Born in August 1906 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Ed was the younger of two sons. He and his older brother, Henry Gein, were raised on a remote family farm outside Plainfield. 

In his growing years, Ed saw his father, George, struggling with alcohol. There were days when George’s outbursts turned abusive, and he used to hit their mother, Augusta, in front of the kids. Augusta, on the other hand, was strictly religious and enforced those teachings, preaching constantly about sin, lust, and the dangers of women. Augusta’s intense control over her sons created a deeply repressive household that left lasting psychological scars on Ed.

George Gein died in 1940, and the responsibility of the family farm fell upon the Gein brothers, who managed it together. However, after Henry’s mysterious death in 1944, officially ruled as accidental asphyxiation, Ed was left alone with his mother. Only a year later, in 1945, Augusta passed away, marking a turning point in Ed’s life.

After losing his mother, Ed became increasingly reclusive, obsessively preserving her room as the rest of the house fell into decay. This isolation, combined with his unsettling fascination with death and the female form, laid the groundwork for the crimes that followed.

Inside Ed Gein’s shocking trail of crimes

Before his killing spree, Ed Gein’s criminal acts began with grave robbery. He used to exhume the dead bodies of recently buried women whom he believed bore a resemblance to his mother. He used their skin to create grotesque items such as masks, gloves, and even a full ‘woman suit’, which he reportedly intended to wear. Other morbid artefacts included chairs upholstered with human flesh and a lampshade made from a deceased woman’s face.

In 1954, Mary Hogan, a local tavern woman, went missing. Years later, in 1957, Bernice Worden, a hardware store owner, also disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Investigators traced Worden’s case to Hogan and eventually reached Ed Gein. A thorough search of his Plainfield home, aka the ‘house of horrors’, uncovered some of the most unsettling findings in true crime history. 

There were human remains, a soup bowl made out of a human skull, and objects made from body parts. Gein admitted to having unalived the two missing women and also confessed to grave robbing, though several other suspected crimes, including the mysterious passing of his brother Henry years ago, were never fully confirmed.

What did experts say about Ed Gein’s disturbed psyche?

Gein’s crimes not only shocked the nation but also left the world shivering at the gory extent of his crimes. Experts suggest that his obsessive attachment to his mother, Augusta, heavily influenced his crimes. He reportedly wanted to create a suit from human skin as a way to become more like his mother. Psychologists have long suggested that Gein’s mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, combined with years of isolation and trauma, drove him toward these macabre acts. 

Gein’s story not only became an intriguing true-crime case but also became a blueprint for several fictional serial killers. The infamous ‘woman suit’ inspired ‘Buffalo Bill’ in Silence of the Lambs, his ‘house of horrors’ influenced ‘Leatherface’ in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and his relationship with his mother inspired ‘Norman Bates’ in Psycho.

Trials and later life: Gein pleaded not guilty

After his arrest in 1957, Ed Gein pleaded ‘not guilty by reason of insanity’ and was initially deemed unfit for trial. Much of his later years were spent in Central State Hospital before he was finally convicted of Bernice Worden’s murder in 1968. Despite the conviction, he was ruled legally insane and returned to psychiatric care. In 1984, he passed away at age 77 at the Mendota Mental Health Institute from complications of lung cancer and respiratory failure.

Ed Gein remains one of the most infamous figures in American criminal history. Now, through the latest Netflix series, viewers can confront the grim reality behind fiction and the psychosocial factors that shaped Ed Gein’s horrifying life.

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