Edward Gein

Born on August 27th, 1906 in the state of Wisconsin, Edward Theodore Gein, otherwise recognized as the butcher of Plainfield, is amongst the worst serial killers America has seen. So much so, the sadistic Gein has inspired many of the American horror film plots as a murderer. Apart from his murdering sprees, Edward Theodore Gein was a body snatcher. On a raid at his home, police found human dead bodies, flesh and bones kept as achievements and decorations. It was believed that Edward would dig up dead bodies from their graves and cut and use them for his amusement.

One must wonder how someone can become such a cold-hearted sadistic murderer. To begin with, a lot has to do with Edward Gein’s troubled and isolated childhood. Edward lived with his parents and an elder brother on a huge 155-acre farm. Cut off from any human interaction, Gein kept to himself as a child and made no friends. His mother would punish him every time he would try to make friends. Apart from doing farm chores, there was virtually nothing to keep Gein’s mind productive. With no friends or social life, Gein couldn’t help but develop resentment against other people. Surprisingly he performed academically well at school, his isolation was expressed in classrooms when he would suddenly start laughing in an exuberant tone and then all of a sudden stop and keep his silence for the rest of the day, followed by what his teachers would define unethical manners for a child.

Gein spent his days in isolation at a farmhouse with an alcoholic dad and a mother who would corrupt his and his brothers’ minds with irrational perspectives of the outside world. One day, while burning vegetation on their farm with his elder brother, Gein lost control of the flames and local firefighters had to be called to manage it. However, while the fire did get managed, Gein’s brother Henry was nowhere to be found. A search was called and Henry was eventually found lying dead. Everyone immediately thought the smoke to be the reason and no one investigated. Later on, however, it was found that Henry had marks on his head and that he was long dead before the fire. Ed Gein was suspected for the murder but due to little evidence, no criminal charges were pressed.

With his mother passing away due to a stroke shortly after Henry’s death, Ed Gein was now alone, devastated and in a troubled state of mind. With no friends and family, he took to cult and cannibalism magazines to keep his mind busy. Ultimately corrupting his curious mind to kill and steal dead bodies for pleasure.

Gein’s house was raided after he was the last customer seen entering a local store, the owner of which disappeared soon after. Found in his home were human skulls, kitchen accessories made out of human bones. Furniture & clothing made with human skin along with a dozen of other horrifying things. Gein admitted to killing the store owner and another lady.

Arrested by the local police, although guilty, no charges were pressed due to the court declaring him mentally unfit and therefore Gein was sent to a mental institution, kept under strict supervision. Edward Gein later died in a mental facility in 1984.