The True American Horror Story Behind Netflix’s ‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’
Key Takeaways
- The third season of Ryan Murphy's 'Monster' anthology series, 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story,' premieres on Netflix on October 3rd.
- The series focuses on Ed Gein, a notorious 1950s serial killer and grave robber from Plainfield, Wisconsin, who will be portrayed by Charlie Hunnam.
- Gein's disturbing background involved a strict, isolated upbringing under his religious mother following the deaths of his father and brother.
- His crimes were uncovered in 1957 after the disappearance of Bernice Worden, leading to the discovery of mutilated bodies and human remains used in macabre crafts.
- Gein confessed to murdering Worden and Mary Hogan, claiming he intended to wear their skin to become his mother reincarnated, and was ultimately found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Ryan Murphy's 'Monster' anthology series returns for its third season on Netflix on October 3rd, focusing on the chilling case of serial killer Ed Gein in 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story.' Gein, born in 1906 in Wisconsin and portrayed by Charlie Hunnam, endured a severely isolated upbringing under his religious zealot mother, which heavily influenced his later pathology. After the deaths of his father, brother, and mother, Gein became increasingly withdrawn, developing fixations on violent literature and morbid practices. His crimes came to light in 1957 following the disappearance of hardware store owner Bernice Worden, whose body was found horrifically mutilated on his farm, alongside evidence linking him to the murder of Mary Hogan and numerous grave desecrations. Gein confessed that his motivation stemmed from a desire to construct a 'full-body suit' to embody his late mother, although he is suspected of involvement in other unsolved disappearances. The subsequent trial was fraught with issues, including the inadmissibility of initial confessions due to police misconduct, resulting in a guilty plea by reason of insanity and his committal to a hospital for the criminally insane.
