When you hear the name Ed Gein, a chill runs down your spine. Known as the “Butcher of Plainfield,” Gein is one of America’s most infamous criminals—a man whose real-life horrors inspired some of the most iconic horror movies, from Psycho to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But despite the headlines and Hollywood dramatizations, a question remains: how many people did Ed Gein actually kill?
Let’s unravel the dark, twisted story of this notorious murderer and grave robber, separating fact from fiction.
Who Was Ed Gein?
Ed Gein was born in 1906 in Plainfield, Wisconsin, a small town where isolation and strict upbringing shaped the man he would become. His mother, Augusta, instilled in him a warped view of morality and religion, telling him the world was sinful and that women, in particular, were instruments of evil.
This strict upbringing, combined with a lonely childhood and an obsession with death, set the stage for Gein’s horrifying future. He became a recluse after his mother’s death, digging into graves and collecting human remains, crafting them into grotesque objects—a macabre hobby that would shock the world.
The Confirmed Murders
Despite all the rumors and legends, Ed Gein was only confirmed to have murdered two women:
- Mary Hogan (1954) – a local barmaid who mysteriously disappeared. While her body was never recovered, investigators suspected Gein’s involvement due to his unusual fascination with dead bodies and his later crimes.
- Bernice Worden (1957) – a hardware store owner whose murder led to Gein’s capture. Authorities found her body in his home, along with a gruesome collection of body parts and items fashioned from human remains.
While some think his victim count was higher, these are the only murders tied to him with strong evidence.
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Suspected Victims
Over the years, rumors swirled about other disappearances in the area. Gein had a habit of exhuming bodies from local graveyards, leading some to suspect he may have committed more murders.
However, law enforcement could never confirm additional victims. Many reports were based on speculation or sensationalized media coverage, making it hard to separate reality from horror-story hype.
Misconceptions and Myths
Hollywood and media have exaggerated Ed Gein’s crimes, turning him into a near-mythical serial killer. Movies depict him as having dozens of victims, but the truth is far more restrained—two confirmed murders and a disturbing obsession with corpses.
It’s essential to distinguish between his grave-robbing victims and actual murder victims. Many stories conflated the two, inflating his “body count” in the public imagination.
Movies and Series Inspired by Ed Gein
Ed Gein’s horrific crimes—particularly his grave robbing, necrophilia, and creating household items and clothing from human remains—served as the inspiration for some of the most iconic characters and films in the horror genre.
| Film/Character | Year | Core Inspiration from Gein |
| Psycho (Norman Bates) | 1960 | Norman Bates’s taxidermy, his isolation, and the unhealthily codependent relationship with his domineering mother. |
| The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Leatherface) | 1974 | Leatherface’s mask made of human skin and the use of human bones/skin for furniture and decor in the family house. |
| Deranged (Ezra Cobb) | 1974 | This movie is considered one of the closest fictional depictions, following a reclusive farmer who keeps his dead mother’s corpse and robs graves. |
| The Silence of the Lambs (Buffalo Bill) | 1991 | Buffalo Bill’s objective of skinning women to create a “woman suit,” which directly mirrors Gein’s actions. |
| House of 1000 Corpses (Otis Driftwood) | 2003 | The character’s fascination with creating artwork and costumes from human remains. |
Monster: The Ed Gein Story
This is the third installment in the popular true-crime anthology series on Netflix, following the seasons on Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez Brothers.
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Release Date: The full season was released on October 3, 2025.
- Starring: Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein.
The show has been a huge talking point due to its controversial nature, which is a hallmark of the producers (Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan).
Like the Dahmer season, it’s graphic, unsettling, and features an acclaimed actor (Hunnam) in a disturbing role. It also takes on the huge task of showing how Gein’s horrific crimes directly inspired iconic horror films like Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs.
While it’s highly successful in terms of viewership, critics have been divided, often accusing the series of being overly sensationalized, taking major creative liberties with the facts, and using excessive graphic content.
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Where to Watch “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”
The series “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” is the third installment in the true-crime anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan.
- Release: The full season was released on October 3, 2025.
- Streaming Platform: The series is available exclusively on Netflix.
Conclusion
So, how many people did Ed Gein actually kill? Officially, only two confirmed murders, though his grave-robbing and obsession with human bodies have cemented his place in horror legend.
While legends and movies may exaggerate, understanding the facts gives us a chilling glimpse into a man whose mind blurred the line between fascination and monstrosity.
For anyone curious about the dark side of true crime, Ed Gein’s story is a haunting, real-life tale that continues to captivate—and horrify—the world.