How Many People Did Ed Gein Kill? The Surprising Number Behind The Serial Killer in Netflix's 'Monster'

He was the real-life inspiration behind some of cinema's most terrifying villains, from Norman Bates in Psycho to Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Yet the true story of Ed Gein is stranger and more disturbing than any fiction. Following renewed interest in the case, many are asking the same question that has haunted crime historians for decades: how many people did the 'Butcher of Plainfield' actually kill?

The Real Ed Gein: The Man Behind the Myth

Edward Theodore Gein was born in 1906 in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. He lived a reclusive life under the strict control of his mother, Augusta, whose fanatical religious beliefs shaped his worldview.

After her death in 1945, Gein became increasingly isolated on his rural farm near Plainfield. Locals viewed him as odd but harmless, unaware that his mental deterioration would lead to crimes that would horrify the nation.

By 1957, Gein's name had become synonymous with horror when police uncovered evidence linking him to a series of disappearances and bizarre discoveries in his home. The quiet handyman from Plainfield was suddenly exposed as one of America's most notorious murderers.

Two Confirmed Murders That Shocked America

Despite widespread rumours that Gein killed dozens, official records confirm only two murders.

His first known victim was Mary Hogan, a tavern owner who vanished in 1954. Three years later, Bernice Worden, who ran a local hardware store, went missing on 16 November 1957. Investigators discovered a receipt in Gein's home that directly connected him to Worden's disappearance.

When police searched his farmhouse, they found Worden's body along with other disturbing evidence. Gein later confessed to both murders, telling officers he had also been exhuming corpses from local cemeteries. However, he was tried only for Worden's death, found guilty but also legally insane, and committed to a state psychiatric hospital.

Grave-Robbing and Grisly Discoveries at the Farm

The investigation at Gein's property revealed a scene that stunned law enforcement. Officers discovered human remains and household items fashioned from bones and skin, including masks and furniture coverings. These findings initially fuelled speculation that Gein was responsible for numerous killings.

However, forensic analysis and his own admissions clarified that many remains came from graves he had disturbed rather than from murder victims.

'When [police] found all these human body parts at Gein's house, they assumed they were all murder victims, because nobody imagined that he was a grave robber', Harold Schechter, author of Deviant: The Shocking True Story of the Original "Psycho", told Rolling Stone.

Authorities estimated that he had exhumed up to nine corpses, making his crimes both macabre and psychologically complex, but not indicative of a large-scale killing spree.

Separating Fact from Fiction in Ed Gein's Story

Over time, myth blurred with fact. Mid-century media sensationalised Gein's crimes, leading many to believe he was a prolific serial killer.

In reality, confirmed evidence points to only two murders. The confusion stemmed partly from Gein's erratic statements during interrogation and the limited forensic tools available in the 1950s.

Historians emphasise the need to separate rumours from verified facts. There is no substantiated proof that Gein was responsible for any deaths beyond Hogan and Worden, despite decades of speculation.

In fact, when authorities questioned him about his potential connection to at least 10 missing persons, Gein passed a polygraph test, indicating that he was not in any way involved in those cases.