Little Known Facts About Wisconsin’s Most Disturbing Serial Killer: Ed Gein

Ed Gein is one of the most famous, and disturbing, serial killers in American history, but did you know he might not have been a "serial" killer at all?

Wisconsin Serial Killer History

As an admitted true-crime junkie, I can say with confidence that Wisconsin was home to some of the most infamous and evil serial killers in history.

We all know about the terror Jeffrey Dahmer caused in Milwaukee during the late 80s/early 90s, or "The Milwaukee North Side Strangler" Walter Ellis, but in the 1950s there was Ed Gein.

Netflix's MONSTER Series

When Netflix premiered the second season of their MONSTER series profiling Jeffrey Dahmer in 2022, viewers had mixed reactions to it.

Many people thought it was too horrific to watch, but it fascinated me. There is no denying that Jeffrey Dahmer was a horrible, evil man, but I found it incredibly interesting to see how his childhood contributed to the monster he became.

Now the third season of Netflix's MONSTER is about to premiere, and this time it's all about Ed Gein. (Played by Charlie Hunnam)

Most people know Ed Gein as the “Butcher of Plainfield,” who robbed graves and made skin suits, but there are other details about his life that are often overshadowed by all the evil and gore.

Little Known Facts About Ed Gein

Netflix's MONSTER: The Ed Gein Story will no doubt unravel the twisted upbringing of the man who haunted his small Wisconsin community, but there are a few things you should know about Ed Gein before watching it.

1. Ed Gein was often bullied in school for his drooped eyelid, speech impediment and social awkwardness.
2. Ed Gein's mother was strictly religious and often preached that women were evil.  Gein's alcoholic dad often beat him in the head until his "ears would ring".
3. Ed Gein was a polite and well-behaved patient the whole time he was in psychiatric care.
4. Ed Gein was obsessed with wanting to know what it felt like to be a woman.
5. Ed Gein is only credited with killing two people. He's more infamous for robbing graves.

Ed Gein was found criminally insane and was undoubtedly evil, but I can't help but wonder what factors played a part in creating one of the worst monsters this country has ever seen.