Some Connections
Have you ever seen American Horror Story? How about Season 2: Asylum? If you have, this part of the Serial Series is going to sound really strangely familiar to you. If you haven’t, I’ll give you a short summary (spoiler alert!). Basically, what happens is a reporter goes into (insert name of asylum here) to investigate some allegations about their treatment practices being questionable. However, the staff basically kidnap her, declare her insane, and force her to stay. While in the asylum, she meets the alleged serial killer “bloody face,” who cuts off his victims’ skin to make lampshades and masks. Absolutely twisted, right? No one would ever actually do this right?
Zachary Quinto as Oliver Thredson, a.k.a. Bloody Face, American Horror Story: Asylum
Wrong.
This week’s crazy killer of interest: Ed Gein. His crimes were the inspiration of not only Zachary Quinto’s character of a psychopath with mommy problems, but of various other horror movie villains such as Norman Bates (Psycho), Buffalo Bill (The Silence of the Lambs), and Leatherface (Texas Chain Saw Massacre).
(From left to right) Norman Bates, Buffalo Bill, and Leatherface
Some Background
Born Edward Theodore Gein, he grew up in La Crosse County, Wisconsin with his parents, George and Augusta, and his brother, Henry. His father was an alcoholic, and his mother despised him for it, making his home life less than ideal. His mother was an avid Lutheran, using her beliefs to isolate her children teaching them about, “The innate immorality of the world, the evil of drinking, and the belief that all women were naturally prostitutes and instruments of the devil.” Gein had a very close relationship with his mother, responding negatively to any criticisms of her. In fact, when Ed and his brother, Henry, were burning away vegetation on the farm, the fire got out of control and Henry was found dead; while it was reported that he died of asphyxiation, his head wounds said otherwise. Henry had recently been trying to convince Ed to leave his mother behind; he was angry at his brother, leading people to believe that Henry was Ed’s very first victim.
Edward Gein’s property
A Twisted Crimespree
November 16, 1957. Bernice Worden, a hardware store owner, sold a gallon of anti-freeze to a customer and disappeared. Gein, who had promised the day before to return to buy said gallon of anti-freeze, became the prime suspect. When Ed’s home was searched, the police found Worden’s body in his shed, shot dead by a rifle and mutilated/decapitated after her death. However, that body wasn’t the only thing they found. Some other possessions the police took as evidence included:
- “Human skin covering several chair seats”
- “Bowls made from human skulls”
- “A corset… [and] leggings made from human skin”
- “Masks made from the skin from female heads”
- “Bernice Worden’s entire head… [and] heart,” in bags
- (Other victim) “Mary Hogan’s face mask in a plastic bag”
- “A young girl’s dress”
- “Four noses”
- “A pair of lips”
- “A lampshade made from the skin of a human face”
Now, not all of these items were from people he killed personally. However, where they really came from may be even more disturbing. Over the course of 5 years, Gein made up to 40 trips to local graveyards to dig up bodies of “middle-aged women he thought resembled his mother,” and use their skin to make his belongings. His ultimate goal was to make a female skin suit “so that he could become his mother.” These disturbing revelations became the leeway into questions about possible necrophilia, but Gein denied said accusations.
Some of Gein’s “souvenirs”
A Free Trial
When tried for first degree murder, Edward Gein pled not guilty due to suspicions of insanity. This tactic worked for him, getting him sent to Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane for a short period of time until he was decreed fit to stand trial in November of 1968. Edward Gein was found guilty of first degree murder.
Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane
Opinions (The Diagnosis)
When sent to the CSH, Gein was diagnosed with schizophrenia, however, that was not the lone fault of this man. In reality, Gein had an Oedipus Complex (this is an extreme love/affection any male has for his mother; this tends to develop in the phallic stage of psychosexual development). I believe that Ed did what he did because of his mental illnesses and obsessive attachment to his mother. However, I also believe it was because Edward Gein was a textbook example of a sociopath: his behavior and thought processes were influenced by his upbringing, he had the “ability to form an attachment to a like minded person,” and his behaviors were “impulsive and erratic,” with little regard to consequences. I would love to hear what you think was really going on inside Ed Gein’s head.
So, next time you watch a horror movie and are disturbed by what you see, do some research. Those fictional killers might not be so fictional after all.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Gein
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosexual_development#Anal_stage
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2015/02/12/differences-between-a-psychopath-vs-sociopath/
ckc148 says
I love Sierra-l killers.
Brandon Corey Sullivan says
Sierra,
Seeing that you opened up to American Horror Story (AHS) just hooked me. I LOVE AHS, and just horror in general. It’s always a great idea to relate a rather unheard of event or person to a popular part of modern culture. Also, I noted one of your tags for this story is “furniture.” Nice one. It’s sort of funny in a really terrible way. Once again, the way you organize the post is extremely effective. They make wonderful sense in the order they’re placed, and help progress your thoughts in an effective and well-paced manor. I also love how you progress into explaining your position in the whole ordeal, and do so in a very informed way. Oddly enough, this makes me want to know more. Sure, it’s creepy and rather terrifying, but as someone who loves psychology it really peeks my interest to know more about this guy, his reasons, and his entire story. Thank you for introducing me to this. It’s definitely a situation of the more you know. And your last note, is wonderful too. So few times do people actually realize that horror movies can be based on true stories. We too often forget that real people went through some of those situations in the movies. I can’t wait to see who you dig up next week!
Kathryn Lynn Mayberry says
Sierra,
Okay that was creepy and I’m kind of glad I didn’t save this one for last. I think I might have nightmares. Anyway, I love how you begin by tying in a popular TV show (although I’ve never seen American Horror Story, I am a fan of Quinto’s acting on Broadway and in Star Trek) because it makes the type of serial killing discussed more accessible to the reader. Once again the way you present the killer, the murders and the prosecution is flawless and easy to follow. The organization of the post is strong. Cutting it up into sub-topics allows you to transition cleanly from one part of the topic to the next without need for transitional thoughts. It makes for a coherent read and clean presentation. It also flows well into your diagnosis that once again allows the reader to connect to the mystery with you and make their own diagnosis with the clues that you have provided. I think for this one, I’ll refrain from getting into Gein’s head; it seems its crazy enough in there for one person. Regardless, I loved the post and it was incredibly fascinating (although, equally terrifying) to get to know another serial killer through your blog.
Robert Al-Moustafa says
Sierra,
Wow, this story is so twisted and horrid that I could not believe that it was real. I thought it was something filmmakers and TV producers created just to scare the living daylights out of the viewers. It’s so interesting to find out that this is not the case. In that regard, I don’t think I would have wanted to learn about Ed Gein any other way than through this blog. You have really done a stellar job in enticing your readers through the blog’s organization. For instance, I really found the “Some Connections” to be a great introduction to the blog post. Not only did I find it to lay the groundwork for the rest of the blog, but it also served as a very strong hook. I’ve never watched American Horror Story before, but my mind went to Dexter as soon as you said something about “cutting off the victims’ skin.”
As for the story of Ed Gein, I loved how it was told in such a mysterious tone. At one point I felt that this would a great story to tell kids that are camping out in the wilderness. It certainly was a weird enough story. It’s not every day you hear about a serial killer that wanted to dress like his mother using other people’s skin. Lastly, you incorporated your voice in a very stellar manner. This all ties back to your organization of the blog. All in all, this was a masterpiece.