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1. The Ed Gein Murders
One of the most notorious serial killers of the 20th century is Wisconsin’s Ed Gein. His crime spree was so horrifying he inspired numerous reproductions in literature and film including Norman Bates in Psycho and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs. Ed Gein eventually was caught and admitted to killing two women, but the real horror of his crimes extends far beyond just murder.
Raised by a genuinely abusive mother who kept Ed isolated from other people his age and instilled him with fanatical religious beliefs focused around damnation and the idea that women (aside from her) were inherently evil, Ed was a strange person from childhood. Teachers described him as seeming to be in his own world, often laughing at jokes that no one else could hear.
Police raided his home after a string of murders in his town and found a truly terrifying collection of female carnage. Ten female heads were found, as well as masks made of skinned human faces and bowls made from female human skulls. A human heart was found in a pot on the stove, as well as human organs in his refrigerator. A lampshade made from a human face was seen, as well as a collection of severed female genitals.
Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“15 Historical Events You Should Never, Ever Google Search” Mariel Loveland, Ranker. N.d.
“Wiping Out Polio: How the U.S. Snuffed Out a Killer” Jason Beaubien, NPR. October 2012.
“Unwitting consent: “Acres of Skin: Human Experiments at Holmesburg Prison” Meyer, C.R., Minnesota Medicine. July 1999.