Ed Gein was an American murderer and body snatcher who gained notoriety in the 1950s. Born in 1906 in Wisconsin, Gein’s crimes were discovered in 1957 when police investigated the disappearance of a local woman, Bernice Worden. They found Worden’s decapitated body hanging in Gein’s shed, alongside other gruesome evidence of his crimes.
Gein’s acts shocked the nation and influenced popular culture, inspiring numerous movies, books, and other media, including Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” and “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” Gein’s crimes were motivated by a bizarre obsession with his deceased mother and a desire to create a “woman suit” made from human skin. He also admitted to grave-robbing and mutilating corpses from local cemeteries.
Declared mentally unfit for trial, Gein was sent to a mental institution where he spent the rest of his life. He died in 1984. Despite the horrific nature of his crimes, Ed Gein remains a significant figure in criminal psychology and popular culture, often cited as one of the most disturbing and fascinating cases of true crime in American history.
Gein Farmhouse
Location: SW Corner of Archer & 2nd Avenue, Plainfield, WI
Worden’s Hardware
Worden’s Hardware was a store owned by Bernice Worden in Plainfield, Wisconsin. Tragically, it gained notoriety when Worden was murdered there by serial killer Ed Gein in November 1957. This event led to the discovery of Gein’s gruesome crimes, including murder and grave-robbing, shocking the nation and leaving a lasting impact on the community of Plainfield.
Location: 110 South Main Street, Plainfield, Wisconsin, WI
Ed Gein Grave
Ed Gein is located in an unmarked grave between Henry and Augusta Gein.
Location: Plainfield Cemetery
Bernice Worden Grave
Location: Plainfield Cemetery
Aerial view of the graves of Ed Gein and Bernice Worden. It is also reported that Ed is buried even closer to some of the graves of people that he dug up.
