Who Is Ed Gein? Inside The Real-Life Story Of The ‘Monster’ Whose Grisly Crimes Inspired ‘Psycho’

The villains in some of America’s most iconic horror movies, like “Psycho” and “The Silence of the Lambs,” were inspired by crimes dating back to the 1950s committed by real-life killer and grave robber Ed Gein. Gein, who admitted to killing two women, also had a house of horrors – authorities uncovered bowls made from skulls, human heads, women’s body parts used to make furniture and household items, and both face masks and a woman suit made out of human skin. Most recently, Gein’s story is spotlighted in the latest season of the Netflix series “Monster.” Harold Schechter, author of “Deviant: The Shocking True Story of the Original ‘Psycho,’” joins “Forbes True Crime” to discuss the killer now known as the Butcher of Plainfield.

Watch the full interview above.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestv/2025/10/07/who-is-ed-gein-inside-the-real-life-story-of-the-monster-whose-grisly-crimes-inspired-psycho/