After serial killer Ed Gein’s life was depicted on Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story, fans were left wondering what from the show was true and what was fiction. One storyline featured on the show included Ed killing his brother, Henry Gein.
Following the season 3 premiere of Monster on October 3, Life & Style is breaking down if Ed really killed Henry.
How Did Ed Gein’s Brother Henry Die on ‘Monster’?
In the first episode of Monster, Ed was seen killing his older brother, Henry, after he expressed his interest in getting away from their assertive and controlling mother, Augusta.
Ed (portrayed by Charlie Hunnam) was seen striking Henry (portrayed by Hudson Oz) with a piece of wood in the episode. He then dragged Henry’s body into the woods, where he staged a brush fire to cover up his involvement in Henry’s death.
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How Did Ed Gein’s Brother Henry Die in Real Life?
While the brush fire happened in the winter on the show, USA Today reported that Henry actually died in the spring of 1944. Henry’s body sustained serious burns in the fire, and the outlet reported that his official cause of death was “asphyxiation leading to heart failure.”
USA Today went on to note that Henry’s body did have some markings that could have been wounds, though officials ruled out foul play at the time of his death.
Did Ed Gein Kill His Brother Henry in Real Life?
While the show implies that Ed murdered his brother, he never confessed to having a role in Henry’s death. According to USA Today, Ed alerted town officials of the fire that ultimately led to Henry’s body being found.
What Crimes Did Ed Gein Commit?
Gein’s crimes were first discovered in November 1957 when police found the headless and distorted body of missing store clerk Bernice Worden at his farmhouse, per History.com. Authorities launched an investigation and discovered a collection of human skulls, furniture and clothing that were made from human body parts and skin in Gein’s home. The remains of ten women were ultimately found in his home.
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After it was suspected that Gein was responsible for several murders, he was declared mentally unfit to stand trial and was sent to a state hospital in Wisconsin. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia before he was deemed sane enough to stand trial in 1968. However, a judge ultimately found him guilty by reason of insanity, according to History.com.
Gein ultimately confessed to killing local woman Mary Hogan in 1954 and Worden in 1957, according to the Northeastern Global News. Additionally, he admitted to robbing local graveyards and exhuming the corpses of women whom he believed looked like his mother.
