← Crime House 24/7
Crime House 24/7
Night Watch: Netflix’s “Monster” Revives Ed Gein’s Horror: Here’s the Real Story
00:26:55
Loading summary
Transcript15 lines
- [00:02]
A
Hi, it's Katie. I'm excited to let you know that you can watch video episodes of Crime House Daily Night Watch on Spotify. It's the same gripping true crime stories you've been getting here now with added videos and photos that give you even more depth and detail into each case. Search Night Watch on Spotify and hit follow so you never miss an episode.
- [00:37]
B
This is Crime House.
- [00:40]
A
Tonight we're digging into the story of one of history's most terrifying killers. Attention around this killer has skyrocketed since the new season of Monster the Ed Gein Story was released and quickly hit the top 10. We've heard the story of the actual killer, but tonight we will also tell the story of one of his victims. So let's get into it. Netflix new hit the Ed Gein Story. The gruesome true story of the serial killer from the 1950s who slaughtered women and robbed the graves of freshly buried corpses to steal body parts for his sister. Sickening private collection.
- [01:19]
B
He was a boy living in somewhat isolation in Wisconsin and around like 1940 is the years of he was active criminally, but like you said in your introduction, he was the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Silence of the Lambs and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
- [01:40]
A
Hi, I'm Katie Ring, a true crime analyst, self defense instructor and fierce advocate for victims. And this is Crime House Daily, your essential true true crime companion. Every weekday morning and night here at Crime House Daily, we dig into the true crime stories making headlines right now, where justice is unfolding, arrests are happening, and new evidence is emerging. Every morning, First Watch gets you up to speed on the biggest cases. Every night, Night Watch takes you deeper. If you want to follow a case from the first 911 call to the final verdict, this is the place for you. Follow Crime House Daily Wherever you get your podcasts live, leave a review and for ad free listening, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. For video, check out our YouTube channel Rimehouse Daily or on Spotify by searching Night Watch True Crime Cases Daily in the Search tab. This episode discusses active criminal cases and breaking news. The information we share is based on what's publicly available at the time of recording and may change as new evidence comes to light. We we aim to inform, not to decide guilt or innocence. So everyone mentioned is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
- [02:57]
B
Think advertising on TikTok isn't for your business? Think again. We've generated over 100,000 leads, which has converted into over 40,000 sales for our pet insurance policies My name is Trey Ferro. I am the CEO of Spot Pet Insurance. TikTok's smart AI powered automation takes the guesswork out of targeting, bidding and optimizing creative. If I can advertise on TikTok, you can too. Drive more leads and scale your business. Today only on TikTok. Head over to get started.TikTok.com TikTok ads.
- [03:30]
A
Tonight'S case centers around the real life killer behind a chart topping Netflix show the Ed gein story On October 3, 2025, Netflix aired the third season of its hit anthology series. The show has created a ton of buzz, especially as people unpack the details of one of the most gruesome cases in history. But behind all of the sensation, real lives were lost because of Ed Gein's monstrous actions. And tonight we aim to bring one of his victim stories to the forefront. Bernice Worden was born in Canton, Illinois back on May 9, 1899 to Frank Conover and Agnes Putnam. Details of her childhood are scarce, but at a young age, Bernice's family relocated over 300 miles north to Plainfield, where she would remain for the rest of her life. When Bernice is In her early 20s, she marries a local man named Leon Warden. Leon's family has deep roots in Plainfield and have owned and operated a harness shop called warden's since the 1890s. By the time Leon and Bernice get married, Warden's has become a full hardware store and Leon partners with Bernice's father Frank to co own the store. Bernice and Leon eventually have two children, Frank and Miriam, and the store becomes a major part of the family's identity. Bernice dives deep into the business in 1929 when Leon buys out Frank's share of the store and begins managing it himself. Bernice helps with the day to day operations, which comes in handy in 1931 when Leon suddenly passes away. Now Bernice, a 31 year old mother of two, takes charge of the family business and runs things for the next 25 years. And she's good at it. During that time, Wardens goes from being a local mom and pop store to Plainfield's main supplier of farming equipment and appliances as well as a telegraph office. In the process, Bernice has become one of the town's most prominent residents and everyone knows who she is. Her level of success and independence is pretty rare for a woman in the 1950s, let alone a woman in a small town, and Bernice earns all of the respect she deserves. In the summer of 1956 she's recognized as the town's second citizen of the Week, becoming the first woman to receive this honor. But unfortunately, all of the recognition comes with a downside, too. In 1957, Bernice starts receiving some unwanted attention from a man named Ed Gein. Gein is 51 years old and is a bit of a loner who many people in the town find odd. But he's also known to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs it, so people put up with him. However, that year, Bernice starts feeling especially uncomfortable around Gein because he's apparently developed a serious infatuation with her. He constantly stops by the store to ask Bernice out on dates to the movies, the ice rink and dancing. But Bernice is not interested, and even her son Frank, who's now a young man, is a little alarmed by Gein's incessant behavior. Gein doesn't seem to get the hint, though, so things continue on like this for weeks. But Bernice tries her best to go on about her life without letting him bother her too much. And on November 16, 1957, she thinks she might finally get a breather. It's the first day of hunting season in Wisconsin, and Plainfield is largely deserted as most of the men in town venture into the woods. That morning, Bernice picks up her mail before opening the store. At around 8:15am across the street, the owner of the local gas station, Bernard Mushinski, sees her go inside. Bernard doesn't go hunting because people always bring their catches to his station to weigh them, so he needs to be around to help out his customers. While he's waiting for his customers, he passes the time by gazing out his window. And that's when he notices a few strange things that happen at Bernice's store. Shortly after he sees Bernice arrive that day, Bernard notices a delivery truck briefly stop there before continuing on its route. About an hour later, Bernard sees Bernice's panel truck that she uses for store deliveries pull out of the garage and head down the street. This isn't out of the ordinary, since Bernice sometimes hires outside help. So even though he can't tell who's driving her truck, Bernard doesn't think much of it. But as the hours pass, he can't help but notice how quiet things are at the store. Sure, a lot of people are out of town hunting, but not everyone. Bernard finds it odd that no one has gone in or come out, so he decides to walk across the street and check on things just in case. Once he's in front of the store. He sees that all of the lights are on, but he doesn't see anyone inside. Then when he tries to open the door, it's locked. It's extremely unusual for Bernice to leave the lights on when she's not there. And as other people in the town come by the store, they become just as concerned as Bernard. But they figure they'll just give it some time before becoming too frantic. It is the first day of hunting season, after all, and people are busy, so Bernard returns to his gas station. But his worries don't seem to fade. In fact, they only get worse because he doesn't see Bernice's truck return to the store. By late afternoon, hunters start trickling into the station, including Bernice's son, Frank. When Bernard sees him, he asks him where Bernice is. Frank seems surprised and tells Bernard she's across the street at the store. That's when Bernard tells Frank Bernice isn't there and he doesn't know where she is. He recounts all the earlier events to Frank, who then rushes across the street to try the door himself. It's still locked, so Frank races home to grab a spare key. Then he goes back into the store and lets himself in. Once he's inside, Frank can tell something terrible has happened. The first thing he notices is that the cash register is empty, which makes him think there's been a robbery. He begins searching around the store for any sign of his mother. And that's when something on the floor catches his eye. It's a trail of blood leading to the back door. Frank follows the trail outside where Bernice usually parks her truck. But it's not there now. Frank is completely frantic. He believes someone came to the store, hurt his mother, and then kidnapped her. He darts back inside and calls the sheriff's office. But before he calls him, Frank notices something else. There's a receipt on the counter written in his mother's handwriting. It's for the purchase of antifreeze that was made that morning. And the customer is none other than Ed Gein. Your perfect style is more than a fit.
- [11:02]
B
It's a feeling when you step into.
- [11:03]
A
Maurices, our stylists are dedicated to helping.
- [11:06]
B
You find the perfect outfit.
- [11:07]
A
Shop store or maurices.com for new items arriving daily and holiday flash deals. Maurices that styled feeling. I've never felt like this before. It's like you just get me. I feel like my true self with you. Does that sound crazy? And it doesn't hurt that you're gorgeous? Okay, that's it. I'm taking you home with me. I mean, you can't find shoes this good just anywhere. Find a shoe for every you from brands you love like Birkenstock, Nike, Adidas and more at your DSW store or DSW.com On November 6, 1957, Frank Worden returns to his mother Bernice's hardware store to discover she's missing. The only clues are a trail of blood and a receipt with Ed Gein's name on it. Frank's heart races as he calls the sheriff's department. And when Sheriff Art Schley and a deputy arrive at the hardware store, Frank fills them in on everything. He tells them that he thinks Ed Gein is behind whatever's going on. The officers are confused because Gein is a little odd, but he's known for helping people and they don't think he'd do something like this. But then Frank shows them the receipt and starts telling them about Gein's obsession with Bernice over the last few weeks. And that's not all. Ever since finding the receipt, Frank has remembered something else. While he was closing up the store the night before, Gein came in and asked about Antifreeze. But then he asked Frank if he would be there tomorrow or if he would be out hunting. Now Frank wonders if Gein was casing the store to figure out when he could catch Bernice alone. Now Sheriff Archley is convinced that they need to find Gein. He calls for backup, and officers from all over Wisconsin flock to Plainfield. Officers Dan Chase and Arden spies make their way to Gein's farm about six miles outside of town. When they get there, they knock on the door, but no one answers. Chase and spies know that Gein often has dinner with a couple who lives nearby, Lester and Irene Hill. So they go to the Hill's house to see if Gein is there. When Irene opens up, she says he is, but that he's about to take her son Bob into town. The officers glance around the house and Gein is sitting in the driver's seat of a car parked in the driveway. They approach the car and ask him to roll the window down. Gein seems confused, but he cooperates, and officers ask him to tell them what he did that day. Gein walks him through his day and his story seems normal. But when they ask him again, they notice inconsistencies. Officer Chase points out the discrepancies in Gein's stories. And that's when Gein breaks down and says that someone is framing him. Calmly, Chase asks, framing you for What? Gein says it has something to do with Bernice Worden. Chase immediately knows Gein has done something to Bernice because he never mentioned her name to him. So the officer asks Gein what he's talking about, and Gein replies, quote, well, she's dead, ain't she? Chase keeps pressing Gein, how do you know Bernice is dead? Gein says that he heard other people talking about it, but both officers know he's lying, so they take him into the station so they can hold him until they can figure out the truth. Once they notify Sheriff Art Schley, he and Captain Lloyd Shutboister make their way to Gein's farm. They want to search the property for any signs of Bernice while Gein is still in custody. All the while, Sheriff Schley maintains hope that Bernice is still alive. When he and the captain arrive at Gein's farmhouse at 8pm they find most of the doors locked. But when they go in around the side, they notice a shed attached to the main house. The door to the shed is held in place with just a single flimsy bolt. So the captain kicks the door in, and as soon as the officers enter the dark shed, a foul odor hits them, like something rotting. They cover their noses, then shine their flashlights around the area. There are piles of trash everywhere. They trudge through the heaps of garbage, trying to find their way into the main house, when all of the sudden, Sheriff Art Schley bumps into something. If you're eating, I recommend putting the silverware down for what's about to come next. The sheriff turns and shines his flashlight in the direction, and what he sees horrifies him. It's a human body hanging upside down from the ceiling, and it's completely hollowed out. Sheriff Schlay immediately stumbles outside and vomits into the snow. Captain Shepwoister follows him, and the two men race back to their car and radio for backup. Soon the farm is swarming with officers who begin a full search of the house. It's in complete disarray. There's not only trash everywhere, but a stash of bizarre items, including a wash basin filled with dirt, an old coffee container with used bubble gum, and a pair of decayed dentures on a shelf. Don't pick that food back up yet because it keeps getting worse. As they try and sort through everything, one of the officers picks up what he thinks is a bowl. But when he looks closer, he realizes it's a human skull with the top sawed off. Eventually, the officers find 12 more skulls. And that's just the beginning of the horrors they uncover. They start to notice that many of the chairs and cushions are upholstered with an odd material which they realize is human flesh. They also find a lampshade made out of flesh, a belt crafted from women's breasts, and boxes filled with other female body parts, including noses and sexual organs. There are even masks made of actual human faces. But the most chilling discovery is found in the kitchen. There, behind a stack of other things, an officer uncovers a severed human head. Once the officer's initial shock wears off, he recognizes who the head belongs to. It's a middle aged woman named Mary Hogan, who went missing from the nearby town of Pine Grove three years earlier in December 1954. At the time, investigators had found blood and a bullet cartridge at the tavern Mary owned, which made them believe she had been abducted. Her case had remained unsolved for all of these years. Until now. Once authorities finish processing the house of Horrors, Sheriff Arch Schley makes his way to the jail where Gein is in custody. Schley barges inside, grabs Gein and slams him against the wall. Other officers have to pull the two men apart. Afterward, Gein appears shaken and refuses to speak to the police. But that doesn't stop others in town from talking. Rumors immediately begin circulating through Plainfield. Some people were in complete shock, while others speculated whether Gein was using his farm as a murder factory. Then, after two days of fear, panic and despair, Gein finally decides to talk.
- [18:57]
B
Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte paint, finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro. You just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the app. Download today.
- [19:22]
A
This episode is brought to you by cars.com on cars.com you can shop over 2 million cars. That means over 2 million new car possibilities. Like making space for your growing family. Becoming the type of person who takes spontaneous weekend camping trips or upgrading your commute wherever life takes you next or whoever you're looking to be. There's a car for that on cars.com visit cars.com to discover your next possibility.
- [19:48]
B
It's okay not to be perfect with finances. Experian is your big financial friend and here to help. Did you know you can get matched with credit cards on the app, some cards are labeled no Ding Decline, which means if you're not approved, they won't hurt your credit scores. Download the Experian app for free today. Applying for no Ding Decline cards won't hurt your credit scores. If you aren't initially approved, initial approval will result in a hard inquiry, which may impact your credit scores.
- [20:16]
A
Experian Two days after his arrest, Ed Gein finally tells police he's ready to talk. First, he requests a slice of apple pie and some cheese. After that, he tells him what he did to Bernice, but he doesn't reveal the full story. Gein claims he showed up to her store in a daze and at one moment he was asking Bernice for antifreeze, the next he was staring down at her dead body. From there, he dragged her body outside, put her in her truck, and then brought her back to his farm where he, quote, butchered her like a deer. Authorities are stunned, but they still have questions. Namely, why did Gein have so many human remains inside his house? To their surprise, Gein explains everything. He says that between 1947 and 1952, he regularly visited cemeteries and stole dead bodies from their graves. He mainly sought out the bodies of recently deceased middle aged or elderly women who resembled his mother. Investigators are initially wary, given how much time and energy it would take to dig up that many graves, so they begin checking his story. They visit the cemeteries and confirm that the caskets either appear to have been moved or there are body parts missing. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, November 19, Gein is transferred to the state crime laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin. There, he undergoes a lie detector test. During the session, Ed confesses even more about his crimes. He says he would wear the women's faces as masks, along with stockings made from their skin. Finally, authorities ask Gein why he did it, and he tells them it all ties back to his relationship with his mother Augusta, who was deeply religious and who Gein viewed as a saint like figure. Gein had been deeply attached to his mother and when she died in 1945, he snapped. He said he started grave robbing as a way to try and recreate or reconnect with his mother. But somewhere along the way, something else was awakened inside of him. The more women he dug up, the more he realized he actually wanted to be a woman, which is why he started wearing their flesh. His crimes continued escalating when he met Mary Hogan, and she reminded him so much of his mother that Gein decided to kill her. The same feeling took over when he met Bernice Worden, leading Gein down the same murderous path. Investigators aren't the only ones who are left shocked and horrified by when they hear Gein's story. As the news makes national headlines, the entire country is overcome with terror and grief. Soon, Gein is formally charged with first degree murder for Bernice Worden's death, and his lawyer pleads not guilty by reason of insanity. The plea causes unrest in Plainfield, with many fearing Gein will escape justice. The judge orders a 30 day observation period at the Central State Hospital for the criminally insane. While there, he claims he can't remember the full details of Bernice or Mary's murders and that he only confessed to killing Mary because police wanted him to. Then he says he killed Bernice accidentally by loading a gun inside of her store that accidentally went off. And his claims only get more bizarre from there. Gein tells doctors that his mother speaks to him from beyond the grave. He says he sees faces in leaf piles and smells rotting flesh on his farm. Finally, he says Bernice's death was ordained by God. After hearing all of this, doctors diagnose Gein with schizophrenia, deeming him unfit to stand trial. Instead, he's committed to Central State Hospital, which angers everyone in Plainfield. And apparently someone decides to act on those feelings. On March 20, 1958, 10 days before Gein's farm is supposed to be auctioned off, his house mysteriously burns to the ground. Now people are at least somewhat relieved that the House of Horrors won't become a morbid tourist attraction. A few days after that, Frank reopens the hardware store and tells his community that he's doing his best to move forward. 10 years go by and it seems like the town's scars are mostly healed. But then, in January 1968, doctors at Central State Hospital determined that Gein is now fit to stand trial. His trial for Bernice Worden's murder begins on November 7, 1968, without a jury. Despite Gein's continued claim of accidental death, the judge finds him guilty of first degree murder on November 14, almost 11 years to the day after Bernice's death. But the judge also does something confusing and simultaneously declares Gein not guilty by reason of insanity. This decision is based on testimony from Gein's doctors, who say he has long term schizophrenia. This unusual verdict means Gein is sent back to Central State Hospital with the judge seemingly convinced he will never be released. And he's right. Ed Gein remains in mental health institutions for the rest of his life. And on July 26, 1984, he dies at 78 years old. Today, Worden's hardware store remains shuttered and locked, but the horrors that happened inside will never be forgotten. And the utterly disturbing details of Bernice Worden's murder and Ed Gein's crimes haunt us to this day. What did you think of tonight's case? Drop your thoughts and theories in the comments. See you next time. If you haven't already, subscribe to our YouTube channel rimehousedaily and follow us on social media rimehouse247 for real time updates. Because the pursuit of justice never stops.