Two Girls One Ghost – "Introducing Our New Podcast, CRIMES OF…"
Episode Release: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Corinne Vien & Sabrina Deana-Roga
Theme: A preview of their new anthology true crime podcast Crimes Of, with an in-depth exploration of season one’s focus: the real-life killers who inspired horror’s most infamous movie villains. The episode’s case study is Ed Gein, whose crimes forged chilling blueprints for fictional horrors like Norman Bates, Leatherface, and Buffalo Bill.
Overview
This episode marks the launch of Crimes Of, a new series blending immersive true crime storytelling with pop culture analysis. Corinne and Sabrina announce season one, "Crimes of Infamy," which unpacks the disturbing links between real crimes and the creation of Hollywood’s most enduring horror characters. They present Ed Gein’s life and atrocities, layering chilling historical detail with their trademark candid commentary, and illustrate how Gein’s twisted reality shaped some of film’s most nightmarish figures.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction to Crimes Of
- Format: Eight-episode seasons, each focused on a new theme (paranormal crimes, unsolved murders, etc.).
- Season One Theme ("Crimes of Infamy"):
- Deep dive into the crimes behind horror’s most iconic villains (Ed Gein for Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Silence of the Lambs; John Wayne Gacy; Danny Rolling; etc.).
- Approach: Layered narrative, exploring both historical realities and their translation to pop culture.
“We’re ripping off the masks of some of Hollywood’s most prolific villains and meeting the real killers who inspired them.”
— Sabrina (04:08)
2. Ed Gein: The Real-Life Boogeyman
[Ed Gein’s Profile & Facts — 01:00–02:09]
- Two Truths and a Lie Game:
-
- Furniture made from human body parts (true)
-
- Was a beloved local babysitter (true, disturbingly)
-
- Spent life in prison after immediate conviction (false; declared insane, lived in hospital).
-
“Shockingly, number three is the lie. Ed did not spend the rest of his days behind bars, but... in a hospital because he was found mentally incompetent to stand trial.”
— Corinne (01:55)
3. Victims & Community Consequence
[Acknowledgement of Real Victims — 06:24]
- Ed murdered at least two women: Bernice Worden and Mary Hogan.
- Police found myriad body parts in his home, suggesting more unknown victims.
- The hosts pause to acknowledge the pain and trauma inflicted on real families and communities.
4. The Making of a Monster: Gein’s Life & Upbringing
[Early Childhood — 10:48–19:30]
- Small-town life in Plainfield, Wisconsin: Insular, repressive.
- Family dynamics:
- Mother Augusta: Ultra-religious, controlling, emotionally abusive.
- George Gein: Alcoholic, aloof, financially unreliable.
- Ed’s childhood: Delayed schooling, social isolation, emotional dependence on mother, taught all women (except Augusta) were sinful seductresses.
- Sabrina observes parallels with Carrie’s mother in King’s Carrie.
- Early signs of trauma:
- Recounts Ed’s earliest "cornerstone memory”—watching his mother slaughter a pig—which awakened disturbing feelings in him ([21:00]).
“He feels something he’s never felt before. Like something has awakened inside of him. A complicated feeling of pleasure. A feeling that will drive a lot of Ed’s behavior in the years to come.”
— Sabrina (22:15)
[Social Dysfunction & Isolation — 19:32–26:00]
- Ed’s social ineptitude: inappropriate laughter, difficulty with eye contact, made outcast at school.
- Augusta sabotaged his friendships—classic abusive isolation tactics.
- Ed and older brother Henry remained at home well into their thirties, with Ed virtually a partner to Augusta.
5. Family Tragedy & Suspicious Deaths
[Death of Brother Henry — 27:37]
- During a fire in 1944, Ed "found" Henry’s body unscathed by flames but with suspicious head wounds.
- Locals suspected foul play, but Ed faced no charges.
“‘Funny how that works.’ … Henry doesn’t appear to be touched by the flames… there are, however, several strange bruises on his head.”
— Sabrina (28:05)
[Augusta’s Death — 31:17]
- Sudden decline and death devastated Ed, leaving him unmoored and deepening his psychological deterioration.
6. The Murders of Bernice Worden & Mary Hogan
[The Crime Scene — 39:21]
- 1957: Ed killed Bernice Worden at her shop, leaving behind a receipt with his name.
- Police discovered a house of horrors: Worden’s mutilated body, human-skin furniture and clothing, masks, and female body parts everywhere ([42:00]).
“Bracelets, a wastebasket, lampshades and chairs, all made from human skin... Masks and clothes made of real human flesh that are designed to be worn.”
— Sabrina (44:11)
[Mary Hogan’s Disappearance (Three Years Prior)]
- Found dead at Ed’s house; police found her severed head in a bag.
[Gein’s Confession & Motivation — 50:00+]
- Ed confessed to the murders and grave robbing, fixating on women resembling his mother.
- He claimed most body parts were from the graves he desecrated, not murder victims.
[Psychological Assessment — 54:41]
- Diagnosed schizophrenic; ruled not guilty by reason of insanity.
- Lived out his life in state hospitals, dying in 1984.
7. From True Crime to Pop Culture: Gein’s Cinematic Legacy
[Texas Chainsaw Massacre — 59:22]
- Leatherface’s character (skin masks, rural isolation, butchery) heavily inspired by Ed Gein.
- Director Tobe Hooper learned about Ed as a child because of family living near Gein ([61:42–61:57]).
[Silence of the Lambs — 62:38]
- Buffalo Bill’s signature—wearing a "woman suit" sewn from real skin—is a direct nod to Gein.
[Psycho — 65:04]
- Author Robert Bloch wrote Psycho’s Norman Bates 35 miles from Gein’s home, unaware of his crimes’ true extent.
- Themes: Oedipal fixation, socially stunted man controlled by his mother, breakdown after her death.
“It turns out Bloch was writing the novel Psycho in 1958, 35 miles away from where Gein lived... his character, Norman Bates, is eerily similar to Ed Gein.”
— Corinne (65:50)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the uniqueness of Ed Gein’s trauma:
“There’s a lot of true crime stories, and there’s a lot of horror out there... But his name is the one that I will never, ever forget.”
— Corinne (07:33) -
On horror’s lasting effect:
“Before Ed, monsters like him seemed to only exist in nightmares... Once people learned that men like Ed really did walk the earth, he became the muse for some of the most impactful horror films to date.”
— Sabrina (07:52) -
On the complexity of Ed’s psychology:
“It seems too complicated for Ed to unravel himself without a therapist. Pro therapy.”
— Corinne (54:30)
Thoughtful Reflections
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The hosts grapple repeatedly with not reducing real victims to movie fodder.
“At the center of these horror movie muses lie very real people living very real lives. There’s no one calling cut on a scene...”
— Corinne (70:52) -
They muse on human fascination with true crime:
“As humans, we want to understand patterns and... the why behind things. That’s why so many killers and people like Ed Gein are so fascinating―because they feel so foreign from you and I.”
— Sabrina (64:29)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [01:00] – Two Truths and a Lie: Ed Gein’s facts
- [06:24] – Acknowledging Gein’s real-life victims
- [10:48–19:30] – Gein’s childhood and family dynamics
- [21:00] – Ed’s “awakening” at the abattoir
- [27:37] – Suspicious death of Ed’s brother Henry
- [31:17] – Augusta’s death and its impact on Ed
- [39:21] – Bernice Worden’s murder and discovery of the crime scene
- [44:11] – Description of the grisly “museum” in Gein’s house
- [50:00+] – Gein’s confessions, psychological evaluation, hospital sentencing
- [59:22] – Influence on Texas Chainsaw Massacre
- [62:38] – Influence on Silence of the Lambs
- [65:04] – Influence on Psycho and eerie coincidences
- [70:52] – Closing reflection on real horror versus fiction
Tone & Style
Corinne and Sabrina maintain a conversational tone that’s equal parts candid, empathetic, and darkly humorous. They’re explicit about the disturbing nature of Gein’s crimes but are careful to balance detail with sensitivity toward victims and listeners’ wellbeing. Giggly and irreverent in their rapport, they nonetheless return to the underlying seriousness at the heart of every case.
Listener Takeaways
- Ed Gein’s crimes are among the most grotesque in American history, deeply affecting his community and shaping the very DNA of modern horror.
- His story is a disturbing intersection of abusive upbringing, isolation, trauma, and macabre obsession, resulting in unfathomable violence and cultural impact.
- The fictional monsters he inspired—Norman Bates, Leatherface, Buffalo Bill—bear strong psychological and behavioral resemblance to the real man.
- Consuming true crime comes with a responsibility to remember the very real devastation at the center of these stories—the scariest monsters are not fictional, but sometimes real people who walk among us.
Listen to future episodes for more chilling explorations of crime’s darkest corners and their echoes in pop culture.