Did Ed Gein Kill His Brother? Mystery Still Shadows 1944 Death
Plainfield, Wisconsin – The infamous name of Ed Gein is forever etched into American criminal history as one of the most disturbing figures of the 20th century. Known for his grave-robbing, macabre home décor made from human remains, and murders in the 1950s, Gein became the real-life inspiration behind horror film villains such as Norman Bates (Psycho), Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and Buffalo Bill (The Silence of the Lambs).
But years before his arrest, a lesser-known and unresolved question lingers: did Ed Gein kill his own brother?
The Death of Henry Gein
On May 16, 1944, a brush fire broke out on the Gein family’s farm in Plainfield, Wisconsin. Ed Gein and his older brother Henry worked together to put out the flames. As the fire died down, Ed reported that Henry was missing. Authorities later discovered Henry’s body face-down in a scorched area of land.
At first glance, his death was ruled accidental—likely the result of smoke inhalation. However, according to multiple accounts, there were suspicious details. Henry’s head reportedly showed bruising, leading some to believe foul play was involved. Despite this, no autopsy was conducted, and the case was quickly closed.
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Motive?
Henry was known to be critical of Ed’s obsessive attachment to their domineering mother, Augusta. According to neighbors, Henry had spoken negatively about her and encouraged Ed to break away from her control. For a man who idolized his mother to an unhealthy degree, this may have created tension between the brothers.
Some criminologists suggest Henry’s death may have been Gein’s first step into violence. Others argue it was a tragic accident, and the bruising could have occurred while Henry collapsed.
Official Ruling vs. Ongoing Speculation
At the time, the coroner ruled the death accidental, and Ed was not charged with any wrongdoing. Law enforcement in the 1940s had no reason to suspect him of murder. It wasn’t until a decade later, after Gein’s arrest for the murder of Bernice Worden in 1957, that investigators revisited Henry’s mysterious death.
By then, it was too late. With no preserved evidence, no autopsy records, and no witnesses, the truth was lost.
The Lingering Question
Did Ed Gein kill his brother Henry? The answer remains a mystery. While some historians argue that Gein’s later crimes point to a darker history beginning with fratricide, others believe Henry’s death was simply an accident in a chaotic fire.
To this day, the 1944 death of Henry Gein is remembered as one of the many haunting shadows surrounding one of America’s most notorious killers.