Bernice Worden - Blog Posts

When authorities arrived at Ed Gein's residence to question him about Bernice Worden's disappearance, they were unprepared for the horrors they would uncover. Inside the house, they made a chilling discovery. Worden's lifeless body was found suspended by her heels from a pulley, her head severed and her abdomen opened. She had been arranged like a hunted animal. Immediately, additional assistance was called to the scene.

As they further explored the premises, they were confronted with a macabre collection of objects. Skulls had been fashioned into soup bowls, chairs were upholstered with human skin, lampshades were crafted from the same material, and a box contained preserved female genitalia. They also encountered a disturbing assortment of body parts, including noses, nipples, and lips. One of the most horrifying sights was the discovery of nine dried faces, carefully mounted on the wall.

Gein later admitted to donning a vest made from female skin, complete with breasts, which he would wear on certain nights while he danced around his house, assuming the role of his deceased mother.

After confessing to the murders of tavern owner Mary Hogan in 1954 and hardware store owner Bernice Worden in 1957, Gein was deemed unfit for trial. He was confined to a mental health facility. However, in 1968, he was deemed competent to stand trial and was found guilty of Worden's murder. Despite the conviction, his legal status was determined to be legally insane, leading to his confinement in a psychiatric institution.

Ed Gein's life came to an end on July 26, 1984, at the Mendota Mental Health Institute. He succumbed to respiratory failure caused by lung cancer at the age of 77. He was laid to rest beside his family members in Plainfield Cemetery, though his grave no longer bears a marker due to perpetual vandalism.