Prime Crime: Solved Murders - Mary Hogan Pt. 2

Episode Date: November 18, 2020

Following a lead, police zeroed in on the home of one local man. It was eventually dubbed a “House of Horrors” after news of its contents spread, with its owner inspiring a string of movies and bo...oks that drew on his heinous crimes.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Hi everyone, it's Carter. With Thanksgiving just a week away, it's the perfect time to tell you, our listeners, just how thankful we are for your loyalty and support. Because without you, none of this would be possible. I'd also like to take this opportunity to let you know we'll be taking a break next week. But don't worry, we still have something very special lined up for you. Stay tuned. In the meantime, from all of us here at Parcast, thank you again for listening. and have a happy Thanksgiving. Due to the graphic nature of this murder case, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes dramatizations and discussions of violence, mutilation, and murder that some people may find offensive. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. Ray Gool stood quietly in the embalming room of his funeral home.
Starting point is 00:00:58 Before him lay the body of Bernice Warden. Hours earlier, the room had been filled with law enforcement, officers, state crime lab officials, and a pathologist who had gathered to perform an autopsy. But now those men were gone. Gould was left alone with the corpse. His career as a mortician spanned decades, but he'd never faced a job like this before. The woman had been methodically butchered and decapitated. Her internal organs had been removed.
Starting point is 00:01:29 Her skin was smeared with dirt, a sign that she'd been dragged across the ground. barely resembled a human being anymore. Gould prayed that he could rectify that. He knew that it would be difficult to piece the broken woman back together, but he was determined to give her grieving family one last moment with her, a chance to say goodbye to the sister, mother, and grandmother they loved. Ray Gould went to work, slowly and diligently. The woman's funeral was a few days away. Gould prayed this would be enough time to make Bernice Warden's body look presentable. He intended to do everything in his power to conceal the horrific damage caused by Bernice's killer, Edward Gein.
Starting point is 00:02:16 Welcome to Solved Murders, True Crime Mysteries, a Spotify original from Parcast. I'm your host, Carter Roy. And I'm your host, Wendy McKenzie. Every Wednesday, we step into the world of true crimes, most fascinating murder cases, and tell the tale of how real-life detectives closed the case. You can find episodes of Solved Murders and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free exclusively on Spotify. This is our second episode on Bernice Warden and Mary Hogan. Last week, we discussed how both women mysteriously vanished from their places of business in central Wisconsin.
Starting point is 00:03:05 Police were bewildered until they followed a lead that pointed them towards a local recluse named Edward Gein. This week we'll discuss the shocking revelations that turned Edward into one of the world's most infamous murderers. We'll also talk about the influence his murders had on film and literature. We have all that and more coming up. Stay with us. On a cold Saturday evening, November 16, 1957, Bernice Warden mysteriously disappeared from her general store. After the sheriff's department received a tip from the missing woman's son, 51-year-old Edward Gein was arrested on suspicion of her murder. While he sat in a jail cell, law enforcement officers searched through his farmhouse in Plainfield, Wisconsin.
Starting point is 00:04:02 There, they made a shocking discovery. Bernice Warden's body had been butchered like livestock and hung from the ceiling rafters, but Bernice's fate was just one of many horrors contained within that house. Officers found containers full of human body parts, furniture made of human flesh, and masks created from women's carved-off faces. At around 2.30 in the morning on November 17th, they began to wrap up their initial search of the farmhouse. At that point, Watoma County Sheriff Art Schley returned to the jail to confront Edward Gein. Sheriff Schley's nerves were worn thin after the long night of cataloging human remains. mains. When he caught sight of the prisoner, sitting in his cell, Schly lost control.
Starting point is 00:04:52 I've been to your house, Edward. Oh, I saw what you did. I saw the women. I saw, you monster! Schley couldn't stop himself from attacking Edward, grabbing him and slamming him against the wall. Deputies pulled Schley away, and Schley stormed away to cool off. A few hours later, a Polygraph specialist named Joe Willimovsky arrived to question Edward, but Ed wasn't very forthcoming. How did those bodies get in your house, Edward? I don't know. I don't remember. You don't remember killing Bernice Warden? You don't remember hanging her from the ceiling of your shed?
Starting point is 00:05:36 It's sort of a blank. And the rest of the bodies? I really don't remember. I don't remember anything. Later that day, an autopsy was performed on Bernice Warden's body. While describing the state of the 58-year-old widow's body, the pathologist noted that she had been decapitated and eviscerated. Her genitalia, heart, and head were all found in separate containers. An examination of her head revealed a small wound from the bullet that had pierced her skull.
Starting point is 00:06:11 She likely bled to death within moments of being shot. All of the other mutilations occurred post-mortem. While Bernice Warden's autopsy was fairly straightforward, authorities were left with many questions about the other remains in Edward Gein's house. As far as they could tell, Edward might have killed dozens of people. But they had no way of knowing for sure, not until Edward Gein began to talk. Around 11 a.m. on Monday morning, Edward finally decided to speak up. You killed Mrs. Warden then. You admit that?
Starting point is 00:06:48 I guess I did. I know I was in her store. I still don't really remember it. And you've killed others, too, haven't you? I don't think so. You've got to start telling the truth, Ed. Now listen, we've been to your house. We've seen what you've been hiding. The body parts, the heads. Yes, I was saving those. But I didn't kill them. Then why don't you tell me what happened?
Starting point is 00:07:17 I didn't hurt them. I just took them. Took them from where? From their graves. All those women, they were already dead. Edward Gain explained that for several years, between 1947 until around 1952, he had committed several acts of grave robbing. Sometimes he stole bodies from the local cemetery in Plainfield.
Starting point is 00:07:43 Other times he drove to the nearby. towns of Almond or Hancock to pillage their graveyards. He later said he made dozens of these trips. Sometimes he lost his nerve and went home empty-handed. But on at least ten occasions, he dug up bodies and took them home. He often disfigured and mutilated the corpses, keeping some parts as trophies and incinerating the rest. Although he confessed to the murder of Bernice Warden,
Starting point is 00:08:10 and he eventually admitted to killing Mary Hogan as well, Edward said that these killings were outliers. He wasn't usually prone to violence. Hearing Edward's story, police were highly skeptical. It seemed impossible that he could have disrupted dozens of graves for years without ever getting caught. They felt it was still more likely that he was a serial murderer. They poured through the files of unsolved murder cases in the area to see if they could find
Starting point is 00:08:40 any connection to Edward. Crime lab experts hurried to see if any of the remains recovered from Edward's home matched the descriptions of any missing persons. In the meantime, after his confession, Edward went to court to be formally arraigned for the robbery of Bernice's store. Authorities held off on charging him with first-degree murder, deciding to wait until after they finished cataloging the body parts discovered at the farmhouse. Edward's bail was set for $10,000, but he made no attempt to raise the first-year-old. the money to pay it. He seemed content to remain in his jail cell. This was likely for the best for Edward's own safety. As news spread, neighbors were shocked and appalled to hear about how Gein had gotten away with murder, right under their noses. One interview, printed in the Stevens Point
Starting point is 00:09:30 Daily Journal, made it clear that a few angry residents were fully prepared to take justice into their own hands. Sir, do you have time to talk? You were reported. You were reported. That's right. What do you think about the Gein murders? I think they don't have laws adequate for the times. What do you mean by that? I mean, this guy will probably plead insanity, get out in two years, and be walking the streets to do it again. You don't think justice will be served? Hell no! We're mad as hell!
Starting point is 00:10:01 Let me tell you, if the town gets a hold of this guy, we'll know just what to do with him. Can I get your name, sir? No, thanks. I don't want any ink. You just go ahead and let everybody know what we think of Gein. The residents of Plainfield hardly knew how to react. Every fact that came out about the Gein case seemed more horrifying than the next. The lurid details quickly drew scores of journalists to the small Wisconsin hamlet. Reporters congregated outside the Gein House, which some dubbed the Murder Factory.
Starting point is 00:10:36 They looked on as a crime lab field team from Madison collected the ghastly evidence and packed it into their trucks. They reported feverishly on the rumors and speculations swirling around the town. Some of the papers insinuated that Edward was a necrophiliac. They also printed stories that Edward was a cannibal and even suggested that he had fed human flesh to his neighbors, disguising it as dear. These were all rumors Edward denied.
Starting point is 00:11:06 Other strange stories surfaced in print. One paper interviewed a woman named Adolph, Adeline Watkins, who claimed to be romantically involved with Edward. Ma'am, you say you knew Edward Gein, intimately? Oh, yes, I loved him. He was a sweet man. You never saw a dark side to him. He never showed anything but kindness to me. You say you were almost engaged to be married.
Starting point is 00:11:33 He never asked me to marry him in so many words, but I could tell that's what he was after. I couldn't go through with it, though. Not because of him, but because of me. I didn't think I could measure up, be the kind of wife he needed. I see. Adeline later admitted that she had exaggerated her story of her relationship with Edward. She had gotten carried away by the sensationalism and excitement of the day.
Starting point is 00:12:01 A few other locals seemed to revel in the publicity, but for many people in Plainfield, the media attention was an unwelcome addition to an already tense situation. Within days of Edward's arrest, many town residents were already sick of the sordid affair and ready to move on. But there was little hope of that. The town would be forever altered by its association with Ed Gein, who would come to be known as the Butcher of Plainfield. Nobody could erase what Edward had done. They could only try to hold Edward Gein accountable.
Starting point is 00:12:36 But this would prove to be a complicated task. prosecutors had a mountain of evidence, more than in many murder cases, but the world would soon learn that Edward Gein wasn't an ordinary murderer. Coming up, Edward Gein's most shocking secrets come to light. Hi, listeners, here's a show I think you'll enjoy. When it comes to love, every story is unique. Some play out like fairy tales seemingly meant to be. others defy the odds to achieve happily ever after.
Starting point is 00:13:21 In Our Love Story, the new Spotify original from Parcast, you'll discover the many pathways to love as told by the actual couples who found them. Every Tuesday, Our Love Story celebrates the ups, downs, and pivotal moments that turn complete strangers into perfect pairs. Each episode offers an intimate glimpse inside a real-life romance, with couples recounting the highlights and hardships that define their love. Whether it's a chance encounter, a former friendship, or even a former enemy, our love story proves that love can begin and blossom in the most unexpected ways.
Starting point is 00:14:04 Follow our love story free on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And now back to our story. In late November of 1957, Edward Gine was locked in a jail cell, following his arrest for the murder of Bernice Warden. Evidence showed that he killed a local woman named Mary Hogan years before and that he had also desecrated the bodies of several other unidentified women. Law enforcement officers, attorneys, and psychologists were left trying to understand why Edward was driven to kill.
Starting point is 00:14:43 As interrogations continued in the days following the murder, his motivations became clearer. During questioning, Edward spoke frequently about his mother, Augusta Gein. She had died in 1947, but she still weighed heavily on his mind. Augusta was a domineering woman who held her children to the strictest standards. She purposefully raised them on their remote farm, in almost total isolation, because she wanted to keep them far away from any outside influences. She was especially harsh towards women, painting them as amoral temptresses. Though Augusta did send Edward to school, she harshly criticized him if he attempted to form any
Starting point is 00:15:29 friendships with other children. She believed the world was rife with evil and sin and didn't want her children corrupted. Edward grew up to revere his mother. Leaving her seemed unthinkable, even as he grew into adulthood. Edward's father died in. in 1940. Four years later, Edward's older brother Henry died in an out-of-control grassfire that broke out on their property. From then on, the adult Ed lived in the aging farmhouse with only his mother for company. In 1945, Augusta died following a stroke. 39-year-old Edward was devastated. The death had a severe impact on his mental health. He reportedly began to experience hallucin. He often heard his mother's voice calling to him, lecturing him, goading him.
Starting point is 00:16:24 According to interviews with psychiatrist Dr. Schubert, he was plagued by strange visions that reminded him of death. Once, while out hunting, he looked up to see vultures crowding the forest treetops, watching him. Edward also began to experience memory lapses and blackouts. Life became unbearable. During those years following her death, Edward was lonely and desperate to have his mother back. At one point, he even drove to the cemetery where she was buried and considered digging her up. It's not clear whether he actually tried to go through with it, and even if he did, he likely would have been unsuccessful.
Starting point is 00:17:08 His mother's coffin was encased in concrete. But at this point, Ed was frantic and willing to go to any lengths to find relief. Since he couldn't resurrect his mother's body, he decided to do the next best thing. Ed began searching newspapers for the obituaries of older women, women who reminded him of Augusta. When he found someone satisfactory, he snuck to the graveyard in the middle of the night, armed with a shovel and a crowbar. During these nighttime excursions, Edward would creep to the deceased woman's fresh grave, dig until he unearthed a coffin, then pry it open to reveal the body within.
Starting point is 00:17:51 This was how Edward acquired his macabre collection of bodies. But these weren't just souvenirs. Edward used them as part of an effort to conceal himself and to become someone else. He created masks by carving these women's faces away from their skulls and preserving them with oils. He admitted that he often wore these masks over his own, face. He also dressed himself in leggings and a vest made from human skin. It was as if he couldn't stand himself. He was desperate to hide behind some other identity. Some newspapers reported that Edward longed to be a woman, perhaps even wanted to become his mother. Edward's confusing and
Starting point is 00:18:34 conflicting emotions fascinated the psychiatric community at the time. Many were quick to diagnose him, even those that had never met him. Several doctors publicly speculated that he had schizophrenia, others mentioned, and obvious Oedipus complex. Newspapers picked up on this conjecture. One headline blamed the murders on Edward's obsessive love for his mother. Whatever was behind Edward's behavior, public opinion latched onto the fact that he was obviously, severely mentally ill.
Starting point is 00:19:07 Edward did the same. During a preliminary hero, on Friday, November 22nd, Edward's attorney, William Belter, raised the question of whether Edward was competent enough to stand trial. Your Honor, my client has no full appreciation for what he has done. He doesn't understand the gravity of any of this. It's hardly fair to ask him to build a defense. What do you recommend?
Starting point is 00:19:33 What I recommend isn't the question. I think the doctors should decide, don't you? I'm inclined to agree. The judge agreed to allow mental health experts to weigh in before the case proceeded any further. The following day, Edward was transferred to what is now called the Dodge Correctional Institute in Wapon, Wisconsin. At the time, it was named Central State Hospital for the criminally insane. Edward was subjected to a series of tests and interviews as doctors tried to determine whether Edward could be held responsible for his actions. The question of when and how Edward would face to,
Starting point is 00:20:11 justice was still open. That same day, the sheriff's department took an important step toward determining the exact charges against him. That Saturday, they announced that they would be exhuming two graves. The exhumation would either confirm or deny Edwards' claim that he robbed graves. The following Monday, they unearthed the coffin of Eleanor Adams, a woman who had died more than six years earlier. The authorities set up a tent around the grave to discourage onlookers. When they reached the coffin and opened it, they discovered that the box was empty. The body was gone. And the only item inside was a crowbar.
Starting point is 00:20:51 It appeared that Edward Gein was telling the truth. Most of the body parts he'd been storing at his house came from corpses that he had stolen, rather than people that he had killed. Law enforcement officials would never get a definitive answer on how many people Edward Gein murdered. It's possible Mary Hogan and, and Bernice Warden really were his only victims. It may be that Edward lost control and killed them when Robin Graves wasn't enough to satisfy his compulsions.
Starting point is 00:21:22 While hospitalized, Edward was willing to admit to the murders of these two women, but he still insisted that he couldn't remember doing it. Over time, however, he seemed to have more insight into why he killed them. How do you feel about Mary Hogan and Bernice Warden, Edward? They were immoral women. Mary Hogan was immoral? Oh, yes, she was a dirty talker. My mother warned me about women like her.
Starting point is 00:21:50 And what kind of a woman runs a tavern anyway? She was in a crooked business, I'd say. Bernice Warden didn't run a tavern. No, but she was no better. Why is that? Well, there were rumors about her. What kind of rumors? I believe she stole her husband from her.
Starting point is 00:22:09 another woman. Yes, that's what people say. He was engaged to another. She flirted with him, seduced him away from that poor girl. Isn't that terrible? That's what women do. They're sly. They lead you down a bad path. That must have been decades ago. Bernice Warden's been a widow for more than 25 years. Yes, and that was her punishment, wasn't it? To lose her husband the way she did, that's exactly what she deserved. Did she deserve to die? Perhaps she did. According to Edward Gein and his rigid worldview,
Starting point is 00:22:49 the sins of these two women warranted payback. Edward evidently decided that he was the one who had to meet out justice. Edward openly discussed these feelings with his psychiatrist. However, he seemed unaware of another possible trigger that compelled him to kill these women. Both reportedly resembled Augusta Gein. On December 18th, two of Edwards doctors, Dr. Schubert and Dr. R. Warmington, sent their report to the judge. Dr. Warmington determined that, quote,
Starting point is 00:23:21 Gein's motivation is elusive and uncertain, but several factors come to mind. Hostility, sex, and a desire for a substitute for his mother in the form of a replica or body that could be kept indefinitely. Their other significant determination was that he was not capable of fully realizing the consequence of any act, due to his, quote, disturbed and abnormal thinking. On January 6, 1958, Edward Gien appeared at the courthouse for his sanity hearing. He stared vacantly from the defendant's bench, absently chewing gum, as two doctors testified on his behalf. These two doctors discussed their finding that Edward wasn't thought. functioning rationally. The third witness, Dr. Edward M. Burns, was introduced by the prosecution.
Starting point is 00:24:13 He was a state psychiatrist who conceded that, yes, Edward was chronically mentally ill, but he nevertheless concluded that Edward did not meet the legal definition of insanity. Ultimately, the judge cited with the defense. The court announced that the trial would be delayed indefinitely until Edward was mentally competent enough to face justice. I can't see how my opinion can be anything other than to find this defendant insane. I so find him and do hereby recommit him to the Central State Hospital in Waupon. Some members of the community may have felt Edward was getting off lightly, but most felt that Edward had ended up exactly where he belonged.
Starting point is 00:24:56 They hoped that the ugly chapter of the Gein murders was over. But that wasn't the last they'd hear of Edward Gein. Coming up, the plainfield butcher remains in the spotlight. Now back to the story. In January of 1958, Edward Gein was transferred to a mental hospital after a judicial proceeding found him unfit to stand trial. Edward seemed content at the hospital. He had always been a loner, shy of the company of others,
Starting point is 00:25:36 retreating from society suited him. He spent much of his time reading and quietly making crafts. He never needed tranquilizers to keep him sedate, as some of the other patients did. When asked how he was, he told a visiting politician, I'm happy here. It's a good place. Some of the people here are pretty disturbed, though. Still, he frequently unnerved the doctors and personnel who had to treat and interact with him. Eddie, we're going to do a little experiment today.
Starting point is 00:26:08 Are you ready? Yes. I want to hear your reaction to a few common proverbs. Okay, doctor. There's an expression, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. What do you think that means? It sounds funny. Does it?
Starting point is 00:26:28 What does it mean to you? Well, if you have a bird in your hand, you might squeeze him too much and kill him. Yes. Edward's legacy was also difficult for the community of Plainfield. The town was now stuck with a horrifying stain that nobody could forget. Even with Edward gone, his decrepit farmhouse stood as an eerie reminder of the man's horrific deeds. But that soon changed. Around 2.30 in the morning on March 20, 1958, Edward Gein's neighbors woke up to the smell of smoke.
Starting point is 00:27:10 Someone had likely set the Gein farmhouse ablaze. By the time the fire marshal was called, the place was beyond saving. Even if he'd been alerted sooner, the fire marshal probably wasn't in a hurry to rescue the Gein house. He was Frank Warden, the son of Edward's victim Bernice. To the plainfield residents, the fire seemed like a fitting end to Edward Gein's legacy. Even Edward himself seemed to think so. Good morning, Edward. How are you feeling this morning? All right.
Starting point is 00:27:48 I'm afraid I have some bad news. Bad news? I heard on the radio this morning. There was a fire at your house. A fire? Your house has burned down, Eddie. Just as well. The destruction of the murder factory didn't erase the country's fascination with the case. In 1959, author Robert Block,
Starting point is 00:28:12 published his novel titled Psycho, loosely based on Edward Gein's life. The book was adapted into the famed Alfred Hitchcock movie a year later. This was the first of many movies and books inspired by the Gein murders. Over the next few decades, authors and filmmakers used his story to create such works as The Silence of the Lambs and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Plainfield could lock Edward up and burn his home to the ground, but they couldn't purge him from the public consciousness. Plainfield did receive some measure of closure in 1968.
Starting point is 00:28:50 Ten years after the murders, Edward's doctors wrote to the judge presiding over his case, informing him that they now believed that 61-year-old Edward was fit to stand trial. He still suffered from chronic schizophrenic psychosis, but in his doctor's opinions, he finally fit the legal requirements to face justice. The trial began in November. Many spectators packed into the courtroom during the proceedings. With ten years for tensions to cool, there was little anger. Most of the crowd was merely curious.
Starting point is 00:29:24 Edward was charged with one count of first-degree murder for killing Bernice Warden in 1958. He was not charged with Mary Hogan's murder, as his initial confession was ruled inadmissible, thanks to Sheriff Arch Schley assaulting him during the interrogation. The trial lasted one week. Edward was quiet and demure during the proceedings. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He further testified that his gun had gone off accidentally during his confrontation with Bernice.
Starting point is 00:29:57 After claiming that her killing wasn't intentional, Edward told the court that he didn't remember taking Bernice Warden's body home with him. The judge didn't buy this claim. On November 14, 1968, Edward Gain was found guilty of murder, but he still wouldn't see the inside of a prison cell. He was instead sentenced to return to Central State Hospital. As he left the courtroom, reporters crowded around him. What do you have to say about the outcome? There are others worse off than me. At least I have my health.
Starting point is 00:30:35 While some were angry that Edward would never face it. a harsh punishment for his actions, most felt he got the sentence he deserved. A journalist writing for the Ashkosh Midwestern reported that Gein hardly seemed like a threat. He looked harmless and grandfatherly. One onlooker commented that she almost felt sorry for him until she remembered what he did. Edward, on the other hand, continued to assert that he couldn't remember anything about the murders. Despite his apparent memory lapse, a thought of authorities were able to piece together a clear picture of his deeds. One afternoon on Wednesday, December 8, 1954,
Starting point is 00:31:17 Edward Gein strode into Mary Hogan's Tavern, carrying his rifle. It was too early for other customers to have gathered. Mary was sitting alone at a table, drinking a cup of coffee. Ed, what are you doing here? A little early, don't you think? I suppose so. What's the gun for? You off hunting?
Starting point is 00:31:42 Something like that. Mary knew Edward. She likely didn't see him as a threat. She kept a 38-caliber revolver on the premises, but she left it in a drawer untouched. Edward, on the other hand, raised his own gun and shot Mary Hogan. He then dragged the body outside,
Starting point is 00:32:05 loaded it into his truck, and sped away. Killing Mary Hogan alleviated Edward's sinister urge for a little while, but these dark impulses couldn't stay dormant forever. So three years later, he struck again in an almost identical fashion. On November 16, 1957, at around 8.30 in the morning, Edward strode into Bernice Warden's general store. He brought his Marlin rifle with him, but only, he claimed, because he intended to trade it in for a better way.
Starting point is 00:32:39 one. Good morning, Ed. Hello, Bernice. Are you going to buy something or are you just going to stare? I was just thinking how nice you look. Enough of that. Just take what you need and we'll settle up. Edward completed a purchase for a half gallon of anti-freeze. Once they had settled up, Bernice turned to look out the window watching the traffic outside. She spotted her son-in-law's new car on the road. Will you look at that? Bud got a new red Chevy. Is that so? Yes, I never much liked Chevroletes.
Starting point is 00:33:22 While Bernice's back was turned, Edward pointed the rifle at her head. He fired. Bernice Warden died almost immediately. Edward dragged her body to her truck, loaded it in the back, and then got behind the wheel. He drove to a remote, woody area east of town, left the truck there, and walked back into plainfield. Edward returned to Warden's General Store to retrieve his car. While there, he snatched the cash register from Bernice's counter.
Starting point is 00:33:56 After the robbery, he drove back to the woods to collect Bernice's body. Once he had her in his car, he fled back to his farmhouse. There, he drained Bernice's body of blood, letting it drip into a 10-quart pale. He disposed of the blood in a whole house. he dug near his outhouse. He proceeded to butcher Bernice, the way he'd seen his parents butcher hogs during his childhood.
Starting point is 00:34:22 While he was busy with her body, he heard a knock at the door. It was the son of his neighbor, Bobby Hill. The teen's car battery was dead and he needed a ride into town. Sure, Bobby, I'll give you a ride. Just give me a minute to wash up. My hands are bloody from
Starting point is 00:34:41 dressing a deer. After giving Bobby a ride to town and back, Edward joined the Hills for dinner. He wasn't agitated or nervous. He behaved as if it were any other night. He was still at the Hill's house when police arrived to arrest him. From there, his fate was sealed. Edward Gein spent the rest of his life hospitalized,
Starting point is 00:35:08 first at Central State, and then at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison. In 1974, he filed a petition for release, stating that he was recovered and no longer a danger to society. This plea was denied. In 1984, at the age of 78, Edward Gein died from complications of cancer. He was buried at Plainfield Cemetery.
Starting point is 00:35:35 His grave was unmarked. But Plainfield residents knew exactly where to find him. He was buried right next to his mother, Augusta, in the same cemetery where his victims, Mary Hogan and Bernice Warden, were laid to rest. Thanks again for tuning into Solved Murders. We'll be back next Wednesday with another episode. For more information on the case, we found the book Deviant by Harold Schechter, extremely helpful to our research.
Starting point is 00:36:14 You can find all episodes of Solved Murders and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on. Spotify. We'll see you next time. If we live till next time. Solve Murders, True Crime Mysteries is a Spotify original from Parcast. It is executive produced by Max Cutler. Sound design by Michael Langsner with production assistants by Ron Shapiro, Carly, Madden, and Isabella Way. This episode of Solve Murders was written by Christina Pammy's with writing assistance by Giles Hofseth, fact-checking by Haley Milliken and research by Mickey Taylor. The amazing cast of voice actors includes Tom Bauer, Eddie Lee, K.G. Tang, Rebecca Thomas, and Jen Wong.
Starting point is 00:36:59 It stars Wendy McKenzie and Carter Roy. Remember to follow the newest Spotify original from Parcast, Our Love Story. Every Tuesday, catch an intimate glimpse inside a real-life romance, with couples recounting the highlights and hardships that define their love. Listen to our love story free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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