PLAINFIELD — 1957 · Murder
The Plainfield Case (Ed Gein)
On 16 November 1957, the woman who ran the hardware store in the small town of Plainfield, Wisconsin, disappeared. Store records led police to the farm of Ed Gein, a recluse living outside town, where her body was found. The search also revealed that Gein had stolen bodies from local cemeteries. He confessed to killing a tavern keeper who had vanished in 1954. First found unfit to stand trial and committed to a mental hospital, he was tried in 1968 and found guilty of murder but legally insane. He died in hospital in 1984. The case inspired many horror films, including 'Psycho'.
- Date
- 1957
- Place
- Wisconsin, USA, Plainfield, US
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 44.2136, -89.4932 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 16 November 1957A Plainfield hardware store owner disappeared; her body was found at Gein's farm the same day.
- November 1957Gein confessed to a 1954 killing; he was found unfit to stand trial.
- November 1968The court found Gein guilty of murder but not responsible by reason of insanity.
- 26 July 1984Gein died in the psychiatric hospital where he was held.
Sources
- The New York Times — Judge Robert H. Gollmar, presided over 'Psycho' trial (1987) nytimes.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Ed Gein en.wikipedia.org ↗
- The New York Times
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.