The new Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story introduces a character named Adeline Watkins, a woman who shares a complex relationship with the infamous killer. Her presence in the show has led many to wonder about her real-life fate and whether she became one of Gein’s victims. The true story is a tale of contradicted newspaper reports and a mysterious local connection.
Who Was the Real Adeline Watkins?
In the days following Ed Gein’s arrest in November 1957, a local woman named Adeline Watkins gave an interview to a newspaper. She claimed she and Gein had a courtship that lasted over 20 years. She described him as “good and kind and sweet” and said they often went to movies and taverns together. She even revealed that Gein had proposed to her during their last date in 1955, but she turned him down.
However, about two weeks later, Watkins completely changed her story. She told a different newspaper that the original report was “exaggerated” and “blown up out of proportion.” She clarified that while she had known Gein for 20 years, their actual romantic involvement lasted for only about seven months and was much more intermittent. She stated they had gone to the theater “a few times” and denied ever having set foot in his now-notorious farmhouse.
Adeline’s Role in the Netflix Series
In Monster: The Ed Gein Story, Adeline Watkins is a major character, played by actress Suzanna Son. The show explores her as a kindred spirit to Gein, someone who is also fascinated with dark subjects. The series suggests that she introduces him to ideas and images that feed his descent into violence.
The show’s creators even debated whether to present Adeline as a real person or as a figment of Gein’s imagination. Ian Brennan, the series co-creator, stated, “To me, she is real.” However, Charlie Hunnam, who plays Ed Gein, had a different interpretation, seeing her largely as a fantasy in Gein’s mind, a companion he created to cope with his isolation.
So, Did Ed Gein Kill Adeline Watkins?
According to historical records, Ed Gein did not kill Adeline Watkins. The real Adeline Watkins survived her acquaintance with Gein. After his arrest, she first sensationalized their relationship and then retracted it. There is no evidence that she was ever physically harmed by him.
Her story is not one of murder, but one of the strange and often contradictory human connections that surround infamous figures. She represents a local mystery—a person who briefly stepped into the spotlight of a national horror story and whose true relationship with the “Butcher of Plainfield” remains unclear.
On screen, however, her character’s journey is darker. The series uses her to explore a central theme: the corrosive power of dark influences. As the creators explained, Adeline’s character also becomes changed by the macabre world she and Ed explore together.
“She gets to touch on the central theme of the show, which is, ‘Be careful what you look at and be careful what you watch,’” said co-creator Ian Brennan. “Images can be corrosive and they can stick with you and change you. And we, along with Ed, we sort of watch her go down a rabbit hole into something quite dark and quite scary.”
Ed Gein’s Known Victims
Ed Gein’s confirmed murders were two local women. He admitted to killing Mary Hogan, a 54-year-old bartender, in 1954. In 1957, he killed Bernice Worden, a 58-year-old hardware store owner. His arrest occurred after Bernice’s son, Deputy Sheriff Frank Worden, became suspicious and investigated the Gein farm.
The horror discovered there was not limited to these two murders. Gein was also a prolific grave robber. He confessed to digging up numerous corpses from local cemeteries, which he used to create a collection of grotesque artifacts in his home, including furniture and clothing made from human skin.
The character of Evelyn, played by Addison Rae in the series, is also a victim of Gein in the show. This character is based on the real-life cold case of Evelyn Hartley, a teenager who disappeared in 1953, though Gein was never officially linked to her case.
Also Read: Monster: The Ed Gein Story – The True Crime That Inspired Hollywood’s Biggest Thrillers
