Ed Gein Social History

Name: Edward (Ed) Theodore Gein
Date: October 24th
Prepared by: Kari Kuss

Presenting Problem: Ed is a 51-year-old unmarried white male who is convicted with the murder of two women and possible five more. He has an abnormal attachment to his dead mother. He has memory deficits. He has issues with Transvestic fetishes. He is necrophilia as well with women whom look like his dead mother. He has dug up graves of women his mother’s age. The psychiatrist states that he is schizophrenic. The state has requested therapy. His mother wished him to be a girl so he might have gender issues.



Family of Origin: Mother Augusta, she was a religious tyrant, she verbally abused him and her husband. Ed put her on a pedestal. Augusta supported the family through a successful grocery Business. She despised George, felt he was worthless, and gave him no part in raising the two boys. Father George P. was an abusive alcoholic who worked periodically as a carpenter, a tanner, and a farmer that died of pneumonia. He had an older brother Henry that didn’t agree with his mother’s ways and Ed is suspected of killing him from criticizing her.



Birth and Childhood: August 27, 1906 in LaCrosse, WI. His mother wanted him to be a girl. He spent most of his time doing farm chores. Ed began school at Roche-a-Cri grade school, a tiny one-room building with 12 students. Ed was average at school, but an excellent reader. Ed was shunned and isolated at school because of his lazy eye and his shyness. Augusta severely punished Ed when he did attempt to make friends. Ed graduated the eighth grade and then dropped out of school.


Marriages and Significant Relationships: Never married no significant relationships


Current Living Arrangements: Living alone in Plainfield, WI



Education: He went to school to the 8th grade then dropped out.

Military Service: None
Ed was still eligible for the draft and had to travel to Milwaukee for a physical exam. He was rejected due to the growth on his left eyelid, which slightly impaired his vision. This was the farthest from home he had ever been and the only time in his life he would travel so far.

Employment History: He hung windows, patched roofs, painted houses, repaired fences. He babysat for children as he could relate to them better. He also worked for a road building contractor.


Medical History: A growth on his left eyelid caused Ed to have a “lazy” eye. He had a lesion on his tongue which caused his speech to sound weird. He is schizophrenic and a sexual psycho path.


Legal History: November 16, 1957 he was arrested for the murder of Bernice Warden. He confessed to the murder of Mary Hogan from December 8, 1954. He was suspected of five more.


Social and Recreational Interests: His mother prevented him from developing any friends. So he had poor social skills. He read books about which included head shrinking, grave robbing, and many books on human anatomy.

Religious Activities: He was brought up Lutheran and his mother was a religious fanatic. She drilled it into him that drinking was evil and that all women were whores. His mother read from the bible nightly.


Successes/Strengths and Resources:


Impressions and Recommendations: Ed is a 51-year old unmarried white male who is convicted with the murder of two women and possible five more. The murders started around the time after his mother passed away. He is functioning on a level that he is only admitting to committing two murders. He seems to have areas of memory loss and isn’t affected by the public’s reaction. He however has an insight on whether or not he dug up the graves of middle aged women. He believes at one point he has recovered his mental health and wants to be released. He is motivated to change. Client appears to have impaired mental and social functioning.
Recommendations for Ed are as follows: Recommend a mental health treatment and a psych evaluation for his schizophrenia and necrophilia issues and 12 counseling sessions to address why he had committed the crimes he was convicted of.