As viewers dive into a series about Ed Gein, a museum owner has warned about people doing further research, as some of his gruesome creations are misleading.
The show struck a chord of fascination and revulsion in equal measure, and critics and historians alike have questioned how much was dramatization and how much strayed from the record.
But warnings have been issued for those wanting to do further research.
The Museum Owner Who Says ‘Most Is Fake’
If you Google “Ed Gein evidence,” your search results will often yield images of clothing or furniture made of human skin. But Chloë Manon — co‑owner of The Graveface Museum in Savannah — says virtually none of this is authentic.
“A lot of it’s just mocked‑up evidence,” she said, stating that “people are basing things off films, not facts,” she said.
According to Manon, only one legitimate artifact remains. All other purported Gein-related objects were “burned, incinerated, or buried,” she asserts.
That sole survivor is kept at The Graveface Museum but was never entered into court evidence — likely sparing it from destruction.
The relic that has survived is a keychain containing a lock of human hair and scalp, affixed with a small metal tag.
On one side of the tag is Gein’s name and home address; on the other is the address of a Shell service station — its inclusion unexplained, though that station stood across from Bernice Worden’s hardware store.
Manon discussed the topic in a TikTok video, offering a sharp critique of how Hollywood dramatizes crime: “So they obtained this illegal evidence, and they weren't able to use it in the courtroom.
“It was inadmissible. So he was charged for the murder of Bernice, found not guilty by reason of insanity, and went back to the psychiatric ward.
“And you might be wondering now, or maybe you're not, what happened to all of the inadmissible evidence? It was destroyed. So it was burned, it was incinerated, or it was buried.”
Manon explains that many exhibits or “evidence” shown in media or on display are re-creations — artistic approximations designed to shock rather than teach accuracy.
Why the Debate Matters
For a show as sensational as Monster, the line between entertainment and historical portrait is always blurred.
Its success indicates strong public demand for gripping true crime, but the need for clarity shows how revision, omission, or fictional addition can mislead as much as illuminate.
Chloë Manon’s warnings remain a reminder: “people are basing things off films, not facts.”
When it comes to Ed Gein, nearly all physical evidence has vanished — replaced by mock-ups, media imaginations, and artistic license.