The Truth Behind Adeline Watkins: Ed Gein’s Alleged Girlfriend Explored

The latest season of Netflix’s Monster delves into the life of notorious killer Ed Gein, including a controversial portrayal of a female companion named Adeline Watkins. Played by Suzanna Son, Watkins is depicted as Gein’s girlfriend and an accomplice in his gruesome crimes—an angle that remains highly disputed.

Ed Gein, known as The Butcher of Plainfield, was arrested in 1957 following the discovery of horrific crimes on his Wisconsin farm, including the murder of two local women and the exhumation of graves to create macabre artifacts from human skin and bones. While Gein confessed to these acts, his relationship with Watkins is less clear.

In a 1957 interview with the Minneapolis Tribune reprinted in the Wisconsin State Journal, Watkins, then 50, claimed to have had a 20-year romantic relationship with Gein, stating he was “good and kind and sweet.” She described a relationship where Gein was accommodating, saying, “I loved him and I still do.” Watkins recalled their last date in February 1955, suggesting Gein had proposed, though she declined, feeling unprepared for what he expected. Her mother also described Gein as polite and considerate.

Despite these claims, Gein never publicly acknowledged any relationship with Watkins. In Robert Keller’s book Unhinged, Gein is portrayed as a solitary man, cared for by local farmers’ wives who brought him meals, with no mention of a romantic partner.

Following the initial interview, Watkins retracted many of her statements in a December 1957 story in the Stevens Point Journal. She clarified there was no 20-year romance—only a long acquaintance—and limited their interactions to a brief period in 1954. She denied describing Gein as sweet or having to coax him into taverns. Watkins passed away in 1992 and was buried in a local cemetery where Gein admitted to grave robbing.

The Netflix series dramatizes Watkins’ character far beyond verified facts. It shows her complicit in Gein’s crimes, fascinated by his grotesque creations, and participating in disturbing acts—none of which are supported by evidence. Scenes include her acceptance of a wedding proposal, moving in together, and a disturbing interest in necrophilia, as well as seeking media attention after Gein’s arrest.

Gein never spoke of Watkins during his time in psychiatric care, nor is there record of Watkins visiting him. The real-life relationship, if any, remains ambiguous, contrasting sharply with the fictionalized portrayal in Monster.

This depiction highlights the blurred lines between fact and fiction in dramatizing true crime stories, reminding viewers to differentiate artistic license from historical reality.