Dive into the Dark Web of America's Most Notorious Killers: How Richard Speck and Ted Bundy Connect to 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story'
Thanks to the gripping new Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story, millions worldwide have been introduced to the chilling figure behind some of the most horrifying true crime tales ever told. Ed Gein’s gruesome legacy has inspired iconic horror films and series such as Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs. But here’s where it gets controversial—viewers might be surprised to find that other infamous murderers like Richard “Birdman” Speck and Ted Bundy also weave their way into this story, bringing unexpected depth and complexity.
(Spoiler alert for Monster: The Ed Gein Story)
In this series, while Charlie Hunnam—best known for Sons of Anarchy—portrays Ed Gein, the story branches out by introducing other disturbing killers. John T. O’Brien portrays Ted Bundy, and Tobias Jelinek plays Richard “Birdman” Speck. Their appearances, especially in the final episode titled “The Godfather,” show a surprising fictional interaction where Gein assists FBI agents from his mental institution in tracking Bundy, whose violent acts are dramatized in the cold open. But how exactly do Bundy, Speck, and Gein relate to each other beyond the show’s narrative?
Unraveling the True Story Behind the Birdman: Who Was Richard Speck?
The series uses the eighth episode to explore Ed Gein’s complicated influence on other notorious American killers, including Speck and Bundy. The episode opens with a harrowing depiction of Bundy manipulating and murdering a young woman, setting the stage for a dark connection. In prison for the 1966 massacre of eight nursing students in Chicago, Speck receives a chilling letter from Bundy, who claims inspiration from Speck’s savage crimes. This prompts Speck to write back, revealing he views Gein as a kind of twisted mentor.
Speck even forwards Bundy’s letter to Gein, sharing the unsettling news that he has indirectly sparked another murderer. Bundy’s letter boasts about killing several women in the Pacific Northwest and threatening to continue in Speck’s gruesome style. Speck himself was convicted for brutally stabbing, strangling, and slashing the throats of his victims in a horrifying attack that shocked the nation.
Mounting the tension, Gein, upon receiving these letters, communicates with the FBI, providing Bundy’s identifying details like his car’s make and model, hoping to aid the investigation. Earlier in the episode, the audience sees Gein meeting with FBI agents from the then-nascent Behavioral Science Unit, who seek his insights to help catch this elusive killer.
A Nod to True Crime Fans and Netflix’s Mindhunter
This scene pays homage to the beloved Netflix show Mindhunter, which followed the FBI’s early efforts to understand serial killers through psychological profiling. Happy Anderson, reprising his role as serial killer Jerry Brudos from Mindhunter, appears in the same sequence, further intertwining fictional and historical narratives. Mindhunter was based on the real-life work of John E. Douglas, a pioneering FBI profiler credited with helping develop serial crime analysis and behavioral science.
What’s Truth and What’s Fiction?
Here’s the part most people miss: in reality, there is no credible evidence that Ed Gein ever helped the FBI track Ted Bundy or that Gein and Speck corresponded from their institutions. These narrative choices serve dramatic purposes rather than historical accuracy, sparking debate about blending fact and fiction in true crime storytelling. Does it help us understand these killers better, or does it risk sensationalizing real suffering?
Why Did Richard Speck Earn the Nickname “Birdman”?
The sinister nickname “Birdman” comes from a chilling prison anecdote shared by the real FBI profiler John E. Douglas in his book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. Speck reportedly took in a sparrow that had flown through a broken window and nursed it back to health. However, when a guard forbade him from having a pet, Speck stunned everyone by throwing the bird into a fan, destroying it in a violent act of cruelty. When confronted, he coldly said, “If I can’t have it, no one can.” This brutal story perfectly captures the twisted nature that earned him the moniker.
Whether you find these intertwining stories fascinating or disturbing, Monster: The Ed Gein Story pushes the boundaries of true crime drama by connecting infamous killers in ways rarely explored—leaving us asking difficult questions about influence, evil, and the narrative lines between fact and fiction.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to stream now on Netflix.
What do you think about the show’s creative liberties? Does linking these killers enrich the telling, or does it blur history too much? Sound off in the comments below!
