‘Monster’: Did Ed Gein Really Help the Police Catch Ted Bundy?

One of the most unexpected parts of “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” finale is the implication that the killer helped catch Ted Bundy while locked up in a mental health institute.

Many Ryan Murphy shows based on real events have twisted the truth into fantasy in the name of making compelling TV, but sometimes it can be hard to discern what actually happened and what did not. So did it really play out like that? Did Gein provide the police with tips that led to Bundy’s eventual arrest?

In short, no, but here’s exactly what “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” depicted vs. what happened in real life.

What does the show imply?

In the show, Ed is approached twice by the police in a baffling “Mindhunter” recreation to help them catch a new serial killer. In the first interview, he points them toward a specific type of saw that the killer is likely to remove his victims’ heads. The second interview is where the head-scratching, is-this-real elements come into play.

In the second interview with police, Gein pulls out a letter he received from fellow killer and admirer Richard Speck. In the letter Bundy wrote to Speck, he signs his name and mentions the make of car he has. Gein relays this information, and then he later watches Bundy’s arrest on TV as an anonymous tipster is praised for helping lead the police to the catch.

All in a day’s work for Mr. Gein.

Did Ed Gein help catch Ted Bundy?

No. Ed Gein definitely did not help catch Ted Bundy.

For one, Bundy was arrested three times because the first two times they caught the killer, he managed to escape police custody. Also, Bundy was not arrested because police knew his name or the make of his car – which is the only info Gein gives in the show’s finale. Instead, Bundy was arrested twice during a regular traffic stop and once while hiking.

A second, and more baffling point, was whether viewers are even supposed to believe this is true. The penultimate episode features scenes where Gein talks via ham radio with Ilse Koch and Christine Jorgenson, which are later revealed to be fabrications of the killer’s mind. Gein’s multiple chats with the police, however, are played straight. It’s likely viewers are meant to infer this is Gein again making things up, but it isn’t overtly stated.

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