Did Ed Gein have a girlfriend?

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is streaming on Netflix now and tells the disturbing tale of real-life serial killer Ed Gein (played by Charlie Hunnam) and the impact his crimes had on modern Hollywood horror.

The Netflix series features some back and forth between Gein’s life and the movies inspired by his twisted crimes, which were said to have been triggered by his dark interest in Nazi atrocities during World War II and the infamous Ilse Koch (Vicky Krieps).

The show also sees Gein have a warped relationship with fellow Plainfield local Adeline Watkins (Suzanna Son), given their shared fascination with murder.

Over time, their relationship becomes more complicated as they plan to marry and Gein shows Adeline his crimes.

But what about the real-life Adeline, did she exist and was she involved with Gein?

READ MORE: How many people did Ed Gein kill? Netflix Monster series recreates shocking crimes

READ MORE: Were Psycho and Norman Bates really based on Ed Gein?

Did Ed Gein have a girlfriend?

Gein himself never publicly shared any details about being involved with Adeline Watkins, which means the truth may never be known.

However, Watkins was indeed a real person and she claimed she had a long-term relationship with Gein spanning 20 years.

In an interview with the Minneapolis Tribune from 1957, syndicated by the Wisconsin State Journal, Watkins said she almost married Gein, who was also known as the ‘Butcher of Plainfield’ and the ‘Plainfield Ghoul’.

She went on to describe him as “kind and sweet”, sentiments echoed by Watkins’ mother, who said he was “polite” and always made sure her daughter was back from dates by 10pm.

Watkins also revealed that Gein even proposed to her, but she turned him down after saying she was “afraid” she wouldn’t be “able to live up to what he expected of me”.

Although the pair liked different books, she revealed how they “discussed every murder” they’d heard about.

During their romance, they also went to the cinema and go to taverns to drink beer, but admitted Gein would have “much rather” had a milkshake.

However, only a couple of weeks after the newspaper article was published in the Stevens Points Journal, Watkins refuted the story and claimed the original story was “blown up out of proportion” and contained “untrue statements” and refuted that they had called him "sweet".

She went on to say that while she had known Gein for two decades, any regular interactions only occurred after 1954.

Watkins said she only saw Gein for seven months on and off, with the duo going to the cinema a couple of times and him stopping by at her home.

She also confirmed she’d never been inside Gein’s house, where he’d kept the evidence of his crimes and macabre mementoes from his victims.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is streaming on Netflix now