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Who was Adeline Watkins? All about Ed Gein’s alleged girlfriend portrayed by Suzanna Son in Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Linked to Ed Gein after his arrest, Adeline Watkins made headlines claiming a romance, then quickly retracted the story and insisted on friendship.
Ed Gein’s name has long been tied to some of the darkest crimes in American history. Now, with Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story revisiting his life, interest has resurfaced in Adeline Watkins, who once said she was close to him.
Who was Adeline Watkins, Ed Gein's supposed girlfriend?
In November 1957, Watkins, who was 50 years old at the time and lived in Plainfield, Wisconsin, stepped forward with her story just days after Gein’s arrest for killing Bernice Worden. She told the Minneapolis Tribune she had dated Gein for nearly 20 years, according to Wisconsin State Journal.
Watkins described their outings as simple- movies, the occasional tavern, and long talks about literature or newspaper crime stories. “I would almost have to drag Eddie into a tavern,” she recalled. “He would much rather have gone to a drugstore for a milkshake.
Watkins said she and Gein bonded over books. He liked to read about far-off places like Africa and India, while she enjoyed talking through the stories with him. They also spoke often about crime, but never about his own. “We discussed every murder we ever heard about,” she recalled. “Eddie told me how the murderer did wrong, what mistakes he had made.”
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Watkins described Gein as ‘sweet and kind’ person
Adeline’s description of Gein was conflicting, given that police had uncovered furniture upholstered with human remains, skulls, human face masks, and a full female skin suit inside his farmhouse.
Watkins, however, called him “good and sweet and kind.” Her mother agreed, telling the Minneapolis Tribune that he was always polite and had her daughter home by 10 p.m., as reported by People.
According to Watkins, their last date was on February 6, 1955. Gein had proposed to her that night, but she turned him down. “I turned him down, but not because there was anything wrong with him,” she said at the time. “It was something wrong with me."
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Watkins' quick retraction
But as headlines spread and her face was printed on the front pages of newspapers, Watkins seemed to regret her claims. According to People, she wrote to the editor of the Plainfield Sun, insisting she had exaggerated. There was no 20-year romance, she said, just a friendship. They saw films together, spoke often, but she denied ever calling him her “sweetheart.”
However, Adeline did not retract her personal assessment of him. Watkins stood by her view of Gein as quiet and polite, even as his crimes horrified the nation.
Adeline Watkins on screen
The blurred line between truth and myth is now part of Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Actress Suzanna Son, who portrays Watkins in the series, called it “a dream role,” in an interview with WWD.
Whether Watkins was truly in love with Gein or simply overwhelmed by the media spotlight, her brief moment in history continues to intrigue nearly 70 years later.
FAQs
Who was Adeline Watkins?
Adeline Watkins was a woman from Plainfield, Wisconsin, who once claimed she had a 20-year relationship with serial killer Ed Gein before later retracting her statements.
Did Adeline Watkins almost marry Ed Gein?
Yes. Watkins initially said Gein proposed to her in 1955, but she turned him down. She later backtracked, saying they were only friends.
Why did Watkins retract her story?
Watkins told a local paper she was uncomfortable with the attention and clarified that their relationship was platonic.
How did Watkins describe Gein?
She once described him as “good and kind,” saying he was polite, quiet, and preferred milkshakes over taverns.
Who plays Adeline Watkins in Netflix’s Monster?
Actress Suzanna Son portrays Adeline Watkins in Monster: The Ed Gein Story.
