Shortly after Netflix premiered its latest true-crime offering, Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the name Adeline Watkins has resurfaced in public consciousness—alongside the infamous Ed Gein. As audiences stream the series, questions swirl: did Watkins truly date the serial killer? Was there ever a proposal? And how much of what is shown aligns with fact? In this article, we delve into the most recent revelations and separate documented facts from fiction as of October 2025.
A dramatic re-introduction via Netflix
On October 3, 2025, Netflix released Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the third installment in its anthology series. In this season, Suzanna Son plays Adeline Watkins, cast as Gein’s long-time confidante and romantic interest. The show weaves her alleged involvement deeply into Gein’s narrative, portraying her as his emotional tether and collaborator in darker activities.
However, after decades of speculation, historians, true crime researchers, and even Watkins herself cast doubt on many of the romantic claims. The show clearly leans into drama—and some of those dramatic arcs are grounded more in storytelling than verifiable history.
What Watkins claimed: the 1957 interviews
In November 1957, shortly after officials arrested Ed Gein for the murder of Bernice Worden, media outlets published interviews in which a woman named Adeline Watkins made sensational claims:
- She told the Minneapolis Tribune she and Gein had a 20-year romantic involvement, attended taverns and movies together, and that Gein had proposed to her around 1955.
- In that same interview, she described Gein as “good and kind and sweet,” and intimated a deep emotional connection.
- Her mother was cited as corroborating her statements, saying Gein respected her curfew and behaved appropriately in public.
These interviews fueled speculation and public fascination. Yet just weeks later, Watkins retracted much of her account. She told another local paper that the Tribune’s portrayal was exaggerated; she claimed their interactions were limited, sporadic, and certainly not the intimate, decades-long romance originally described.
In that retraction, she clarified:
- She had known Gein for many years, but normal interaction between them began only around 1954 or later.
- The so-called proposal was not explicit, though she felt something akin to it.
- She had never been inside Gein’s home, where investigators later uncovered extremely gruesome evidence.
These conflicting statements remain central to assessing how much of Watkins’ account can be trusted—and how much might have been embellished by press or by her interpretation.
Scholarly and investigative views
Modern researchers tend to treat Watkins’ original claims skeptically. Most agree that:
- There is no independent, contemporary evidence (letters, diaries, third-party witnesses) confirming a 20-year romance.
- Gein himself never publicly referenced Watkins or confirmed such a long relationship.
- Some analysts even argue that their contact may have been minimal—or, at worst, they never met in the way Watkins claimed.
One podcast summarizing investigative research described their bond as “super casual,” and suggested the press leveraged human interest to magnify her story.
Even Netflix, in promotional materials, acknowledges ambiguity over whether Adeline was Gein’s “neighbor and occasional girlfriend,” calling her “his only remaining comfort” and noting she becomes increasingly entangled in the narrative—but also questioning whether her portrayal is wholly factual.
Depiction vs. reality: what Monster got right (and wrong)
While Monster: The Ed Gein Story dramatizes Watkins’ role heavily, the show does mirror a few known points:
- Watkins is a real historical figure who gave interviews in 1957 making claims about her relationship to Gein.
- The show’s choice to let her role evolve from acquaintance to accomplice corresponds to the ambiguity and dramatic license many true crime works adopt.
- Netflix’s notes even acknowledge part of the mystery: “Is Adeline real?” is posed as a question, showing they’re aware of the contentious nature of her story.
Yet, the series amplifies scenes of intimate involvement, shared secrets, and joint grave-robbing that are not substantiated by historical record.
Thus, the viewer should approach Watkins’ cinematic role as a compelling character—one grounded in fragments of fact but interpreted through a fictional lens.
Why the interest now?
The resurgence of interest in Adeline Watkins alongside Ed Gein is driven entirely by the Netflix series. In truth crime circles, her story had largely been a footnote—an odd speculative fragment from vintage newspapers. The show’s emphasis has brought her to the forefront.
Social media and fan forums are already dissecting each detail:
- Viewers search for the “true story” behind Watkins.
- Discussion threads compare scenes from the show with public record.
- Some express astonishment that she might have “nearly married” a man later revealed to be a murderer.
For the United States audience, the fascination lies in peeling back the sensationalized patina to see the real human being—if she existed beyond rumor.
So, was there really a romance between Adeline Watkins and Ed Gein?
Based on all publicly documented evidence as of October 2025:
- Yes, Watkins declared a long relationship in interviews, claiming romantic involvement with Gein and even a proposal.
- No, she later retracted those claims, saying the original story was exaggerated.
- There is no independent confirmation—no third-party witness, private correspondence, or forensic evidence to support a decades-long involvement.
- Historians lean to the conclusion that any relationship was likely casual, limited in duration, and magnified by media or personal narrative.
Thus, while Watkins appears in public archives as the woman who claimed a deep connection with Gein, most credible accounts now treat her version of events as tenuous and contested.
Conclusion
The revival of Adeline Watkins in Monster: The Ed Gein Story has sparked renewed debate over one of the darker fringes of the Gein saga. While Watkins undeniably made bold claims in 1957, her subsequent retraction and the lack of independent proof cast her story into shadow. The Netflix dramatization reimagines her as a central and complex figure—but the real person behind her name remains elusive.
If you’re intrigued by this intersection of true crime and storytelling, I invite you to share your thoughts or theories—and stay tuned as additional research may yet surface new insights. Please leave a comment below or follow along as we discover more.