The third season of “Monster” doesn’t just focus on Ed Gein. The show features a plethora of serial killers, including a character based on Richard Speck, whose portrayal might raise some eyebrows.
Please note, this article contains disturbing details about Richard Speck. A documentary about this serial killer is also available within the article. Viewer discretion is advised.
One can’t help but question the depiction of events in Monster: The Story of Ed Gein, as the series developed by Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy takes notable liberties with the truth. With the introduction of the character Adeline and the alleged collaboration between Gein and the police to apprehend Ted Bundy, distinguishing fact from fiction can be a challenge.
Across eight episodes, the series dramatizes the lives of Ted Bundy, Jerry Brudos, and in the final episode, introduces Richard Speck, also known as Birdman. But who was this serial killer in real life? Here’s everything you need to know about him.
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Who is Birdman in Monster: The Story of Ed Gein?
In episode eight, “The Model,” we meet one of Ed’s “fans,” Richard Speck, also known as Birdman, portrayed by Tobias Jelinek. Approximately 21 minutes into the episode, we find ourselves in an Illinois prison where a guard approaches the cell of a man introduced as Birdman, informing him that he has a male visitor. What draws attention to the character is his visible breasts.
Birdman is transferred to another cell where he engages in sexual activities with another inmate in exchange for drugs. After their encounter, Birdman confesses his admiration for Ed Gein and how he read comics and magazine articles about Ed during his childhood.
He then discloses his own crimes, revealing that he burglarized a house occupied by nurses and after one of them spat on him, he ended up killing all of them except one who managed to hide. This survivor was ultimately responsible for his capture. Birdman continues to explain that he was sentenced to death, but since Illinois has abolished capital punishment, he now hopes for parole.
Later in the episode, we see Richard, alias Birdman, writing to Ed and sending him Polaroid pictures of his breasts. He then reveals that he has an admirer who is influenced by his crimes, much like Birdman was influenced by Ed.
Who is Birdman in real life?
Richard Speck was born in 1941 and in 1966, he indeed murdered eight nurses in a Chicago house. After this, he went into hiding and reportedly attempted suicide. He was taken to a hospital but was later arrested after a doctor noticed his “Born to Raise Hell” tattoo – a detail that the sole survivor of the nurse house attack had reported.
He was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment and was initially expected to face the death penalty. However, after Illinois abolished capital punishment, his sentence was commuted to eight consecutive terms of 50 to 150 years. Despite his parole requests, he never received approval and died in prison at the age of 49 in 1991.
During his prison stay, a video featuring Speck emerged, in which he appeared to have developed breasts, due to hormone-based medication use. A revealing report by CBS Chicago, available on YouTube from 1996, includes excerpts from this video obtained by the network, showing killer Richard Speck and a fellow inmate at Stateville prison in 1988, as depicted in the series. Viewer discretion is advised.
Where does the nickname Birdman come from?
According to some sources, Speck adopted this nickname after being inspired by another serial killer, Robert Stroud, the original Birdman, known as the “Birdman of Alcatraz.”
Richard Speck kept a sparrow that had flown into his cell and, as per the book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas (which inspired the Netflix series), after discovering that he was no longer allowed to keep a pet, Speck threw the bird into a fan, killing it, and reportedly said: “If I can’t have it, no one can.“
Lastly, as shown in episode eight of season 3, Richard Speck wrote numerous letters to Ed Gein, but in reality, it’s unclear whether the two ever corresponded.
Monster: The Story of Ed Gein is currently available on Netflix.
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My name is Alex Carter, a journalist with a deep passion for independent cinema, alternative music, and contemporary art. A University of California, Berkeley journalism graduate, I’ve honed my expertise through film reviews, artist profiles, and features on emerging cultural trends. My goal is to uncover unique stories, shine a light on underrepresented talents, and explore the impact of art on our society. Follow me on SuperBoxOffice.com for insightful analysis and captivating discoveries from the entertainment world.