Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein featured not only the titular serial killer, but also Ted Bundy and Richard “Birdman” Speck. While Ted Bundy is infamous, given the number of documentaries on his horrifying acts, viewers of the series are curious to know more about who Richard “Birdman” Speck really is and how he’s related to Ed Gein.
Here are the details on Richard “Birdman” Speck.
Who is Richard Speck aka the Birdman in Monster Season 3?
Richard Speck (Tobias Jelinek), known as the “Birdman,” is a notorious serial killer depicted in Monster: The Ed Gein Story. He was arrested after murdering eight nursing students in 1966. In the series, he is portrayed as a serial killer who considered Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam) as a role model.
Speck earned the nickname “Birdman” from an incident during his time in prison. According to John E. Douglas’s book, Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, Speck reportedly nursed a sparrow back to health after it flew into his cell. However, when a guard told him that pets weren’t allowed, he threw the bird into a fan, saying, “If I can’t have it, no one can.”
How is the Birdman related to Ed Gein?
In real life, there is no reported connection between Gein, Bundy, and Speck. All three serial killers were active in different decades.
However, in the show, Speck sends a letter to Gein from prison, thanking him for being an influence on him. He did so after he received a letter from Bundy (John T. O’Brien), who had been inspired by Speck’s murders. It showcases that Gein unknowingly inspired the birth of several serial killers. In the season finale, “The Godfather”, the show uses this as a plot device where Gein assists the FBI in helping to track down Bundy.
All eight episodes of Monster: The Ed Gein Story are now available to stream on Netflix.
