If you've ever wondered if Buffalo Bill, the serial killer in the movie Silence of the

Lambs, was based on an actual person, an actual killer, the answer is yes, unfortunately.

Today we take a look into the true crime case of Gary Heidnick.

Six African-American women were kidnapped, tortured, and raped by a serial killer and

possible cannibal, held captive in a basement pit at a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania home. Welcome to 10-minute murder, brief and bingeable true crime.

I'm Joe, the host, and thank you for joining today.

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Now to the story.

Michael and Ellen Heidnick welcomed Gary into the world on November 22nd,

1943 in East Lake, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb. Terry was his younger brother. The Heidnick children were raised by their mother

for four years following their parents' 1946 divorce before being given to their father and his new wife.

Gary would later contend that his father had verbally abused him. He claimed that his father would

humiliate him by making him hang his stained sheets from his bedroom window

...