Kriti Mehrotra
While true crime is undeniably a big genre across the world, creators Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy have broken all its bounds with their Netflix anthology series ‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story.’ That’s because it chronicles arguably the least known yet most influential and harrowing tale of the titular body snatcher turned serial killer who was reportedly active from 1947 to 1957. After all, he is the inspiration behind cult classic films like ‘Psycho’ (1960) as well as ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974), making many wonder if he really did kill two male hunters in 1950.
Victor Travis and Raymond Burgess Vanished Without a Trace Left Behind
It was on November 1, 1952, when 43-year-old farmer and woodsman Victor “Bunk” Travis left his Adams County, Wisconsin, home to go deer hunting alongside Raymond “Ray” Burgess. The duo had first come across one another in mid-October, so the former had reportedly decided to bring his dog, thinking he would not only keep them company but also help in the hunt. According to records, at some point in the late afternoon, they had stopped at Mac’s Bar in nearby Plainfield, where they spent hours just conversing and drinking before leaving at around 7 pm.
It has been reported that Victor, his dog, and Raymond subsequently got into the latter’s car without any issues or distractions to drive away, only to never be seen or heard from again. A missing person’s report was filed not long after, leaving even the investigators perplexed owing to a lack of any circumstantial or concrete evidence regarding what happened to them. There was allegedly an extensive search for them as thousands of acres of wilderness around the cold area where they were last seen were carefully scoured, but to absolutely no avail.
What made things even more confusing for officials was that Victor’s dog was found running loose in Plainfield woods merely a few days later, yet there was still no sign of either man. Moreover, as per the farmer’s loved ones, there was no way he would have gotten lost or run away since he was an expert hunter, a proud woodsman, as well as newly married, so he was happy. In fact, he had left home on that fateful morning after giving his wife of a month a kiss, stating he would be back soon as he was going on a hunting trip with Milwaukee resident Ray.
Victor Travis and Raymond Burgess’ Disappearance Sadly Remains Unsolved
While many believe serial killer Ed Gein to be responsible for Victor and Ray’s disappearance and presumed murder, there is no evidence that actually points towards his involvement. According to reports, they believe the then-loner killed the duo as a form of revenge for hunting on the property next to his farm despite his objections, yet nothing backs this theory. In fact, even when a search warrant was executed on Ed’s property in the wake of a local woman’s 1957 murder, and authorities uncovered various human remains, all of them were of women.
Investigators have truly looked into several angles in Victor and Ray’s case over the years, and one of them is the likely hand of the Chicago mob because Ray was allegedly an enforcer. As per records, he was a “hoodlum” associated with the crime syndicate to such an extent that he often used fake names to protect his identity, which officials uncovered by following his vehicle. It turned out he had bought his drive from a used car lot in early 1952 using the identification of a Milwaukee bartender named Harold Burgess, who had passed away two years prior.
Therefore, it’s unclear to authorities whether Raymond was even Victor’s acquaintance’s real name, especially since the way they met at a tavern in mid-October was also rather unusual. According to reports, Ray had come in, slammed $4,000 in $100 as well as $50 bills on the bar, and started ordering drinks for everyone on the house, leading to Victor saying thank you. That’s when an easy conversation between them began, soon resulting in their making concrete plans to hang out in the local area, which they did, before eventually going hunting together.
No one could have ever imagined they would never be seen or heard from again. It’s imperative to note that in the years gone by, Victor’s mother also indicated that there had been threats to his life on at least two occasions in the months leading up to the fateful November 1, 1952. As per records, a mob man/ranch owner by the name of James DeGeorge actually blamed Victor for the September 1952 death of his 21-year-old son Dominic, who had died in a car accident. He was found in a ditch near Big Flats, which is where his 43-year-old reported close friend often hung out. It turns out James had warned Victor to stay away that summer, yet he hadn’t. Hence, the blame and the assumption that James could have possibly been involved in the disappearance. But alas, since nothing has ever been confirmed and no trace of either Victor, Ray, or his car has been found, the case sadly remains unsolved.
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