Investigators searching Benjamin Larson’s home found labeled serial-killer relics and skeletal remains that are now undergoing forensic examination.
FOND DU LAC, Wis. — A felony stalking investigation involving a Wisconsin man led authorities to skeletal remains, multiple skulls and an extensive collection of murder-related memorabilia at his rural Fond du Lac County home, including a jar labeled as containing part of serial killer John Wayne Gacy’s brain, according to authorities and court records.
Benjamin C. Larson, 47, was charged Aug. 18 in Dane County Circuit Court with one count of stalking, a Class I felony, after a Madison-area woman reported years of unwanted contact. The discovery at Larson’s home has since opened a separate investigation into the origin and authenticity of skeletal remains found during the search. Authorities have not established that the jar actually contains tissue from Gacy, and the labels on other unusual objects found in the home have not been independently verified.
The woman told Madison police on July 31 that she had briefly dated Larson in 2013 and that unwanted contact continued after the relationship ended, according to the criminal complaint. Prosecutors allege Larson sent letters, cards, emails and other communications over the following years. The complaint describes conduct spanning from June 2013 through July 2026 and alleges the repeated contacts caused the woman serious emotional distress and fear. Larson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Madison police investigators and Fond du Lac County sheriff’s detectives served a search warrant at Larson’s rural home on Aug. 14 as part of the stalking investigation. Authorities said detectives found books, documents and memorabilia related to murders and notorious killers, along with skeletal remains that appeared to include numerous human skulls. Because the remains and other potentially illegal items appeared unrelated to the stalking case, the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office obtained a separate search warrant from a county judge.
The criminal complaint describes a basement filled with unusual collectibles. Investigators reported finding 10 binders labeled “Edward Gein Book,” items represented as having come from Wisconsin killer Ed Gein’s grave or former home, skeletal remains displayed in a glass casket and several skulls. They also found a mummy bearing a label identifying it as an ancient Egyptian figure and a jar accompanied by a sign claiming it held a piece of Gacy’s brain. Officials have not confirmed the authenticity or origin of those objects.
Investigators also searched a padlocked basement room, according to the complaint. Inside, authorities reported finding a lifelike silicone doll, a painting that appeared to resemble the woman in the stalking case and documents connected to her. Additional skulls and bones were also found in the area. The allegations in the complaint describe the discoveries as part of the evidence collected during the search, but authorities have not announced that the remains are connected to any homicide or other violent crime.
The complaint also details handwritten material investigators say Larson kept about the woman and her family. Prosecutors allege some writings described surveillance of her home, collecting discarded items and increasingly hostile thoughts about her family. Authorities also reported finding materials related to stalking and unsolved or notorious crimes. Those writings form part of the prosecution’s allegations and have not been tested at trial. Larson told investigators his communications had been civil and that he eventually understood the woman’s lack of response as a response itself, according to reporting on the complaint.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office said determining the origin of the skeletal remains will require specialized forensic work. Detectives are working with a forensic anthropologist affiliated with the Wisconsin Crime Lab, the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Wisconsin Inter-Tribal Repatriation Committee and specialized laboratories. An initial physical examination indicated many of the remains are likely archaeological Native American remains, according to the sheriff’s office. Several other remains require laboratory testing before their origin can be determined.
The stalking charge is a Class I felony punishable by up to three years and six months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 upon conviction. Court records cited by news organizations show Larson posted $15,000 cash bond and waived a preliminary hearing. He has been bound over for trial and is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 11 in Dane County Circuit Court. No additional criminal charges tied to the skeletal remains had been announced as of Saturday.
Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt has said the investigation into the remains could last for months because of forensic testing requirements. The sheriff’s office said the inquiry remains active and that further details are being withheld to protect its integrity. For now, authorities have not confirmed whether all of the remains are authentic, where they originated or whether the object labeled as part of Gacy’s brain contains genuine human tissue.