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Norman Bates was the proprietor of the Bates Motel. After murdering his domineering mother, he developed a split personality based on her and began to commit murders under the "Mother" personality.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Following the death of his father, Norman began showing signs of mental disturbance. He and his mother lived alone until she took a lover.[1]
Jealous of his mother's relationship, he murdered them both and subsequently stole his mother's corpse and preserved it as best as he could. He formed a personality based on his mother, who would be jealous of him, murdering any woman who Norman became interested in. These murders included at least two women, whose fates would remain unsolved until Norman's arrest several years later.[1]
Murders of Marion Crane and Milton Arbogast[]
One rainy evening, a woman named Marion Crane visited the motel (signing in as Marie Samuels from Los Angeles) and Norman invited her to have dinner with him. The discussion between the two included his mother, who Norman stated to be mentally ill. After Marion suggested he have his mother institutionalized, he became offended and stated that everyone was guilty of going mad. When she decided to prepare for bed, she revealed to him her real name and that she would be returning to Phoenix.[1]
Norman spied on her through a peephole and masturbated as Marion undressed. The jealous "Mother" promptly took over and stabbed Marion to death as she showered.[1]
Norman, blaming the murder on his mother, dutifully cleaned up the body and disposed of Marion and her belongings in a nearby swamp.[1]
Later, private investigator Milton Arbogast visited the motel and questioned Norman about Marion. Bates unconvincingly lied to Arbogast that she had stayed only one night and left in the morning and had minimal interaction with him. After Norman refused to let Arbogast speak to his mother, the private detective left.[1]
However, Arbogast soon returned and went to the house. "Mother" then stabbed him to death in the home's foyer. Following this, he moved his mother's corpse to the house's fruit cellar.[1]
Marion's boyfriend, Sam Loomis, soon came looking for Arbogast. Hearing Sam's calls, Norman stood at the swamp, not acknowledging Loomis' presence.[1]
Loomis later returned with Marion's sister, Lila, posing as man and wife. As Sam distracted Norman with conversation, Lila went to the house. Norman soon grew suspicious of this and incapacitated Sam before going to the house. He dressed as "Mother" as Lila discovered his mother's corpse and cornered her in the fruit cellar, but was tackled and disarmed by Sam.[1]
Norman was taken into custody by the police and his mind was fully taken over by the "Mother" personality.[1]