Alexander Bean, aka Sawney Bean, is one of Scotland's most infamous grisly tales. Born in the 16th century, Sawney fled his comfortable life in East Lothian, having no interest in working for the family business. As per the BBC, he eventually partnered with an accused witch named Black Agnes Douglas ... which doesn't sound suspicious at all. Together, they spawned a huge family, which only grew bigger through incestuous relationships between the children. Yikes. They had made their home in a large cave, venturing out and attacking travelers on the roads, killing them for their possessions before dismembering their corpses.
When they were eventually tracked down by a mob sent by King James I — or King James IV depending on the version of the tale — body parts were found preserved in jars and also hung up on the walls. There are a few different versions of how the story plays out, though, as conflicting reports claim the entire clan were publicly executed — with the men dismembered while the women and children were burned at the stake. Another version suggests the family was forced to suffocate to death in their cave when gunpowder was placed at the entrance. Either way, they had a pretty grim fate.
The BBC also noted that Wes Craven read about the Sawney Bean legend in the '70s, which inspired him to write "The Hills Have Eyes," so there's some shared tissue between that and "Wrong Turn," too. But it's hard not to draw the comparisons between Sawney and the cannibals in "Wrong Turn" franchise.
