Red Dead Redemption 2 features many interesting locations that do not necessarily have a significant impact on the storyline but are worth exploring nevertheless. Although most are strictly fictional, some were inspired by real-life events and bear varying degrees of historical accuracy. Among these locations is the Aberdeen Pig Farm in the Scarlett Meadows region of the Lemoyne territory, found in both Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Redemption Online.
During their travels, players may come across a camper who will tell them about an old pig farm and the couple who runs it. He will also let them know that his gut feeling warned him to stay away from the place, despite the welcoming nature of the homestead's hosts. When the players reach the front porch of the farm themselves, they will be greeted by Bray and Tammy Aberdeen, who will invite them over for a meal and a drink. If they choose to oblige, Bray will eventually disclose that the location used to be a pig farm before Tammy's and Bray's parents passed away. Soon after, the players will be presented with a choice to either drink more of the special Aberdeen brew or leave. Whether they decide to continue drinking or return to the homestead at a later point in time, the Aberdeens will drug and rob them regardless.
After awakening in a mass grave located north of the Aberdeen Pig Farm, the players can go back to retrieve their money. Since the Aberdeens will be caught off guard, the players can choose between letting the couple flee, killing them both or only killing Bray. If they opt for the latter, hogtying Tammy and taking her to the mass grave will reveal more of the family's backstory. However, to get the whole picture, the players will need to return to the farm and explore the house if they have not done so before. Not only will they find that Bray and Tammy were siblings in an incestuous relationship, but they will also discover the remains of their late parents and other conclusive evidence that ties the couple to the murder.
As surreal as it may seem, the story of the Aberdeen family is likely based on the Benders, a family of four nicknamed "The Bloody Benders." On paper, they were operating a general store and an inn for travelers in the second half of the 19th century in Labette County, Kansas. During their year-and-a-half-long killing spree, they murdered over a dozen patrons, looted their corpses and disposed of their bodies in a mass grave. Just like the Aberdeen siblings, John Bender Jr. and his sister, Kate Bender, had an ambiguous and seemingly incestuous relationship.
It is believed that the Bender family migrated to the States from either Germany or Netherlands, but no definitive proof was ever found, as most of the records are obscure and akin to fiction. Still, the Benders killing method was confirmed and consisted of multiple stages, which may or may not be linked to how the Aberdeens disposed of their guests in Red Dead Redemption 2. However, the fact that the players can let the homicidal couple go suggests that the outcome of the Aberdeen narrative was possibly influenced by the Benders' successful escape across the southern border.
One aspect of the Aberdeen Pig Farm that has nothing to do with the Bender family lies in the exploitation of its events. By visiting the farm as Arthur Morgan before the mission "Our Best Selves," the players can assure that they are not penniless when they begin their journey as John Marston in the Epilogue. This is because the stolen money can be retrieved regardless of the players' identity.