A Wisconsin woman (Morgan Geyser ) convicted in the widely known 2014 “Slender Man” stabbing was taken into custody late Sunday, authorities said, one day after she fled a supervised group home and removed her state-issued monitoring device.
Morgan Geyser, 23, had been living in the group home under a court-approved conditional release from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, where she had spent several years following her conviction. According to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Ms. Geyser cut off her monitoring bracelet on Saturday evening before leaving the residence.
The Madison Police Department said she was last seen around 8 p.m. on Saturday in a residential area of Madison, Wis., accompanied by another adult. Her absence was reported on Sunday morning, prompting a multistate search effort.
Late Sunday night, officials confirmed that Ms. Geyser had been located in Illinois and taken into custody. Additional details regarding the arrest were not immediately released, and the Madison Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.
Morgan Geyser Background on the 2014 Stabbing
Morgan Geyser was 12 years old in 2014 when she and her classmate, Anissa Weier, lured another 12-year-old friend, Payton Leutner, into a wooded area in Waukesha, Wis. There, Ms. Geyser stabbed Ms. Leutner 19 times with a kitchen knife while Ms. Weier urged her on. The two later told investigators they believed the attack was necessary to appease “Slender Man,” a fictional internet character depicted as a tall, faceless figure.
Ms. Leutner survived after crawling to a nearby path, where a cyclist found her. She required months of medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Legal Proceedings and Conditional Release
Key Information – Morgan Geyser
| Person / Institution | Key Facts | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan Geyser | Stabbed classmate 19 times at age 12; pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide | May 31, 2014; plea in 2018 |
| Anissa Weier | Pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree homicide; found to have mental disorder | Plea in 2017 |
| Payton Leutner | Survived attack; found by cyclist | 2014 |
| Winnebago Mental Health Institute | Both assailants committed for treatment | 2014–2025 (ongoing in Weier’s case) |
| Conditional Releases | Weier released in July 2021; Geyser in January 2025 | 2021, 2025 |
| Judge Michael O. Bohren | Approved Geyser’s release, stating she no longer posed a threat | January 2025 |
Commitment and Petitions for Release
Ms. Weier was committed to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute for 25 years after a jury concluded she had been suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the stabbing. She was granted conditional release in July 2021.
Ms. Geyser was also ordered to the same facility, avoiding prison as part of a 2018 plea agreement. She petitioned for release several times, including in October 2024. In January, Judge Michael O. Bohren of Waukesha County Circuit Court granted her conditional release after determining she no longer posed a risk to herself or others.
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Her placement in a supervised group home earlier this year was intended to support her transition, with strict monitoring requirements set by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
Next Steps After Her Recapture
Authorities have not yet announced whether Ms. Geyser will face new charges or whether her conditional release will be revoked. The Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office has not commented on the matter.
It remains unclear how she traveled to Illinois and whether the adult seen with her on Saturday is under investigation.
Officials are expected to review the circumstances of her escape and determine whether additional security protocols should be implemented for individuals under conditional release in high-profile cases like this one.
