Wisconsin Court Seeks to Revoke Release of Slender Man Attacker

Wisconsin authorities have initiated legal proceedings to revoke the conditional release of Morgan Geyser, who infamously attacked her classmate in 2014. A petition filed by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections in the Waukesha County Circuit Court seeks to return Geyser to a mental institution following her escape from a group home earlier this week.

On March 15, 2024, a judge agreed to seal the petition, which was submitted late on March 12, 2024. Geyser, now 23 years old, had received conditional release from a state mental institution in September 2023 after spending nearly eight years in custody. She was placed in a group home in Madison, Wisconsin, as part of her rehabilitation.

Authorities reported that Geyser removed her GPS monitoring bracelet on March 9, 2024, before fleeing the group home with a 43-year-old companion. The pair was located by police the following evening outside Chicago, Illinois, approximately 170 miles (274 kilometers) from Madison. Geyser did not contest her extradition during a Chicago court appearance on March 12, and Wisconsin authorities now have 30 days to retrieve her.

Geyser’s attorney, Tony Cotton, did not respond to inquiries regarding the state’s petition. If the court revokes her conditional release, Geyser could be returned to the mental institution where she was committed. Additionally, she may face new charges related to her escape. Her companion has been charged with trespassing and obstruction, although their identity has not been disclosed, as no charges related to aiding Geyser’s escape have been filed against them.

During a phone interview with WKOW-TV, the companion indicated that they met at church and had been seeing each other regularly for the past month. The individual suggested that Geyser’s decision to flee was motivated by her desire to maintain their relationship, fearing that the group home would prevent them from seeing each other.

The 2014 incident that led to Geyser’s initial commitment involved a brutal attack on their classmate, Payton Leutner. Geyser and her then-friend Anissa Weier lured Leutner to a park in Waukesha, where Geyser stabbed her 19 times. The attack was allegedly carried out in an attempt to impress the fictional character Slender Man, whom the girls believed would harm their families if they did not comply with his demands. Leutner survived the attack after extensive medical intervention.

Slender Man first emerged online in 2009, created by Eric Knudson as a character in photo-edited images. Over the years, he evolved into an internet legend, inspiring various forms of media, including video games and films. Following the attack, Geyser and Weier were both committed to a state mental institution—Geyser for a potential maximum of 40 years and Weier for 25 years.

The legal landscape surrounding their commitment allows for petitions for release. Weier successfully obtained a conditional release in 2021. In contrast, Geyser’s release faced scrutiny earlier this year when state health officials expressed concerns regarding her rehabilitation. They cited her reading of “Rent Boy,” a novel depicting murder and organ trafficking, and alleged communications with a collector of murder memorabilia. Despite these concerns, a judge determined that Geyser had not hidden any information related to her mental health, leading to her eventual release.

The current legal proceedings reflect ongoing concerns about Geyser’s mental health and the implications of her recent flight from supervision. As the case unfolds, it continues to raise questions about rehabilitation and public safety.