Teen Behind ‘Slender Man’ Stabbing to Be Released from Psychiatric Facility

A Wisconsin woman convicted of stabbing a classmate nearly to death in an attempt to please the fictional horror character “Slender Man” will be released from a psychiatric hospital and transitioned to a group home as part of her continued rehabilitation, a judge ruled.

Morgan Geyser, now 22, has spent nearly seven years at Winnebago Mental Health Institute following her 2018 sentencing for the 2014 attack on her sixth-grade classmate, Payton Leutner. At the time, Geyser and her co-defendant, Anissa Weier, lured Leutner into a wooded park in a Milwaukee suburb, where Geyser stabbed her 19 times while Weier encouraged her, according to investigators. Leutner survived the attack, managing to crawl to a nearby path where a passing bicyclist found her.

The pair told authorities they believed they needed to kill Leutner to become “proxies” of Slender Man, a fictional online character, and protect their families from harm. All three girls were just 12 years old at the time of the crime.

Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide and was sentenced to 40 years in a mental health facility, while Weier, who pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional homicide, received a 25-year sentence. Weier was released in 2021 under strict supervision, including living with her father and wearing a GPS monitor.

Since June 2022, Geyser has filed four petitions for release from the psychiatric facility. After withdrawing two petitions and having one denied in April 2024, her fourth attempt, filed in October, succeeded. On Thursday, Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren granted her release, stating that she had maximized her treatment options at Winnebago and was no longer a threat to public safety. The state Department of Health Services has been tasked with devising a supervised group home plan for her, to be reviewed by the court within 60 days.

“She’s done what she’s supposed to do,” Judge Bohren said during the hearing, describing Geyser’s crime as a “brutal, terrible offense” but acknowledging her progress and positive attitude.

Psychologists who have treated Geyser testified to her significant improvement, particularly in the last six months. Dr. Brooke Lundbohm noted that Geyser was successfully weaned off antipsychotic medication in early 2023 and has not exhibited symptoms since. Dr. Deborah Collins emphasized Geyser’s enhanced coping skills, emotional control, and reduced reliance on fantasy, adding that Geyser expressed remorse for her actions and struggles to forgive herself. Dr. Ken Robbins warned that continued confinement could hinder her reintegration and lead to hopelessness.

Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Ted Szczupakiewicz opposed the release, arguing that Geyser’s claims during evaluations—such as alleging the attack was a way to escape an abusive father—undermined her credibility. However, Judge Bohren dismissed this, noting that mental health diagnoses and perspectives often evolve over time.

The ruling sets the stage for Geyser’s transition to supervised living as she continues her rehabilitation outside the hospital setting.