Judge Denies Conditional Release for Woman Who Stabbed Friend to Impress Fictional Figure
A judge in Wisconsin has denied a request for the conditional release of Morgan Geyser, who stabbed a middle-school friend 19 times a decade ago in a crime she said was carried out to impress a fictional figure named Slender Man.
Geyser, now 21, had requested early release from her 40-year commitment to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, where she has been held since 2018. However, Judge Michael O. Bohren of Waukesha County Circuit Court ruled that there was a significant risk that Geyser would harm herself or others, and she should remain institutionalized.
The brutal attack took place in May 2014, when Geyser and a classmate lured another 12-year-old girl, Payton Leutner, into a wooded area. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while her classmate urged her on. Leutner managed to crawl out of the woods and was found by a cyclist, eventually recovering from her injuries.
Geyser and her classmate claimed they were trying to please Slender Man, a fictional character they believed to be real. The case shocked the community of Waukesha and raised concerns about children accessing dangerous content online.
Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide and was sentenced to a 40-year commitment to the psychiatric hospital. Her classmate, Anissa Weier, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and was committed for 25 years.
Weier was granted conditional release in July 2021 and is serving out the remainder of her commitment term at her father’s home under electronic monitoring. Geyser, who began treatment for schizophrenia while in custody, had previously abandoned two petitions for release before filing her latest request in January.
The victim, Payton Leutner, declined to comment on the judge’s decision but expressed a desire to heal in peace. She stated in a text message that she wanted to be a normal person and move on from the traumatic event.
Geyser’s mother, Angie Geyser, spoke out in 2018, expressing shock at her daughter’s actions and stating she never imagined she was capable of such violence. Meanwhile, Weier’s grandmother, Melody Weier, expressed hope that Geyser would remain hospitalized due to her illness.
The case of Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier continues to captivate the public’s attention as they navigate the legal and mental health systems in the aftermath of a chilling crime that shook a quiet suburb to its core.
