Judge Approves Conditional Release of 'Slender Man' Attacker Morgan Geyser

A Wisconsin judge ruled that Morgan Geyser, convicted in the 2014 stabbing of a classmate, no longer poses a danger and will be released from a psychiatric hospital after seven years.

Morgan Geyser, 22, has spent seven years at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute following her conviction for the 2014 stabbing of classmate Payton Leutner at age 12.
The attack, motivated by a belief in the fictional character Slender Man, left Leutner with 19 stab wounds, though she survived after crawling to safety and receiving medical help.
Concerns about Geyser’s recent behavior, including reading violent novels and communicating with a man who collects murder memorabilia, were raised but deemed insufficient to block her release.
Three psychologists testified that Geyser has made significant progress in treatment, improving her coping skills and emotional control, and no longer retreats into fantasy as frequently.
A hearing on March 21 will finalize the community supervision and housing plan for Geyser’s conditional release, which follows a similar release granted to co-defendant Anissa Weier in 2021.