Slender Man Attacker's Freedom in Jeopardy After Escape Attempt
Morgan Geyser, the Wisconsin woman who gained notoriety for nearly stabbing a classmate to death in 2014 to appease the fictional Slender Man character, now faces returning to a state mental institution after cutting off her GPS monitor and fleeing her group home. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has filed a petition to revoke her conditional release, which was granted earlier this year after eight years of institutionalisation.
The Disappearance and Capture
Authorities confirmed that Geyser removed her GPS tracking bracelet on Saturday night and absconded from her Madison group home accompanied by a 43-year-old companion. The pair travelled approximately 170 miles before police located them on Sunday night outside Chicago, sleeping rough at a truck stop.
Geyser did not contest her extradition during a Chicago court appearance on Tuesday, clearing the way for Wisconsin authorities to retrieve her within their 30-day window. Her companion has been charged with trespassing and obstruction, though not specifically with aiding Geyser's escape.
Background of the Notorious Case
The original incident that led to Geyser's institutionalisation occurred in 2014 when she and her friend Anissa Weier, then both aged 12, lured classmate Payton Leutner to a Waukesha park. In a brutal attack that shocked the nation, Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier encouraged her, narrowly missing Leutner's heart. The victim barely survived the assault.
Both girls later told investigators they carried out the vicious attack to impress Slender Man, an internet-born fictional character created by Eric Knudson in 2009. They expressed fear that the supernatural figure would harm their families if they didn't prove their loyalty through violence.
Legal Proceedings and Conditional Release
Following their convictions, both Geyser and Weier were committed to state mental institutions - Geyser for 40 years and Weier for 25 years. Wisconsin law permits individuals in state institutions to petition for release, with Weier earning conditional release in 2021.
Geyser, now 23, secured her conditional release in September after four previous attempts. However, state health officials had attempted to block her release in March, raising concerns about her reading material and communications with a man who collects murder memorabilia.
If her conditional release is revoked, Geyser could face return to the mental institution where she spent most of the past eight years, plus potential new charges related to her escape attempt. Her attorney, Tony Cotton, has not commented on the state's latest petition.
The companion involved in Geyser's recent flight told WKOW-TV that the two became friends at church and had seen each other daily for the past month. According to their account, Geyser decided to flee because she feared the group home would separate them, stating "She ran because of me."
