WAUKESHA, Wis. — A Wisconsin judge has denied the release of Morgan Geyser, the woman who brutally stabbed a classmate to gain favor from the fictional character Slender Man, in a shocking case that captivated the nation a decade ago. Geyser, now 21, had requested her release from Winnebago Mental Health Institute earlier this year. The proceedings for her release began on Wednesday and concluded on Thursday.
During the hearing, Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren determined that Geyser still posed a risk of harm to herself or others, as well as the potential for property damage, and therefore denied her release. In 2018, Geyser was sentenced to 40 years in a mental hospital after pleading guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide for the brutal stabbing of her sixth-grade classmate Payton Leutner.
The 2014 attack took place when Geyser and her peer, Anissa Weier, enticed Leutner to a park in Waukesha after a sleepover. At the time, all three girls were just 12 years old. Geyser repeatedly stabbed Leutner while Weier encouraged her, according to prosecutors. Leutner survived the attack despite being stabbed 19 times.
In their interrogations, Geyser and Weier claimed that they committed the crime to gain favor from Slender Man, a fictional horror character. They believed that by carrying out this act, they would become his loyal servants and protect their families from him.
This is not the first time Geyser has requested her release. She also attempted to be released in 2022 but eventually withdrew her petition. In the recent court proceedings, two psychologists testified, offering differing opinions on Geyser’s mental condition. One psychologist stated that Geyser claimed to have been faking psychotic symptoms, contradicting years of observation and treatment. Dr. Robbins, who prepared a conditional release report for Geyser, expressed his belief that it was an appropriate time for her to be conditionally released to a group home.
While Geyser’s case remains unresolved, her accomplice Weier was sentenced to 25 years in a mental institution for attempted second-degree intentional homicide. Weier was released under strict conditions in September 2021, after nearly four years of confinement. During her release, Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael O. Bohren ruled that she no longer posed a threat.
The court’s decision to deny Geyser’s release highlights the ongoing complexities of her case and raises questions about the appropriate time for her potential reintegration into society.