Key Takeaways
- Morgan Geyser, the young woman convicted in the Slender Man stabbing case, was arrested in Posen, Illinois, after cutting off her monitoring bracelet and leaving a Wisconsin group home.
- Geyser was found unharmed with a 42-year-old man she is alleged to be in a relationship with, and he has been charged with criminal trespassing and obstructing identification.
- Geyser will be held until being transferred to Cook County Jail for an extradition hearing.
- The Slender Man stabbing case involved Geyser and another girl, Anissa Weier, stabbing a classmate, Payton Leutner, 19 times in 2014, when they and the victim were 12 years old.
- Geyser and Weier were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and were sent to psychiatric institutions.
Introduction to the Slender Man Stabbing Case
The Slender Man stabbing case is a highly publicized and disturbing incident that occurred in 2014 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Two 12-year-old girls, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, stabbed their classmate, Payton Leutner, 19 times in an attempt to appease the fictional character "Slender Man." The case garnered international attention and sparked a debate about mental health, juvenile justice, and the influence of online content on children. In 2018, Geyser pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted intentional homicide and was sent to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute. She was later found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and was sentenced to up to 40 years in a psychiatric institution.
Geyser’s Disappearance and Arrest
On Sunday, November 24, 2025, Morgan Geyser was reported missing after cutting off her Department of Corrections monitoring bracelet and leaving a Wisconsin group home where she had been a resident. A multi-state manhunt was launched, and Geyser was eventually found unharmed at a Thornton’s Truck stop in Posen, Illinois, at 9:54 p.m. Sunday. She was in the company of a 42-year-old man who she is alleged to be in a relationship with, and both had taken a bus to Posen. The man was charged with criminal trespassing and obstructing identification and has been released from custody. Geyser will be held until being transferred to Cook County Jail for an extradition hearing.
Background on the Slender Man Case
In 2014, Geyser and Weier lured their friend, Payton Leutner, then 12, to the woods in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where Geyser stabbed Leutner while Weier watched. The girls left Leutner alone in the woods, and she managed to pull herself to safety and was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Leutner survived the attack, which captured headlines worldwide after Geyser and Weier claimed that the stabbing was intended to please "Slender Man," a faceless, fictional internet-based character that garnered a cult-like following. Weier was also found not guilty by mental disease or defect after pleading guilty to a lesser charge and was sentenced to up to 25 years in a psychiatric institution.
Reaction from the Leutner Family
The Leutner family has been aware of Geyser’s disappearance and arrest, and they have been working closely with local law enforcement to ensure their continued safety. In a statement to ABC News, the family expressed their gratitude for the support they have received from family, friends, and well-wishers during this difficult time. Payton Leutner has spoken publicly about the attack and its aftermath, saying that she has worked hard to heal and rebuild a normal life. In an interview with ABC’s "20/20" in October 2019, Leutner said that she was ready to reclaim her story and had come to accept the scars she has from the attack.
Geyser’s Release and Supervision
In March 2025, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Michael Bohren ordered that Geyser be released from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute and sent to a group home after three psychologists testified that she was prepared for supervised release. As part of her release, Geyser was ordered to wear a monitoring bracelet, which she cut off before leaving the group home. Geyser’s attorney, Tony Cotton, released a statement on Sunday asking Geyser to turn herself in, saying it was "in her best interest" to do so. The incident has raised concerns about Geyser’s supervision and the effectiveness of her treatment, and it remains to be seen how this will impact her future and the safety of those around her.