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Woman Behind Wisconsin 'Slenderman' Stabbing Captured After Nationwide Manhunt

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  November 24, 2025 8:00 AM

In 2014, preteen girls Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier lured another girl, Payton Leutner, into the woods in Waukesha, Wisconsin. There, Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier watched. It was part of a plot to appease "Slenderman," a fictional online character. Geyser and Weier left Leutner for dead, but Leutner was able to crawl out of the woods and get help. She was in critical condition but survived.

Both Geyser and Weier were charged as adults, but both were found not guilty by reason of insanity and institutionalized. Weier received 25 years to life; Geyser 40 years to life. In 2021, Weier was conditionally released on supervision. Geyser, who prosecutors said was the mastermind behind the attempted murder and the one who stabbed Leutner while Weier watched, was given conditional release earlier this year.

At the time, Geyser was reportedly identifying as a "transgender man," and prosecutors warned the judge she was unfit to be released. They cited several red flags, including that Geyser secretly read a book about murder and black market organ selling, and that Geyser was in contact with a man who collected "murder memorabilia" and had sent him violent, graphic sketches while indicating she wanted an intimate relationship with him.

Despite those objections, Waukesha County Circuit Judge Scott Wagner approved Geyser's conditional release in July. Geyser was sent to a group home with electronic monitoring.

Over the weekend, Geyser removed her ankle monitor and fled her group home.

According to reports from Madison police, Geyser was last seen Saturday night around 8 pm. She removed her ankle monitor at some point Saturday night, but police were not notified of her disappearance until Sunday morning.

In 2019, Payton sat down with David Muir to discuss the stabbing.

"I feel like it's time for people to see my side, rather than everyone else," Leutner said. "Even if times are super difficult or friendships are hard, get out before something bad happens to you. If you feel like something is bad, you need to get out while you still can."

The family of Payton Leutner issued a statement on Sunday that said Leutner was safe.

"Payton Leutner and her family [are] aware of the most recent situation regarding Morgan Geyser. Payton and her family are safe and are working closely with local law enforcement to ensure their continued safety," the statement read. "The family would like to thank all of the law enforcement entities involved in the efforts to apprehend Morgan. The Leutner family also wish to thank the outpouring of support from family, friends and well-wishers who have contacted them during this difficult time."

Thankfully, Geyser was apprehended in Illinois last night.

Geyser traveled to Illinois by bus and was arrested at a truck stop about 30 minutes south of Chicago. She was taken into custody shortly after 10:30 pm.

According to Wisconsin Right Now, the delay in searching for Geyser may have stemmed from the fact the Wisconsin Department of Corrections didn't forward an apprehension order for Geyser to Madison police.

Here's more:

Madison police say the state Department of Corrections issued an apprehension order for Slender Man suspect Morgan Geyser around midnight on Saturday night, but never told the Madison Police Department.

Police didn’t learn that Geyser had allegedly cut off her Department of Corrections’ monitoring bracelet until the next morning, when a staff member reported her missing by calling 911 at 7:46 a.m. There was also a two-hour delay in between DOC learning Geyser’s GPS bracelet had set off an alert and DOC following up and learning she cut the bracelet off. That’s according to Madison police.

That means that Geyser, 23, had the night to get away.

Geyser is reportedly being held in Cook County, pending extradition to Wisconsin. What consequences she'll face once she returns are unclear at this time, but given her past behavior and disturbing conduct while in custody, we're just glad no one was hurt.