Now 22, woman at center of Slender Man case to be released

MADISON, Wis (CIVIC MEDIA) – A Wisconsin judge has approved releasing a woman from a mental hospital, more than a decade after she nearly killed a classmate to please the fictional horror character Slender Man.

Experts testified Morgan Geyser has made progress with her mental health, leading to her conditional release plan being approved.

She is now 22 and has spent seven years in a psychiatric hospital after pleading guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. She and a friend, Anissa Weier, lured their victim to a park and stabbed her 19 times. All three girls were 12 years old at the time.

Morgan Geyser was not the only youth convicted

Anissa Weier was sentenced 25 years to life, an indeterminate sentence requiring at least three years confinement and involuntary treatment in a state forensic psychiatric institute, followed by communal supervision until age 37.

On September 13, 2021, Weier was released with multiple stipulations, including 24-hour GPS monitoring that required her to request permission before leaving Waukesha County. Leutner’s family was “reasonably comfortable” with the rules Weier must follow after her release, which include no contact with Leutner until 2039 and GPS ankle monitoring. On September 11, 2023, the GPS stipulation was removed.

The case gained national attention due to the girls’ obsession with Slender Man, a popular internet boogeyman.

SLENDER MAN CREATORS’ RESPONSE TO THE CRIME

On June 5, 2014, Slender Man creator Eric Knudsen released a statement of condolence: “I am deeply saddened by the tragedy in Wisconsin and my heart goes out to the families of those affected by this terrible act.”

WHAT IS “SLENDER MAN”?

The Slender Man is a fictional supernatural character that originated as a creepypasta Internet meme created by “Something Awful” forum user Eric Knudsen in 2009. He is depicted as a thin, unnaturally tall humanoid with a featureless white head and face, wearing a black suit.

Stories of the Slender Man commonly feature his stalking, abducting, or traumatizing people, particularly children.

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