Slender Man stabbing: Morgan Geyser release conditions to come

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A Waukesha County judge on Thursday ruled Morgan Geyser, the person convicted of stabbing a classmate to please the fictional horror character Slender Man more than a decade ago, can leave a state psychiatric hospital early. But what conditions Geyer's release takes – and when – remain to be determined.

What we know

In his decision, Judge Michael Bohren on Thursday said conditional release would not pose a significant risk to the public or Geyser. Even the prosecution's only witness was in favor of conditional release for Geyser.

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The latest petition marked the fourth time in the past two years Geyser asked to be let out of the facility. An evaluation was ordered in November. Geyser withdrew their first two petitions. Bohren denied his third request, saying Geyser remained a risk to the public.

The same three doctors who evaluated Geyser last year returned to the Waukesha County Courthouse with a different outcome on Thursday. In 2024, two of them testified Geyser was not ready to move into a group home. Now, they call Geyser a "bright young woman" who is no longer a danger. Doctors said Geyser no longer hears voices and has been off anti-psychotic medication for years.

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Slender Man stabbing: Morgan Geyser granted conditional release

Morgan Geyser, convicted of stabbing a classmate to please the fictional horror character Slender Man, was granted conditional release.

What's next

Defense Attorney Lonathan Lavoy does not represent Geyser, but he has followed the case for the past decade.

"She’s reached her treatment goals at the hospital, and it’s time for her to transition to the community," said LaVoy.

"Right now, we have a hearing in about 60 days where they will present a conditional release plan to the judge.  Social workers and mental health professionals will put together a detailed list of expectations and placement."

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LaVoy said that plan will also include input from prosecutors. The victim's family was against the conditional release.

Placement into a group home, though, could be challenging; LaVoy said Geyser will have to stay in Wisconsin. He said there aren't many group homes in the state, and most are gender-specific. According to Thursday's testimony, Geyser now identifies as a transgender man.

"The hospital is really meant to be a temporary place. It’s not meant to hold somebody forever," said LaVoy. "Once you’re found not guilty by mental disease or defect, the goal is to actually try and rehabilitate the person. To make them safe to return to the community."

Attorney Jonathan LaVoy

LaVoy said Geyser’s conditional release plan will include monitoring, and Geyser will likely be assigned a team of social workers to monitor progress. Eventually, LaVoy said Geyser could ask the judge to go home.

"A person in her shoes can petition for an early termination of a conditional release after a period of time," he said. "What I think everyone hopes is that she will in fact rehabilitate herself, and she will have a positive and pro-social life going forward."

Geyser will be back in court for a review hearing on March 3.

Slender Man

The backstory

In 2014, Geyser and Anissa Weier were both 12 years old when they lured Payton Leutner to a Waukesha park after a sleepover. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier egged him on. Leutner barely survived.

Geyser and Weier later told investigators they wanted to earn the right to be servants of the fictional Slender Man and that they feared he would harm their families if they didn’t carry out the attack.

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Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide and was sent to the psychiatric institute because of mental illness.

Weier pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide and was also sent to the psychiatric center. She was granted a release in 2021 to live with her father and was ordered to wear a GPS monitor.