Latest news with #PaytonLeutner
The Guardian
4 days ago
- The Guardian
Slender Man case: woman who stabbed classmate to be released from psychiatric hospital
A 22-year-old woman who stabbed a classmate a decade ago believing that the act would earn her the right to be servant of Slender Man, a fictional supernatural character, is set to be released from a Wisconsin psychiatric hospital. Waukesha county circuit Judge Scott Wagner agreed on Thursday to the conditional release of Morgan Geyser from Winnebago mental health institute, a psychiatric hospital where she has spent the last seven years. In 2014, Geyser and Anissa Weier lured their friend Payton Leutner to join a game of hide-and-seek in heavily wooded Davids Park near Waukesha, Wisconsin. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times, nearly killing her, while Weier egged her on. All three girls were 12 years old at the time. Geyser and Weier later told investigators they had committed the crime to appease Slender Man, a thin, unnaturally tall humanoid character that originated as a creepypasta internet meme created by a Something Awful forum user, Eric Knudsen, in 2009. Five hours after the attack, Weier and Geyser were arrested in a nearby furniture store, still in possession of the knife used in the stabbing, and told police they were going to meet Slender Man at Slender Mansion in a forest 200 miles away. Geyser later disclosed lifelong visual and auditory hallucinations that included figures she interpreted as ghosts, colors melting down walls, and imaginary friends. Her mother described her as being 'floridly psychotic' and she was later diagnosed with early onset childhood schizophrenia. Geyser ultimately pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in 2017 but claimed she wasn't responsible because she was mentally ill. She was later committed to a psychiatric hospital for 40 years. Weier pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon. Like Geyser, she claimed she was mentally ill and not responsible for her actions. She was committed to 25 years in a mental hospital but was granted release in 2021. The case drew widespread attention, in part because the character Slender Man had been photo-edited into everyday images of children at play, creating a disturbing juxtaposition of childhood innocence and the transition to a more complex, adult understanding of reality. Subsequent efforts to secure Geyer's release from the psychiatric home have taken several turns. Earlier this year, a judge ruled she could be released after three experts testified she has made progress and argued that she did not present a future risk. But in March, Payton Leutner, the mother of the victim, said the group home that Geyser was to be released to was eight miles away from where she lives. Wisconsin health officials were ordered to come up with a new plan. State health officials also argued that she didn't volunteer to her therapy team that she had read Rent Boy, a novel about murder and selling organs on the black market, and alleged she had communicated with a man who collects murder memorabilia. 'The state has real concerns these things are, frankly, just red flags at this point,' said Abbey Nickolie, the Waukesha county prosecutor, at the hearing. But Geyser's attorney Tony Cotton described the state's request to keep her in hospital as a 'hit job' and said his client was 'not more dangerous today'. But Thursday, the plan to release Geyser, which has not been made public, was approved. Geyser's attorney, who did not respond to requests for comment, told the court that his client needs to be involved in the community and needs to 'move on with her life', reported TMJ-TV Milwaukee.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- The Guardian
Slender Man case: woman who stabbed classmate to be released from psychiatric hospital
A 22-year-old woman who stabbed a classmate a decade ago believing that the act would earn her the right to be servant of Slender Man, a fictional supernatural character, is set to released from a Wisconsin psychiatric hospital. Waukesha county circuit Judge Scott Wagner agreed on Thursday to the conditional release of Morgan Geyser from Winnebago mental health institute, a psychiatric hospital where she has spent the last seven years. In 2014, Geyser and Anissa Weier lured their friend Payton Leutner to join a game of hide-and-seek in heavily wooded Davids Park near Waukesha, Wisconsin. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times, nearly killing her, while Weier egged her on. All three girls were 12 years old at the time. Geyser and Weier later told investigators they had committed the crime to appease Slender Man, a thin, unnaturally tall humanoid character that originated as a creepypasta internet meme created by Something Awful forum user Eric Knudsen in 2009. Five hours after the attack, Weier and Geyser were arrested in a nearby furniture store, still in possession of the knife used in the stabbing, and told police they were going to meet Slender Man at Slender Mansion in a forest 200 miles away. Geyser later disclosed lifelong visual and auditory hallucinations that included figures she interpreted as ghosts, colors melting down walls, and imaginary friends. Her mother described her as being 'floridly psychotic' and she was later diagnosed with early onset childhood schizophrenia. Geyser ultimately pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in 2017 but claimed she wasn't responsible because she was mentally ill. She was later committed to a psychiatric hospital for 40 years. Weier pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon. Like Geyser, she claimed she was mentally ill and not responsible for her actions. She was committed to 25 years in a mental hospital but was granted release in 2021. The case drew widespread attention, in part because the character Slender Man had been photo-edited into everyday images of children at play, creating a disturbing juxtaposition of childhood innocence and the transition to a more complex, adult understanding of reality. Subsequent efforts to secure Geyer's release from the psychiatric home have taken several turns. Earlier this year, a judge ruled she could be released after three experts testified she has made progress and argued that she did not present a future risk. But in March, Payton Leutner, the mother of the victim, said the group home that Geyser was to be released to was eight miles away from where she lives. Wisconsin health officials were ordered to come up with a new plan. State health officials also argued that she didn't volunteer to her therapy team that she had read Rent Boy, a novel about murder and selling organs on the black market, and alleged she had communicated with a man who collects murder memorabilia. 'The state has real concerns these things are, frankly, just red flags at this point,' said Abbey Nickolie, the Waukesha county prosecutor, at the hearing. But Geyser's attorney Tony Cotton described the state's request to keep her in hospital as a 'hit job' and said his client was 'not more dangerous today'. But Thursday, the plan to release Geyser, which has not been made public, was approved. Geyser's attorney, who did not respond to requests for comment, told the court that his client needs to be involved in the community and needs to 'move on with her life', reported TMJ-TV Milwaukee.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Wisconsin woman who stabbed a classmate to please Slender Man will be released from mental hospital
A Wisconsin woman will be released from a mental hospital more than a decade after she nearly stabbed a classmate to death to please the horror character Slender Man, a judge decided Thursday. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Scott Wagner signed off on the conditional plan to release Morgan Geyser, now 22, from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, a psychiatric hospital where she has spent the last seven years. Another judge had ruled in January she could be released after three experts testified she has made progress battling mental illness. In April, prosecutors objected to Geyser's original conditional release plan after the mother of the victim, Payton Leutner, expressed concern that Geyser's group home was located eight miles away from Leutner. The judge then ordered the Department of Health Services to draft a new plan, which was approved Thursday. Details of the plan and the timing of her release were not shared in court, and Geyser's attorney did not immediately respond to phone messages seeking comment. Geyser and her friend, Anissa Weier, lured Leutner to a Waukesha park after a sleepover in 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier egged her on. All three girls were 12 years old at the time. Geyser and Weier fled after the attack but were arrested as they were walking on Interstate 94. They told investigators they attacked Leutner to earn the right to be Slender Man's servants and feared he would hurt their families if they didn't follow through. They had planned to walk to Slender Man's mansion in northern Wisconsin after the attack, they said. Leutner barely survived. Geyser ultimately pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in 2017 but claimed she wasn't responsible because she was mentally ill. The following year, Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren had committed her to a psychiatric hospital for 40 years. State health officials argued in March that Geyser couldn't be trusted after learning that she hadn't told her therapists that she had read a novel about murder and black market organ sales. They also alleged she had been communicating with a man who collects murder memorabilia and sent him her own sketch of a decapitated body and a postcard saying she wants to be intimate with him. Cotton countered that Geyser only read what the facility allowed, and staff knew she had been communicating with the collector. He added that she stopped talking to the man in 2024 after she discovered he was selling things she sent him. Bohren concluded that Geyser wasn't trying to hide anything and ordered state health officials to continue developing a release plan. Wagner took over Geyser's release request after Bohren retired this past April. Weier pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon in 2017, but like Geyser claimed she was mentally ill and not responsible for her actions. She was committed to 25 years in a mental hospital but was granted release in 2021 after agreeing to live with her father and to wear a GPS monitor. The case has drawn widespread attention in part because of the girls' fascination with the Slender Man character. Slender Man was created online by Eric Knudson in 2009 as a mysterious specter photo-edited into everyday images of children at play. He's typically depicted as a slim, spidery figure in a black suit with a featureless white face. He has grown into a popular boogeyman and has appeared in video games, online stories and a 2018 movie.
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Judge OKs release plan for woman who stabbed a classmate to please Slender Man
A judge has approved a conditional release plan for a Wisconsin woman who nearly killed her classmate years ago to please the fictional horror character Slender Man. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Scott Wagner signed off Thursday on the plan to release Morgan Geyser, now 22, from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, a psychiatric hospital where she has spent the last seven years. In April, prosecutors objected to Geyser's original conditional release plan after the mother of the victim, Payton Leutner, expressed concern that Geyser's group home was located eight miles away from Leutner. The judge then ordered the Department of Health Services to draft a new plan, which was approved Thursday. Details of the plan were not shared in court. Geyser and her friend Anissa Weier lured Leutner to a Waukesha park after a sleepover in 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier egged her on. All three girls were 12 years old at the time. Geyser and Weier fled after the attack but were arrested as they were walking on Interstate 94. They told investigators they attacked Leutner to earn the right to be Slender Man's servants and feared he would hurt their families if they didn't follow through. They had planned to walk to Slender Man's mansion in northern Wisconsin after the attack, they said. Leutner barely survived the attack. Geyser ultimately pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in 2017 but claimed she wasn't responsible because she was mentally ill. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren committed her to a psychiatric hospital for 40 years in 2018, but the judge ruled in January she could be released after three experts testified she has made progress battling mental illness. State health officials argued in March that Geyser couldn't be trusted after learning that she hadn't told her therapists that she had read a novel about murder and black market organ sales. They also alleged that she had been communicating with a man who collects murder memorabilia and sent him her own sketch of a decapitated body and a postcard saying she wants to be intimate with him. Cotton countered that Geyser only read what the facility allowed and staff knew she had been communicating with the collector. He added that she stopped talking to the man in 2024 after she discovered he was selling things she sent him. Bohren concluded that Geyser wasn't trying to hide anything and ordered state health officials to continue developing a release plan. Wagner took over Geyser's release request after Bohren retired this past April. Weier pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon in 2017 but, like Geyser, claimed she was mentally ill and not responsible for her actions. She was committed to 25 years in a mental hospital but was granted release in 2021 after agreeing to live with her father and to wear a GPS monitor. The case has drawn widespread attention in part because of the girls' fascination with the Slender Man character. Slender Man was created online by Eric Knudson in 2009 as a mysterious specter photo-edited into everyday images of children at play. He's typically depicted as a slim, spidery figure in a black suit with a featureless white face. He has grown into a popular boogeyman and has appeared in video games, online stories, and a 2018 movie.
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Judge OKs release plan for woman who stabbed a classmate to please Slender Man
A judge has approved a conditional release plan for a Wisconsin woman who nearly killed her classmate years ago to please the fictional horror character Slender Man. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Scott Wagner signed off Thursday on the plan to release Morgan Geyser, now 22, from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, a psychiatric hospital where she has spent the last seven years. Geyser and her friend Anissa Weier lured Payton Leutner to a Waukesha park after a sleepover in 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier egged her on. All three girls were 12 years old at the time. Geyser and Weier fled after the attack but were arrested as they were walking on Interstate 94. They told investigators they attacked Leutner to earn the right to be Slender Man's servants and feared he would hurt their families if they didn't follow through. They had planned to walk to Slender Man's mansion in northern Wisconsin after the attack, they said. Leutner barely survived the attack. Geyser ultimately pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in 2017 but claimed she wasn't responsible because she was mentally ill. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren committed her to a psychiatric hospital for 40 years in 2018, but the judge ruled in January she could be released after three experts testified she has made progress battling mental illness. State health officials argued in March that Geyser couldn't be trusted after learning that she hadn't told her therapists that she had read a novel about murder and black market organ sales. They also alleged that she had been communicating with a man who collects murder memorabilia and sent him her own sketch of a decapitated body and a postcard saying she wants to be intimate with him. Cotton countered that Geyser only read what the facility allowed, and staff knew she had been communicating with the collector. He added that she stopped talking to the man in 2024 after she discovered he was selling things she sent him. Bohren concluded that Geyser wasn't trying to hide anything and ordered state health officials to continue developing a release plan. Wagner took over Geyser's release request after Bohren retired this past April. Weier pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon in 2017, but like Geyser claimed she was mentally ill and not responsible for her actions. She was committed to 25 years in a mental hospital but was granted release in 2021 after agreeing to live with her father and to wear a GPS monitor. The case has drawn widespread attention in part because of the girls' fascination with the Slender Man character. Slender Man was created online by Eric Knudson in 2009 as a mysterious specter photo-edited into everyday images of children at play. He's typically depicted as a slim, spidery figure in a black suit with a featureless white face. He has grown into a popular boogeyman and has appeared in video games, online stories and a 2018 movie. Todd Richmond And Christine Fernando, The Associated Press
