The year 2014 feels like a lifetime ago, yet the image of a tall, faceless figure in a black suit still lingers in the dark corners of the internet. It’s the story that stopped everything. Two twelve-year-old girls, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, lured their best friend into the woods of Waukesha, Wisconsin. They weren't there to play. They were there to kill for a ghost.
Fast forward to early 2026, and the headlines haven't stopped. This isn't just a "true crime" story anymore. It's a messy, ongoing saga of mental health, legal precedents, and a justice system that still doesn’t quite know what to do with children who commit the unthinkable. Honestly, if you think you know how this ended, you probably don't have the full picture of where they are right now.
The Night the Urban Legend Became Real
It started at a sleepover. A birthday party for Morgan Geyser. She and Anissa Weier had become obsessed with Creepypasta, specifically the Slender Man. They didn't just find him scary; they believed he was real. They believed he would kill their families if they didn't offer him a sacrifice.
On May 31, 2014, they led Payton Leutner into David’s Park. They told her they were playing hide-and-seek. Instead, Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times. It’s a miracle she’s alive today. Payton literally crawled to a bike path where a passerby found her. While surgeons were fighting to save Payton's life—one stab wound missed her heart by less than a millimeter—Geyser and Weier were walking toward the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. They thought Slender Man’s mansion was there.
Where is Morgan Geyser now?
For a long time, the answer was "locked away." But things got complicated in 2025. After spending years at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, Geyser was finally granted conditional release in July 2025.
The court heard from three different psychologists who said she’d made "impressive progress." They argued that staying in the hospital was actually starting to hurt her recovery. She was moved to a group home in Madison. It was supposed to be her first step toward a normal life.
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Then, everything went sideways.
In November 2025, Geyser cut off her GPS monitoring bracelet and vanished. For a few frantic days, she was a fugitive. Police eventually found her at a truck stop in Posen, Illinois. She was sleeping outside with a 43-year-old "friend" she’d met at church. When the cops caught her, she reportedly told them to "just Google" her name.
By December 23, 2025, a judge officially revoked her release. Geyser didn't even fight it. Her attorney, Tony Cotton, made it clear she was going back to a secure facility. As of right now, she’s back under lock and key, and the 40-year commitment she was handed back in 2018 is looking very much like a permanent reality.
The Different Path of Anissa Weier
Anissa Weier’s journey has looked a lot different. She wasn't the one holding the knife, though she was the one who egged it on. Because of that, and her specific mental health diagnosis, she received a 25-year commitment instead of 40.
She’s been out for a while.
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Weier was released on "conditional release" back in September 2021. She lives with her father and has been under some of the strictest supervision you can imagine. No social media. Monitored internet. Constant check-ins. In 2023, the court even took off her GPS ankle monitor because she had been following the rules so well.
People often ask why one is out and the other isn't. It's not just the crime. It’s the diagnosis. Geyser was diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia. Her father had it too. In her early days of custody, she was still seeing "ghosts" and talking to imaginary friends. Weier’s issues were classified differently, making her "rehabilitation" path a bit faster in the eyes of the law.
Understanding the Legal Fallout
The case of Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier changed how Wisconsin looks at juvenile crime. They were tried as adults. That’s why the sentences were so long.
Many legal experts still argue about this. They say 12-year-olds don't have brains that are developed enough to understand the "adult" consequences of their actions. But the community in Waukesha? They remember the fear. They remember a little girl nearly dying in the grass. For them, the "adult court" decision was the only way to feel safe.
What about Payton Leutner?
Payton is the true hero of this mess. She’s not "the victim" anymore; she’s a survivor who has moved on in a way that honestly feels impossible. In her rare interviews, she’s mentioned that the attack actually inspired her to want to work in medicine. She wants to help people the way those surgeons helped her.
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She still carries the scars—25 of them, according to her mother. But she’s living her life. She’s gone to college. She’s a person, not a footnote in a horror story. Her family, however, remains vocal whenever Geyser or Weier try to get more freedom. When Geyser escaped in late 2025, the Leutner family released a statement saying they were working with law enforcement to stay safe. The trauma doesn't just go away because a calendar page turns.
What Most People Get Wrong
- Myth: They were just "evil" kids.
Reality: Geyser was suffering from undiagnosed, severe schizophrenia. She wasn't acting out of malice in the traditional sense; she was acting out of a complete break from reality. - Myth: They are "free" now.
Reality: Weier is under strict state supervision until she’s 37. Geyser is back in a psychiatric hospital and could stay there until 2058. - Myth: The internet is to blame.
Reality: While the Slender Man meme was the "trigger," experts agree that Geyser’s mental health would have likely found another outlet for her delusions eventually.
Actionable Insights for Parents and Educators
This case wasn't just about a creepy website. It was about a perfect storm of mental illness and isolation. If you’re looking for "lessons" from this tragedy, here is what the experts suggest focusing on:
- Monitor the "Rabbit Hole": It’s not about blocking one site like Creepypasta. It’s about noticing when a child becomes obsessed to the point of excluding reality. If they can't distinguish between a story and the real world, that's a red flag.
- Mental Health Screenings: Geyser had symptoms long before the stabbing. She saw "colors melting" and "ghosts." Early intervention for childhood schizophrenia is rare but vital.
- Digital Literacy: Talk to kids about how memes are created. Understanding the "behind the scenes" of the internet helps break the illusion of reality that these characters can create.
- Follow Local Legislation: If you live in Wisconsin or similar states, keep an eye on how "juvenile waiver" laws are changing. There is a massive push to ensure kids under 15 are never tried in adult court again, regardless of the crime.
The saga of Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier is far from over. With Geyser back in the system and Weier slowly integrating into society, the legal and psychological ripples of that 2014 morning will be felt for decades.
Stay informed by checking the Waukesha County court records for the most recent updates on Geyser's new commitment terms. You can also look into the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for resources on how to identify early-onset psychosis in adolescents. Knowing the signs is the first step in preventing another tragedy like this one.