10 Photos Of Slender Man Stabber Morgan Geyser: Found After Disappearing Following Controversial Early Release

For several tense hours, the search for Morgan Geyser felt like a replay of the fears that first surrounded her name more than a decade ago.

Months after her highly debated release from a Wisconsin mental health institute, the 22-year-old cut off her monitoring bracelet and vanished from her group home, triggering a widespread alert.

Morgan Geyser's Release

The scrutiny surrounding Geyser's release did not begin with her disappearance. It had been building since January 2025, when Judge Michael Bohren approved her conditional release after almost seven years of treatment at Winnebago Mental Health Institute.

Psychologists testified that Geyser had shown progress in managing the mental health issues that contributed to the stabbing of her schoolmate in 2014. Based on their assessments, Bohren determined that she was ready for supervised reintegration.

The decision stirred immediate public discomfort. Many remembered the case vividly, not only because of the nature of the crime but also because of the age of the girls involved.

Geyser and co-defendant Anissa Weier were both 12 when they lured their friend Payton Leutner into a wooded park and stabbed her 19 times to please the fictional character Slender Man. The attack nearly killed Leutner, who managed to crawl to a path where she was found by a passing cyclist.

Following the release ruling, state health officials attempted to push back. In March, they challenged the decision, raising concerns about Geyser's interactions with a man outside the facility and her choice of reading material.

But Bohren upheld the release, stating that the issues were manageable under supervision. Geyser was therefore placed in a group home with strict rules, GPS monitoring and court oversight.

The Victim's Family And Their Ongoing Concerns

The Leutner family had long expressed alarm over any plan that placed Geyser near their home. During the July hearing, attorneys highlighted a troubling detail.

The group home selected for Geyser was located less than eight miles from the Leutner residence. For Payton's mother, this was an unacceptable risk.

In emotional remarks made over Zoom, Stacie Leutner reminded the court that her daughter had spent years rebuilding a life that had once been violently interrupted.

Payton attended school, worked part time and tried to maintain the freedom of a normal young adult. Her mother argued that the possibility of running into the girl who stabbed her 19 times was too much to ask of her. Even accidental contact, she said, could undo years of progress.

Judge Bohren acknowledged the concern. He noted that unintentional contact was a known hazard in cases where victims and offenders lived in the same region. Yet he maintained that the restrictions placed on Geyser were sufficient, and no alternative placement was ordered. For the Leutners, the ruling felt like another burden they had no choice but to endure.

A Sudden Disappearance

Everything changed on a Saturday evening when Geyser quietly cut off her monitoring bracelet and left the group home. Staff did not discover the removal until the following morning, when they found the device discarded.

Authorities then pieced together her last known movements. She had been spotted in Madison around 8 p.m. with an adult acquaintance, though it was unclear whether the person was knowingly assisting her.

Police posted a public alert that included a recent surveillance image, and her mother, Angie Berndt, issued a statement urging her daughter to return. She said that the family loved her deeply and only wanted to know she was safe. Her attorney also pleaded for her to surrender, describing compliance as the safest option.

The disappearance quickly reignited questions about the wisdom of releasing her from a secure institution.

Critics argued that the incident demonstrated exactly why she should not have been placed in an environment with fewer controls. Others pointed out that the release conditions, while rigid on paper, had still allowed her the opportunity to leave unnoticed.

Found In Illinois And Returned To Custody

The search ended on Sunday night when police in Posen, Illinois found Geyser at a lorry stop, about twenty five minutes south of Chicago. She had travelled there by bus with the same acquaintance and offered no resistance when officers approached. Both individuals were taken into custody.

Her capture provided immediate reassurance, but the consequences will unfold for months. Officials are now expected to reassess her supervision, and it is likely that she will be returned to a secure treatment setting.

Her violation of the release order will be a central issue in any upcoming hearing, and the case has reenergised debates around rehabilitation, public safety and the limits of community supervision.