The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →In May 2014, 12-year-olds Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier attacked their classmate Payton Leutner in Waukesha, Wisconsin. They told investigators they believed killing Leutner would help them become proxies of Slender Man, a fictional internet horror character, and protect their families from him. Geyser stabbed Leutner, who survived. The case record describes months of planning; it does not establish that horror fiction caused the attack.
Why did the girls attack their classmate?
In interviews described in the Wisconsin Court of Appeals records, Geyser and Weier said they wanted to become Slender Man’s proxies or servants. They also said they feared he would harm their families if they did not kill Leutner. The records describe related motives, including proving themselves worthy to people who doubted them. These were the girls’ reported beliefs—not evidence that Slender Man was real or that a fictional character caused the crime. Wisconsin Court of Appeals, State v. Weier; Wisconsin Court of Appeals, State v. Geyser.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
No Dawn for the Living: A WWII Zombie Horror Graphic Novel | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Bloodborne: 1-3 Slipcase Set (Graphic Novel) | $21.39 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Five Nights at Freddy's Graphic Novel Trilogy Box Set | $21.75 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
The Haunted Mask (Goosebumps Graphic Novel #1) | $8.54 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
DC Horror Presents... | $7.20 | Buy on Amazon |
The appeals record says the girls discussed and planned the killing for months. On May 31, 2014, Geyser stabbed Leutner, who sustained 19 stab wounds and survived. Wisconsin Court of Appeals, State v. Weier.
What did mental-health evidence show?
The court proceedings considered each defendant’s circumstances separately. In Geyser’s case, a clinician testified that her belief in Slender Man was enduring and did not yield to rational information; the appellate opinion also says a doctor at Winnebago diagnosed her with schizophrenia. In Weier’s case, expert testimony described vulnerability to accepting the Slender Man belief, persistent depressive disorder, a delusional disorder the expert said had dissipated, and underlying schizotypy. These are descriptions of evidence and diagnoses in this case, not a general explanation of violence or mental illness. Wisconsin Court of Appeals, State v. Geyser; Wisconsin Court of Appeals, State v. Weier.
#1 Best Overall
How did the two cases differ?
| Defendant | Role and plea | Legal outcome and later status |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan Geyser | She stabbed Leutner and pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. | She was committed to Winnebago Mental Health Institute for 40 years. In December 2025, a judge revoked her conditional-release privileges after she removed her GPS monitor and fled her group home; she was arrested the next day and returned to Winnebago. The December 2025 report is the latest status update cited here, not confirmation of her status after that date. |
| Anissa Weier | She pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide. | She was committed for 25 years and received conditional release in 2021. |
The plea and commitment information, as well as Weier’s release, was reported by the Associated Press on January 16, 2024. The later update on Geyser was reported by the Associated Press on December 23, 2025. Associated Press, Jan. 16, 2024; Associated Press, Dec. 23, 2025.
Why was the case handled in adult court?
In 2015, Judge Michael Bohren rejected a request to move the case to juvenile court. Wisconsin Public Radio reported that his reasoning included treatment, oversight, public safety and the months of planning. Bohren said of Geyser: “For Miss Geyser’s situation, based in the nature of schizophrenia and mental health law, once she left the juvenile system, there would be no oversight or control — no ways to protect public safety.” The remark described the judge’s rationale at that point in the proceedings; it should not be read as a general statement about mental-health policy or all juvenile cases. Wisconsin Public Radio, Aug. 10, 2015.
Rank #2
What happened to the victim?
Leutner survived the attack and was reported to have suffered 19 stab wounds. That number is a fact about this case, not a statistic about violence more broadly. Wisconsin Court of Appeals, State v. Weier.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Created By: Multiple Artists, Including Tyler Crook
- Available From: August 16, 2025
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
