Student who stabbed classmate 19 times to 'please Slender Man' released from psychiatric hospital
Emily Brown
Featured Image Credit: Waukesha Police Department/Getty Stock Image
A 22-year-old transgender man who stabbed a classmate to 'please Slender Man' when he was just 12 years old is set to be released from the mental health facility where he is currently being held.
Morgan Geyser, whose psychologist says now uses he/him pronouns, was one of two assailants involved in the stabbing of their classmate, Payton Leutner, in 2014.
Geyser worked with another classmate, Anissa Weier, to lure Leutner into the woods in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where they proceeded to stab her 19 times.
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In the wake of the attack, Geyser and Weier were both taken into custody, and police learned they had allegedly stabbed Leutner in an effort to 'please' the fictional character, Slender Man.
Leutner suffered life-threatening injuries in the attack, but did thankfully survive.
The two assailants were charged in adult court with first-degree attempted intentional homicide, but they each received different sentences for the crime.
Weier pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, and was found not guilty by mental disease or defect on the first-degree homicide charge.
She was sentenced to up to 25 years in a psychiatric institution, but was given supervised release in 2021.
Meanwhile, Geyser was convicted of the charges, but found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. He was also diagnosed with schizophrenia after the attack.
Geyser was sentenced to up to 40 years in a psychiatric institution, but on Thursday (January 9), Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren ruled for him to be released under supervision.
The judge has given the state's Department of Health Services 60 days to come up with a plan for Geyser, who will reside at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute until the plan is finalized.
Once released, Geyser is expected to reside in a group home, ABC Action News reports.
His release comes after a psychologist who has been working with Geyser testified about how prepared he is for release, with psychologist Brooke Lundbohm telling the judge that she doesn't believe Geyser 'currently poses a significant risk of substantial harm to [himself], others or to property damage'.
However, Leutner's mother has indicated her desire for Geyser to stay in an institution.
Prior to the news of her release, Stacie Leutner told ABC News: "Morgan Geyser has withdrawn [his] request to be released twice.
"More recently, [his] request was denied. We are confident that the judicial system will make a decision that will ensure the community, and my daughter remain safe."
As a condition of his supervised release, Geyser will need to wear an ankle monitor.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.