On May 31, 2014, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States, Anissa E. Weier (born November 10, 2001) and Morgan E. Geyser (born May 16, 2002), lured their friend Payton Leutner into a wooded area of a local park and stabbed her 19 times to appease the fictional supernatural character Slender Man and prove that he was real.[2] Leutner survived the attack after being found by a cyclist, later stating the attack inspired her to pursue a career in medicine.
During their interrogations, Geyser was described as displaying no empathy and Weier was described as displaying guilt for stabbing Leutner, although both stated that the attack was necessary. In 2017, Weier and Geyser were both found not guilty by mental disease or defect and committed to mental health institutions. Weier received a sentence of 25 years to life and Geyser was sentenced to 40 years to life. Weier was released in 2021 to live with her father. Geyser is due to be released in 2025 to live in a group home and will be under supervision until 2058.[3]
The stabbing generated extensive public debate about the role of the Internet in society and its effect on children, and a moral panic occurred over the Slender Man which irreversibly altered the Slender Man legend and the online community surrounding it.[4] The stabbing inspired the documentary Beware the Slenderman, the movie Mercy Black and several books.
Background
Morgan Geyser and Payton Isabella Leutner (also known as Bella, a nickname used at the time of the crime) were childhood best friends from Waukesha, Wisconsin.[5] They would later befriend fellow Waukesha resident Anissa Weier, who would become particularly close to Geyser due to them living in the same apartment building and having a shared interest in creepypasta including the popular fictionalsupernaturalcharacterSlender Man, while Leutner found it horrifying.[6] Interrogators were told that Geyser and Weier's obsession with Slender Man began as early as December 2013.[7]
As their interest in Slender Man grew, Geyser and Weier both believed he was real and would hurt them and their families if they did not offer him a sacrifice, and subsequently planned to kill Leutner to appease Slender Man and prove that he was real.[8] Geyser and Weier had previously planned to kill Leutner by either murdering her while she was sleeping or by killing her in a bathroom, but didn't go through with either plan resulting in them coming up with the hide-and-seek plan. Geyser, Weier and Leutner had been to a sleepover the night before the stabbing.
Events of the attack
They just wanted to go on a walk. And I didn't think much of it. It's just a walk. It's in Waukesha. What bad stuff happens in Waukesha, Wisconsin? Anissa told me to lie on the ground and cover myself in sticks and leaves and stuff to hide, in a sense. But it was really just a trick to get me down there. I got up, grabbed a couple trees for support, I think. And then just walked until I hit a patch of grass where I could lay down. I couldn't focus much because my body was working so hard to keep itself alive. It was probably like, "Vision isn't really a priority right now."
Payton Leutner on the attack
On May 31, 2014, during a game of hide-and-seek in heavily wooded Davids Park near Waukesha, Wisconsin,[8] Geyser and Weier pinned down Leutner[8] and stabbed her nineteen times in the arms, legs, and torso with a five-inch-long (13cm) blade. Two wounds were to major organs. One stab wound missed a major artery by less than a millimeter and another went through her diaphragm, cutting into her liver and stomach.[9]
After the attack, Weier and Geyser told Leutner to lie down while they found help, which they did not do.[6] Afterwards, Leutner dragged herself to a nearby road where she was found by a cyclist who called emergency services.[10][11] Surgeons operated for six hours to repair critical trauma to arteries and tissue in her torso and abdomen. Dr. John Kelemen, who operated on Leutner that day, said that "If the knife had gone the width of a human hair further, she wouldn't have lived."[12] Leutner left the hospital seven days after the attack.[13] She returned to school in September 2014.[9][14] Leutner developed lingering trauma from the attack, later revealing in 2019 that she sleeps with broken scissors in fear of being attacked again.[15]
Five hours after the attack, Weier and Geyser were apprehended by police near Steinhafel's Furniture Store on Interstate 94,[16] approximately 4.9 miles (7.9km) from the attack location. They were in possession of the knife used in the stabbing, which was found by police in a bag they carried. They said they were traveling to meet Slender Man at his home, called Slender Mansion, in the Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest, 200 miles (320km) from where they were apprehended.[8]
Police investigation and pre-trial psychiatric evaluations
During their interrogations, which were not conducted with a guardian or counsel, Geyser was described as displaying no empathy and Weier was described as displaying guilt for stabbing Leutner, although both stated that the attack was necessary to appease Slender Man.[17][bettersourceneeded]
During the police investigation and pre-trial psychiatric evaluations, Geyser disclosed lifelong visual and auditory hallucinations beginning in early childhood. These hallucinations typically included figures she interpreted as ghosts, colors melting down walls, and imaginary friends named Maggie and Sev.[8] One recurring hallucination was a man Geyser named "It,” whose body she described as the color of smoke and ink. She would perceive him as standing behind her in mirrors or shifting around corners.[8]
After Geyser's arrest, her mother, Angie Geyser, described her as becoming "floridly psychotic." Correctional officers reported Geyser frequently talking to herself, pretending to be a cat, and keeping ants as pets. She reported seeing unicorns and believed she was having ongoing conversations with Slender Man and other fictional characters, such as Severus Snape. Experts testified in court that she also said she conversed with Lord Voldemort and one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.[18][8]
Geyser's treatment for schizophrenia was erratic and inadequate for 19 months, which is believed to have exacerbated her cyclic regressions into psychosis and reduced her ability to recognize delusions against reality.[18] In December 2015, Geyser began a consistent, long-term regimen of antipsychotic medication, which enabled her to understand what she had done and display appropriate feelings related to her crime, such as guilt and remorse. On March 23, 2016, Geyser was returned to the county jail to await trial. Although she was appropriately medicated, Geyser's mental health deteriorated. Her deterioration was linked to stressors on her already fragile mental health that are typical to forced confinement and incarceration.[8]
During trial, Geyser was committed to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, where she was the youngest patient.[19]
In 2017, Weier pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree homicide.[23] A jury then found her "not guilty by mental disease or defect."[24][25] Geyser accepted a plea offer that stipulated she would not undergo a trial if she pleaded guilty and agreed to further evaluation by psychiatrists to determine appropriate duration of commitment to a forensic psychiatric hospital.[26] She later pleaded guilty as arranged by the plea offer, but was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect due to a final diagnosis of schizophrenia by court-appointed psychiatrists.[27][28]
Weier was sentenced to 25 years to life, an indeterminate sentence requiring at least three years confinement and involuntary treatment in a state forensic psychiatric institute, followed by communal supervision until age 37.[29][30]
Geyser was given the maximum sentence, 40 years to life, an indeterminate sentence requiring at least three years confinement in addition to involuntary treatment in a state forensic psychiatric institute until complete resolution of symptoms or until age 53, whichever will happen first.[19][31]
Releases
At a hearing on March 10, 2021, Weier, who was then 19 years old, submitted a letter to the court stating that she was "sorry and deeply regretful for the agony, pain, and fear I have caused," not just to Leutner, but to "my community as well." Weier stated that, "I hate my actions from May 31, 2014, but through countless hours of therapy, I no longer hate myself for them." On July 1, 2021, Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren ordered Weier released from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, gave state officials 60 days to draft a conditional release plan, and required that Weier be assigned Wisconsin Department of Health Services case managers to supervise her progress until she is 37 years old, the length of her commitment.[32] In September 2021, after Weier's release, it was reported that Leutner no longer lived in Waukesha County and was attending an undisclosed college as a sophomore student.[33]
In 2020, an appeals court rejected Geyser's petition to be retried as a juvenile. Her attorney, Matthew Pinix, argued that she should have been charged with attempted second-degree intentional homicide rather than first-degree, and argued that Geyser gave statements to investigators before being read her Miranda rights.[34] He petitioned the Supreme Court of Wisconsin to review the ruling.[35] In early 2021, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal.[36]
On September 13, 2021, Weier was released with multiple stipulations, including 24-hour GPS monitoring that required her to request permission before leaving Waukesha County. Leutner's family were "reasonably comfortable" with the rules Weier must follow after her release, which include no contact with Leutner until 2039 and GPS ankle monitoring, but wished she had served a longer sentence. On September 11, 2023, the GPS stipulation was removed.[37] Weier's Internet use is restricted and monitored. As part of her supervised release, she is not allowed to use any form of social media. Weier is required to take court mandated psychiatric medication and is escorted to regular counseling sessions by a case worker. She is required to live with her father while under supervision of the court.[38]
In January 2024, Geyser petitioned the court for release, two years after withdrawing a petition in 2022 two months after filing.[39] A judge denied this request for release at a hearing in April 2024.[40] In January 2025, a court approved Geyser's appeal for release after experts claimed she had made considerable progress battling her mental illness.[41] Geyser was also reported in this month to have started identifying as a transgender male, beginning a transition that includes male pronouns. Court officials continued to refer to Geyser using female pronouns throughout the proceedings and in documentation, and most major media outlets, either unaware or deliberately, have done the same in their recent reporting.[42] In February 2025, Geyser's hearing for a possible plan to be released had been canceled because of new allegations that she had "violent" communication with a man outside the facility and read a book in the facility with "themes of sexual sadism and murder." Geyser's lawyer denied that Geyser did anything inappropriate. The three doctors who evaluated Geyser later testified that Geyser is well enough to be released and said the new allegations do not change their opinion. A new hearing in which a proposal for plans on Geyser's release will be laid out has been set for March 24, 2025.[43][44][45] When released, Geyser will live in a group home and be under supervision until 2058, remain under communal supervision and undergo periodic reevaluations intended to identify need for reinstitution and/or further treatment.[46]
After the attack, the Creepypasta Wiki, which houses the bulk of Slender Man lore, was blocked throughout the Waukesha School District.[48] On June 5, 2014, Slender Man creator Eric Knudsen released a statement of condolence: "I am deeply saddened by the tragedy in Wisconsin and my heart goes out to the families of those affected by this terrible act."[49]
I don’t believe that it’s the fault of Slenderman or horror writing in general that this happened. I remember reading scary stories and watching slasher movies when I was a child and young teenager and while they certainly gave me nightmares, they did not instill within me a desire to murder my friends. For someone to make the jump from reading a creepy story that is being presented as 100% fiction into actually using it as a motive to plot and murder another human being – something else has to be going on there.
Statement on the Creepypasta website
Sloshedtrain, a former administrator of the Creepypasta Wiki,[50] stated that the stabbing was an isolated incident that did not accurately represent the creepypasta community. He also argued that the Creepypasta Wiki is a literary website and that its community of creators and administrators do not condone murder or satanic rituals.[51][52] A statement was also released on the Creepypasta website which stated the attack wasn't the fault of Slender Man or horror writing in general, as "placing blame solely on an interest in reading/writing about horror, paranormal, myths, urban legends, etc for a tragedy would be off the mark".[53]
Members of the creepypasta community held a 24-hour live stream on YouTube June 13–14, 2014, to raise money for Leutner (whose name had not then been released). Joe Jozwowski, an administrator on a creepypasta website, said the purpose of the stream was to show that members of the community care for the victim and do not condone real-world violence.[54]
Other responses
GovernorScott Walker issued a proclamation declaring Wednesday, August 13, 2014, "Purple Hearts for Healing Day", and encouraged the people of Wisconsin to wear purple to honor the victim of the stabbing. He also praised the "strength and determination" exhibited by the victim during her recovery.[55]
On August 29, 2014, the city of Madison, Wisconsin, held a one-day bratwurst festival to honor Leutner. Hot dogs and bratwurst were sold to raise money towards her medical costs. The event was run by over 250 volunteers and raised over $70,000.[14]
Leutner's response
On October 24, 2019, Leutner, then 17 years old, spoke publicly about her experience for the first time to ABC's 20/20. She discussed her scars, saying, "I don't think much of them. They will probably go away and fade eventually." She described how she met Geyser in fourth grade and became her friend because Geyser was alone a lot and Leutner wanted her to feel less alone. She also reported how Weier, who Geyser introduced to Leutner, had seemed jealous of the friendship between her and Geyser. When asked what she would say if she ever saw Geyser again, Leutner replied she would "thank" her because the attack inspired Leutner to pursue a career in medicine. Leutner revealed she was doing well and that her hope was to "put everything behind me and live my life normally."[56]
Debate on the effect of the Internet on children
The stabbing generated extensive public debate about the role of the Internet in society and its effect on children.[4] Waukesha Police Chief Russell P. Jack argued that the stabbing "should be a wake-up call for all parents" because although the Internet "is full of information and wonderful sites that teach and entertain, it can also be full of dark and wicked things."[6] John Egelhof, a retired agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, argued that the Internet has become a "black hole" that risks exposing children to a more sinister world.[57] Egelhof suggested that parents should monitor their children's Internet use and educate them on the differences between right and wrong.[57] Shira Chess, an assistant professor of mass media arts at the University of Georgia, described creepypasta as no more dangerous than stories about vampires or zombies. She argued that creepypasta websites are beneficial as creative communities that provide feedback and help participants become better writers.[50]
Moral panic and other incidents
The stabbing spawned a nationwide moral panic over Slender Man across the United States.[58][59] The stabbing and the negative media attention it generated irreversibly altered the Slender Man legend and the online community surrounding it. What had previously just been a creepy horror meme to most people suddenly acquired a new level of reality that most fans of Slender Man found horrifying. Parents nationwide became worried about the potential dangers that stories about Slender Man might pose to their children's safety.[58][59] Russell Jack, the police chief of Waukesha, warned that the Slender Man stabbing "should be a wake-up call for all parents" that "the internet is full of dark and wicked things." Many media outlets publicized Jack's warning.[58]
After hearing the story, an unidentified woman from Cincinnati, Ohio, told a WLWT TV reporter in June 2014 that her 13-year-old daughter had attacked her with a knife, and had written macabre fiction, some involving the Slender Man, who the mother said motivated the attack.[60]
On September 4, 2014, a 14-year-old girl in Port Richey, Florida, allegedly set her family's house on fire while her mother and nine-year-old brother were inside. Police reported that the teenager had been reading online stories about Slender Man, as well as Atsushi Ōkubo's manga Soul Eater.[61] Eddie Daniels of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said the girl "had visited the website that contains a lot of the Slender Man information and stories [...] It would be safe to say there is a connection to that."[62]
During an early 2015 epidemic of suicide attempts by young people ages 12 to 24 on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Slender Man was cited as an influence; the Oglala Sioux tribe president noted that many Native Americans traditionally believe in a "suicide spirit" similar to the Slender Man.[63][64] Other Sioux describe the "Big Man" as a messenger or sign, warning that society is developing in a dangerous direction.
Other impact
The late 2010s saw an increase in benevolent portrayals of Slender Man, with many depictions of him from this period portraying him as an antihero who protects victimized children from bullies, although often by violent means. Lynn McNeill, assistant professor of folklore at Utah State University, observes that the increase in benevolent portrayals of Slender Man seems to have begun shortly after the stabbing in Waukesha and states that this trend towards a benevolent Slender Man may be a reaction by fans of the character to the violence of the stabbing.
The 2018 Slender Man film generated considerable controversy soon after it was announced, with many accusing the filmmakers of trying to capitalize off the stabbing. Bill Weier, the father of Anissa Weier, protested the film's production and release as "extremely distasteful" and advised local theaters to not screen the film, and stated, "It's absurd they want to make a movie like this... All we're doing is extending the pain all three of these families have gone through."[65][66] The progressive advocacy group Care2 created an online petition, which received over 19,000 signatures, demanding that the film not be released, labelling the film "crass commercialism at its worst" and "a naked cash grab built on the exploitation of a deeply traumatic event and the people who lived it." Sony representatives insisted that the film was based on the fictional character that had become popular online and not on the stabbing. Marcus Theatres did not show the film at their locations in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties in Wisconsin due to the impact of the stabbing in the area.[67] After the film was released, Bloody Disgusting reported that Screen Gems had required the producers to meet a PG-13 MPAA rating and that several scenes had been cut over fears of public backlash (including several scenes that had appeared in trailers), resulting in narrative and continuity issues in the final film.[68][69]
In popular culture
A documentary film on the incident called Beware the Slenderman was released by HBO Films in March 2016, and was broadcast on HBO on January 23, 2017.[70] The film received mixed reviews.
On October 14, 2018, a movie inspired by the Slender Man stabbing, called Terror in the Woods, aired on Lifetime. The film stars Ella West Jerrier, Sophia Grace McCarthy, Skylar Morgan Jones, Angela Kinsey, Drew Powell, and Carrie Hood. Christina Ricci serves as the executive producer of the film.[74][75]
On March 31, 2019, another movie inspired by the Slender Man stabbing titled Mercy Black, starring Daniella Pineda, was released on Netflix. Directed by Owen Egerton and produced by Blumhouse Productions, it tells the story of two girls with pre-schizophrenia who attempt to murder their friend, believing that a spirit named Mercy Black will offer them a gift in return. Later, the protagonist is released from psychiatric care and must confront the real and paranormal consequences of her actions.[citation needed]
On September 1, 2022, author Kathleen Hale released a book about the incident called Slenderman: A Tragic Story of Online Obsession and Mental Illness. While she was writing the book, Hale had eighteen hours of in-person conversations with Geyser and twelve hours of interviews with Geyser's mother. The book received positive reviews.[76][77]
The 2024 novel In A Dark Mirror by Kat Davis is heavily based on the case, with only minor details changed.[citation needed]
1 2 Maddox, Jessica (2017). "Of Internet Born: Idolatry, the Slender Man Meme, and the Feminization of Digital Spaces". Feminist Media Studies. 18 (2): 235–248. doi:10.1080/14680777.2017.1300179. S2CID148927072.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hale, Kathleen k (2022). Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls. New York, NY: Grove Press. ISBN978-0-8021-5980-9.
↑ Romero, Miguel (July 24, 2015). "Slenderman & the Suicide Spirit". Mysterious Universe. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2019. So, what seems to be happening here is a cultural 'remix' between the older myth of the Tall Man/Suicide Spirit which already existed among Native Americans prior to the rise of the World Wide Web, and the newer, more potent icon of Slenderman introduced to these communities through the pervasiveness of new social networks; all this coupled with the 'copycat' contagion effect which arises during a cluster of suicides or mass shootings.
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