Slender Man attacker in custody after removing monitoring bracelet, leaving state, police say

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV/Gray News) — Authorities in Wisconsin say a woman who was convicted in a Slender Man stabbing more than 10 years ago has been found and taken into custody the night after she went missing.

A search for Morgan Geyser began after police say she cut off her Department of Corrections GPS monitoring bracelet and left a group home in Madison, Wisconsin, on Saturday night.

Madison Police confirmed they received notice around 10:34 p.m. Sunday that Geyser had been located and detained by authorities in Illinois.

Police in Posen, Illinois, say Geyser was found with another person at a truck stop in the area.

Geyser is one of two people who were convicted in a stabbing of a female classmate in May 2014. Investigators at the time said the stabbing was motivated by an effort to appease Slender Man, a fictional supernatural character, and to prove he was real.

She has been living at a licensed group home following her release from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, where she spent several years after being found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Steve Lyons, a spokesperson for the stabbing victim, Payton Leutner, and her family, issued a statement on Sunday.

“Payton Leutner and her family are aware of the most recent situation regarding Morgan Geyser,” the statement said. “Payton and her family are safe and are working closely with local law enforcement to ensure their continued safety. The family would like to thank all of the law enforcement entities involved in the efforts to apprehend Morgan. The Leutner family also wish to thank the outpouring of support from family, friends, and well-wishers who have contacted them during this difficult time.”

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