Wisconsin Woman Who Stabbed Classmate at Age 12 Captured After Escaping Group Home Monitoring
MADISON, WI — A Wisconsin woman who was just 12 years old when she nearly killed a classmate in a notorious 2014 stabbing incident has been captured after authorities say she cut off her GPS monitoring bracelet and fled a supervised group home.
23-year-old Morgan Geyser, who once played a central role in a violent attack that shocked the nation, was taken into custody in Illinois late Sunday, according to Madison officials.
Police say Geyser was last seen around 8 p.m. Saturday, leaving the group home with an adult acquaintance. A recently captured security image of her was released as law enforcement searched across state lines.
Released Earlier This Year After Seven Years in a Psychiatric Facility
Geyser had been living in the monitored group home since her release from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, where she had spent the past seven years. Her release came only after multiple mental health experts testified she had made significant progress.
At age 12, Geyser and classmate Anissa Weier lured their friend Payton Leutner into a wooded area of a Waukesha park during a sleepover. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times, while Weier encouraged the attack. Leutner miraculously survived and crawled to a nearby bike path where she was found by a passing bicyclist.
The case drew international attention not only for the brutality of the attack but because all three girls were in middle school at the time.
Geyser Was Serving a 40-Year Mental Health Commitment
Geyser pleaded guilty in 2017 to being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide but argued she was not responsible due to severe mental illness. A judge committed her to a psychiatric institution for 40 years, though Wisconsin law allows for periodic review and potential supervised release.
After her release earlier this year to the group home, she was required to wear an electronic monitor and remain under strict mental-health-related supervision.
When she cut off the bracelet and fled, authorities issued an urgent alert and began searching across Madison-area neighborhoods before expanding the search to Illinois.
Officials did not immediately release details about where she was found or the identity of the adult who accompanied her.
Co-Defendant Was Released in 2021 Under Strict Monitoring
Anissa Weier, who played a secondary role in the attack, was sentenced to 25 years in a mental institution but was granted conditional release in 2021 after agreeing to strict GPS monitoring and supervision. She currently lives with her father.
A Case That Still Affects Wisconsin Families 11 Years Later
The original victim, Payton Leutner, survived the attack but has spoken sparingly about the long-lasting impact. The 2014 stabbing continues to stand as one of Wisconsin’s most disturbing juvenile crime cases.
As of Monday morning, officials say Geyser is safely back in custody, and additional legal proceedings are expected regarding her escape.
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