Morgan Geyser, known for her involvement in the Slender Man stabbing case, made an impulsive choice to escape from her Wisconsin group home, her attorney acknowledged following an extradition hearing in Illinois on Tuesday.
At 23, Geyser fled her Madison residence on Saturday night by removing her GPS ankle monitor. She was apprehended the next day in Posen, Illinois, which is about 250 miles away.
During her appearance at the Cook County Courthouse in Chicago, Geyser, dressed in a blue prison jumpsuit, participated in a brief hearing and consented to being extradited back to Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Judge Luciano Panici indicated that authorities in Wisconsin have 30 days to return her to the state, but he expressed hope that the process could be expedited.
Geyser’s lawyer, Tony Cotton, reflected on her decision to escape, labeling it as poorly considered. He mentioned it appeared to be a hasty move, emphasizing that it was “not well thought out.” He suggested it might have been more of a fleeting desire for freedom than anything else, calling it “short-sighted” given the potential consequences.
While acknowledging the situation as a setback for Geyser, Cotton maintained that it demonstrated she wasn’t a violent individual. He pointed out that she wasn’t armed and questioned whether removing the ankle monitor could actually be interpreted as a violent act, expressing skepticism about any increase in her risk level from such an action.
Geyser was arrested in Illinois alongside her friend, Chad “Charlie” Mecca, after they were spotted loitering behind a truck stop. Body camera footage captured Geyser pleading with officers not to arrest Mecca, claiming, “I did something wrong, but she wasn’t wrong.” Mecca received a citation for trespassing and interfering with law enforcement.
The two met several months prior at a church in Madison, where they had considered traveling to Nashville, Tennessee.
Reports suggest that Geyser’s escape was fueled by anger over restrictions preventing her from spending time with Mecca, whom she referred to as her new best friend.
In May 2014, when Geyser was just 12 years old, she and her friend Anissa Weir notoriously lured their classmate, Peyton Leutner, to a park in Waukesha and stabbed her multiple times as part of a misguided act inspired by the fictional character Slender Man. Leutner, remarkably, survived the attack.
In 2017, Geyser reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, was found not guilty due to insanity, and was then placed in a hospital. She was later transitioned to a group home with electronic monitoring in early September.
