The chilling case resurfaced this weekend as newly released police body camera footage captured the apprehension of Morgan Geyser, the woman who, as a 12-year-old, nearly killed a classmate in a horrific attempt to appease the fictional horror character Slender Man.
Geyser, now 23, was found at a truck stop in Posen, Illinois, approximately 25 miles south of Chicago, after escaping from a Madison, Wisconsin group home. She had severed her electronic ankle monitor, vanishing with an adult acquaintance on Saturday evening.
The body camera video reveals a tense encounter as officers responded to a report of individuals loitering behind the truck stop. They discovered Geyser and a man asleep on the sidewalk, initiating a series of questions to identify them.
Initially, Geyser refused to cooperate, shaking her head and stating she wouldn’t reveal her name. When pressed, she nervously responded to a deputy’s question about murder charges with a denial, her voice barely a whisper.
A desperate attempt to conceal her identity followed, with Geyser offering a false name and prompting officers to “just Google” her, hinting at the notoriety of her past. The deception quickly unraveled, forcing her to admit she’d “done something really bad.”
After a prolonged exchange, Geyser finally penned her name on a piece of paper, leading to her arrest. In a heartbreaking moment, she pleaded with officers to allow her a final goodbye with her companion, fearing she’d “never see her again.”
The man found with Geyser was identified as 43-year-old Chad Mecca. He claimed Geyser’s escape was his fault, and was briefly detained before being released on charges of criminal trespassing and providing false information.
Investigators determined the pair traveled from Wisconsin to Chicago via Greyhound bus, then walked to Posen. Mecca’s statement suggests a complex dynamic, hinting at a possible role in Geyser’s decision to flee.
The 2014 attack shocked the nation. Geyser and Anissa Weier, both 12 at the time, lured their classmate, Payton Leutner, into a park and brutally stabbed her 19 times, believing it would satisfy Slender Man.
Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide, attributing her actions to mental illness. Initially sentenced to 40 years in a psychiatric hospital, a judge controversially granted her release into a group home earlier this year, despite strong opposition from prosecutors.
Geyser is now awaiting a court hearing regarding extradition back to Wisconsin, where she will face the consequences of violating the terms of her release. The case continues to raise questions about mental health, criminal responsibility, and the enduring impact of trauma.
