Midwest
Judge denied release of woman who stabbed childhood friend because of ‘Slender Man’
A judge has denied the petition for conditional release for one of the two young women who were convicted in the 2014 Slender Man stabbing of a classmate in Wisconsin.
Thursday’s ruling comes after two days of testimony regarding Morgan Geyser’s mental health.
Geyser, 21, was found not guilty by reason of mental disease and was initially sentenced in 2018 to a maximum of 40 years of state mental health supervision.
Geyser has been in the facility for nearly a decade, but despite Thursday’s ruling, her defense attorney Anthony Cotton said Geyser will try again in six months.
WISCONSIN WOMAN CONVICTED IN ‘SLENDER MAN’ STABBING CASE PETITIONS FOR CONDITIONAL RELEASE
FILE: Morgan Geyser is escorted out of the courtroom following her sentencing on Feb. 1, 2018, in Waukesha, Wis. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
Court records show Geyser asked a Washington County judge to be released but withdrew previous petitions for early release from her commitment in 2023 and 2022.
Geyser’s attorneys now want her moved to a group home. The director of the facility, Geyser, is now in agrees with her attorneys.
“I do think at this point it is critical to make the transition to the community to help with her ongoing development,” Kayla Pope, Winnebago mental health institute director, told FOX6 Milwaukee.
However, there was also testimony about Geyser telling doctors she faked her mental illness, claiming she was sexually abused as a child.
‘SLENDER MAN’ CASE: WISCONSIN JUDGE ORDERS CONDITIONAL RELEASE FOR WOMAN INVOLVED IN STABBING
Morgan Geyser, 15, left, appears before sentencing for Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren. Geyser is one of the two girls who tried to kill a classmate with a knife to appease fictional horror character Slender Man, right. (AP)
Doctors testified stating that Geyser had not been violent towards anyone else since the stabbing. She has also been off anti-psychotic medication since December 2022. Doctors told FOX6 Milwaukee she has had no issues.
“Morgan has improved quite dramatically,” Kenneth Robbins, MD. explained.
Medical experts also diagnosed Geyser with schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“The victim’s family is vehemently opposed to the release of Morgan Geyser,” prosecutor Ted Szczupakiewicz countered back.
Ultimately, Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren agreed with the prosecution, saying Geyser’s credibility is an issue and said he believes the public would be in danger if Geyser left the 24/7 care she is currently receiving.
“Under these circumstances, the court is satisfied that the scales tip in favor of the public, and it tips that way by clear and convincing evidence,” the judge ruled.
WISCONSIN WOMAN CHARGED IN ‘SLENDER MAN’ STABBING DROPS REQUEST FOR EARLY RELEASE FROM MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY
Anissa Weier listens as former teachers testify during her trial in Waukesha County Court, in Waukesha, Wis, in September 2017. (AP/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
Geyser and Anissa Weier were 12 years old when they stabbed another girl, Payton Leutner, to appease the fictional horror character Slender Man back in 2014.
Prosecutors said Geyser and Weier lured Leutner to a wooded area in Waukesha after a sleepover in May 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner repeatedly as Weier urged her on, prosecutors said.
Both Weier and Geyser told authorities they felt they had to kill Leutner to become Slender Man’s “proxies,” or servants, and protect their families from him.
Leutner was left for dead but survived the attack after she crawled out of the woods and was found by a bicyclist.
Weier, who was also committed in 2017 for the attack, was granted conditional release in September 2021 and was required to receive outpatient psychiatric treatment and subjected to GPS monitoring.
“Slender Man” started with an online post in 2009, as a mysterious specter whose image people edit into everyday scenes of children at play. He is typically depicted as a spidery figure in a black suit with a featureless white face. He was regarded by his devotees as alternately a sinister force and an avenging angel.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Illinois
Major upgrades continue at Illinois’ second largest state park
One of Illinois’ most beloved outdoor destinations is getting a major refresh, and improvements continue as we begin to emerge from hibernation and start to head outdoors. Starved Rock State Park, the state’s most visited park, is undergoing an $18 million trail improvement project designed to make hiking safer and help preserve the landscape for years to come.
Located about 100 miles southwest of Chicago, Starved Rock is home to towering sandstone bluffs rising above the Illinois River and forested trails winding through canyons carved by glacial meltwater more than 14,000 years ago. Established in 1911 as Illinois’ second state park, the site is known for its 18 dramatic canyons, seasonal waterfalls and sweeping river views.
The park’s popularity has taken a toll on its infrastructure, however. Over time, heavy foot traffic and harsh Midwest weather have worn down many of the timber bridges, stairways, boardwalks and retaining walls that guide visitors through the rugged terrain. To address that, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources launched a large-scale trail rehabilitation effort in late 2025 that will continue through most of 2026.
The goal is to repair aging structures, reopen previously closed trails and make the park safer and easier to explore.
Construction is being staggered so that only certain areas are closed at a time. Currently, several routes are temporarily off limits while crews work, including the Brown Bluff Trail above French Canyon, Tonti Canyon and Tonti Bridge, the west side trail between LaSalle Canyon and Tonti Canyon and the trail leading from the west entrance to the boat ramp area. The Lone Tree Canyon staircase and the Owl Canyon overlook have also seen closures during portions of the project.
Short-term closures are also happening for tree removal and maintenance work. Work continues, and as of February 24, 2026, the IDNR says that trails may close temporarily through mid-March, with conditions changing day to day. Visitors can still access much of the trail system, and the historic Starved Rock Lodge remains open throughout construction.
If you’re planning a trip, park officials recommend stopping by the visitor center for the latest trail updates before heading out. Staff and volunteers can suggest alternate routes so you can still experience the park’s sandstone canyons, waterfalls and wooded overlooks.
Stay up to date with the latest closures and improvements on the park’s website.
Indiana
Former Colt Ryan Kelly announces retirement
(WISH) — Former Colts center Ryan Kelly announced his retirement from the NFL.
“10 seasons,” Kelly wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “What an incredible ride it was. I was blessed to be around some of the greatest people this sport has to offer. I always wanted to leave each place better than how I found it and with that I can hang my hat. Forever grateful for my family and brothers!”
Kelly was with the Colts for nine seasons, from 2016-2024. He was a four-time Pro Bowler with the Colts, and made the All-Pro Second Team in 2020. Kelly was a captain for his last two seasons with the Colts in 2023 and 2024.
Kelly was drafted by the Colts in the first round in 2016. He played all but one of his 10 seasons in the NFL in Indianapolis, playing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025.
Iowa
Iowa State basketball vs. Arizona State prediction, 3 things to watch
It’s the last dance at Hilton Coliseum for Cyclone lifer Tamin Lipsey and other Iowa State basketball seniors.
The Cyclones will wrap up the regular season with one final home game on March 7 against visiting Arizona State. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on FS1.
Iowa State (24-6, 11-6 Big 12 Conference) is looking to shake off a two-game losing skid after suffering back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Arizona.
Meanwhile, Arizona State (16-14, 7-10) is coming to Ames fresh off of consecutive wins over Utah and Kansas. The Sun Devils upset the Jayhawks 70-60 on March 3.
Here are three things to watch for in Saturday’s game:
Arizona State enters Hilton Coliseum with momentum
The Sun Devils are coming off of back-to-back wins, including an upset of Kansas in their last outing at home on March 3.
The Sun Devils built a 40-20 halftime lead and hung on for the win.
Arizona State also had a 72-67 win over Texas Tech on Feb. 17. It was the game in which J.T. Toppin went down with a season-ending ACL injury in the final six minutes of the contest.
Pepperdine transfer Moe Odum is shining in his first season at the power-conference level. He had 23 points in both games against Kansas and Texas Tech. In the recent win over Kansas, he had a game-high 23 points and shot 5-of-10 from long range, with four boards, six assists and two steals.
The senior guard is averaging 17.3 points, 5.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game for the Sun Devils.
The frontcourt is anchored by 7-foot-1 center Massamba Diop. Diop is one of the top shot-blockers and rim-protectors in the conference, averaging 2.2 blocks per game, second to Kansas’ Flory Bidunga. The freshman center has had three or more blocks in nine Big 12 games this season.
Senior guard Anthony Johnson has developed into a reliable sixth man for the Sun Devils. It’s his first season of Division I basketball after playing the last few years at NAIA-level University of the Cumberlands. Johnson is a two-way contributor off the bench. He is averaging 13.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Primarily a slashing threat, Johnson has shown he can knock down 3s when left open.
Iowa State basketball guard Tamin Lipsey on increased urgency
Iowa State basketball guard Tamin Lipsey on team-wide increased urgency.
Arizona State’s towering size
The Sun Devils have plenty of length and size throughout their roster.
According to KenPom, Arizona State has the ninth-tallest roster in Division I basketball in terms of average height across the team.
The Sun Devils’ starting five features three players who are 6-foot-11 or taller.
Aside from the 7-foot-1 Diop, they have a pair of 6-foot-11 forwards in the lineup, sophomore Santiago Trouet and junior Andrija Grbovic.
Although the Sun Devils’ big men might not be as talented as Arizona’s, it will be interesting to see if Arizona State tries to emulate or utilize a similar gameplan defensively as Arizona. The Sun Devils are a good shot-blocking team and they’ll look to use their size up front to make life in the paint difficult for Iowa State.
Despite Arizona State’s size, the Sun Devils are not an exceptional rebounding team, so this can be an opportunity for Iowa State bigs to set the tone on the boards.
Iowa State basketball coach TJ Otzelberger on emotions of senior night
Iowa State basketball coach TJ Otzelberger on the emotions of senior night from a coach’s perspective.
Iowa State will salute its seniors
The Cyclones are set to honor five seniors on Saturday afternoon: Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Nate Heise, Eric Mulder and Dominick Nelson.
Lipsey, a hometown hero and Ames product, will be playing in his final game at Hilton Coliseum. A senior who has been at Iowa State since the first day of his collegiate career, Lipsey is a rarity in this era of the revamped transfer portal and NIL. He is one of only five seniors in the Big 12 to stay all four, or five (if they redshirted), years at the same school.
Jefferson also will get recognition. In just two years at Iowa State, he quickly blossomed into one of the Cyclones’ top players and fan-favorites after transferring in from Saint Mary’s.
Nate Heise, a sixth-year senior, was already honored in last season’s senior-night ceremonies, but he will be recognized once again on Saturday. Heise chose to return this season for another year due to a season of eligibility stemming from a medical redshirt from a hand injury in the 2022-23 season at Northern Iowa.
Nelson and Mulder, both graduate transfers, will cap senior-day ceremonies.
Iowa State basketball vs. Arizona State prediction
The quest for perfection at home is no longer possible, but expect Iowa State to be able to give Tamin Lipsey and the other seniors the perfect sendoff in the final game at Hilton Coliseum. Although the Sun Devils recently enjoyed a big win, they’ve struggled on the road this year, with a 2-8 record. One last dose of Hilton Magic as Iowa State gets back on the winning side after a two-game losing skid. Prediction: Iowa State 80, Arizona State 64
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
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