Midwest

Judge denied release of woman who stabbed childhood friend because of ‘Slender Man’

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2024

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

Central Illinois could see tornadoes tonight. How to sign up for alerts

Published

1 hour ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Central Illinois is expected to be hit with tornado alerts Tuesday afternoon and evening, with the highest risk between 6 and 10 p.m.

The National Weather Service announced on X that a Tornado Watch is 95% likely in east-central Illinois through 4:30 p.m. The potential storm is forecast to reach a peak intensity of 2-3.5 inch hail, 55-70 mph winds and 120-150 mph tornadoes.

Here’s how to stay updated on weather alerts in your area.

How to sign up for weather alerts in Illinois

Most residents throughout Illinois will automatically receive Wireless Emergency Alerts on their mobile phones from the NWS, warning them of potentially dangerous weather in their area. These will look like normal text messages and will typically show the type and time of the alert, any action you should take and the agency issuing the alert.

Other sources of information include NOAA Weather Radio, the Storm Prediction Center’s live map of nationwide tornado watches and the Emergency Alert System on radio and TV broadcasts.

Residents can also sign up for text alerts through their local county emergency management agency, such as NotifyChicago.

Sign up for USA TODAY Network weather alerts

Illinois residents can sign up for alerts from the USA TODAY Network to receive texts about current storms and weather events in their area.

Tornado watch vs warning

The NWS explains the difference between the varying tornado alert terminology on its website.

A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in the area, while a tornado warning means a twister has been sighted or indicated by the weather radar. A tornado emergency is the most severe alert, meaning a violent tornado has touched down in the area.

The website uses the phrases “be prepared,” “take action” and “seek shelter immediately” to summarize the three alerts.

Central Illinois weather radar

Chicago weather radar

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Indiana

Severe storm risk into tonight through early Wednesday morning

Published

1 hour ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Severe storm risk into tonight through early Wednesday morning

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We are monitoring the potential for severe weather into early Wednesday morning.

Tornado Watch in effect until EDT midnight March 10, 2026, for Benton, Newton, and Jasper counties.

Tuesday night: Please make sure you have your safety plan on standby into tonight through pre-dawn Wednesday morning. There is now a level 4/5 severe risk in northwest Indiana. Much of central Indiana remains in a level 2/5 risk.

The risk for significant tornadoes (EF2+) and very large hail (2″+) is greatest north of I-70 with any discrete cell(s) that maintain their-selves into mainly northern Indiana. There is also potential for a max expected intensity of an EF-3+ tornado within much (if not all) of the level 3 & 4 risk zone.

This does not mean that every storm will produce a tornado of that magnitude. It is simply highlighting area of highest concern for the possibility of such occurrence.

Now, given a modestly unstable environment into the pre-dawn hours Wednesday with stronger wind flow aloft, all hazards will remain possible into central Indiana. The significant severe threat here is much lower.

Overall, you need to have multiple ways of being able to get alerts tonight. Do not be scared, be prepared and you will be ok.

Wednesday: Beyond sunrise Wednesday, we will continue to track more in the way of showers and storms. The main area of the strong-severe storm risk looks to shift mainly southeast of Indy with damaging winds the primary concern through the morning into afternoon hours.

Rainfall amounts through Wednesday may amount to 1-2″ with locally higher amounts.

Highs to occur earlier in the day with numbers in the mid to upper 60s. Non-thunderstorm winds will also be quite breezy with gusts up to 30-35 MPH.

Thursday: Be prepared for quite a temperature shift into Thursday. We will start the day off with temperatures in the low 30 with 20s wind chills. Yeah, that will not feel great considering our recent stretch of more mild days. Highs will only get into the upper 40s.

7-Day Forecast: We look to warm back up into this weekend, but it will come with more active weather and breezy winds. Friday will feature highs in the mid to upper 50s with wind gusts up to 25-30 MPH. Highs look to tick back into the low 60s Sunday with more chances for rain. Then, temperatures really take a tumble into next Monday with highs only in the 30s and a chance for a rain/snow mix.

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Iowa

NCAA Wrestling Championships at-large bids announced

Published

1 hour ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

NCAA Wrestling Championships at-large bids announced

The 330 wrestlers competing in Cleveland at the NCAA Championships are now set.

After the conference tournaments established the lion’s share of wrestlers, the NCAA announced the at-large bids on Tuesday, March 10, completing the rest of the field.

Brackets and seeds will be announced on March 10, but here’s a look at the contingents each state of Iowa program will be sending after the at-large bids were announced.

Iowa wrestling NCAA qualifiers

For the third year in a row, Iowa wrestling will be sending nine to the NCAA Championships. Victor Voinovich did not earn an at-large bid at 157 pounds after finishing ninth at the Big Ten Championships, one place outside of NCAA automatic qualification. He concludes his season with a 12-6 record.

Voinovich narrowly earned the starting job over Jordan Williams at 157, with Iowa coach Tom Brands saying it was very close, but Voinovich had shown a little more “fight” this year. Now that Voinovich hasn’t qualified for NCAAs, it’s a decision that will go further under the microscope.

What’s done is done, however, for Iowa. They’ll take Dean Peterson (125), Drake Ayala (133), Nasir Bailey (141), Ryder Block (149), Michael Caliendo (165), Patrick Kennedy (174), Angelo Ferrari (184), Gabe Arnold (197) and Ben Kueter (285) to Cleveland in hopes of salvaging what has been a tough season.

Iowa State wrestling NCAA qualifiers

For the first time since 2010, Iowa State will send all 10 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Vinny Zerban earned an at-large bid at 157 pounds despite falling short of the automatic qualifying threshold at the Big 12 Championships. Zerban suffered a concussion and medically forfeited out of the tournament after his first match in Tulsa. His health status will be worth monitoring NCAAs inch closer, from March 19-22.

The Cyclones look poised for one of their best postseasons in recent memory with their 10 qualifiers ―Stevo Poulin (125), Garrett Grice (133), Anthony Echemendia (141), Jacob Frost (149), Zerban, Connor Euton (165), MJ Gaitan (174), Isaac Dean (184), Rocky Elam (197) and Yonger Bastida (285). The loss of Evan Frost hurts the Cyclones, considering his pedigree and season as a whole, but Grice’s has earned several ranked wins since entering the lineup in February and could still add some much-needed team points as the team chases a team trophy.

Behind title contenders Elam and Bastida, proven podium threats in Poulin, Echemnedia, Jacob Frost and Zerban (if healthy), Iowa State will be in the mix for a top-four finish in Cleveland.

UNI wrestling NCAA qualifiers

Northern Iowa will send five to the NCAA Championships. Automatic qualifiers Julian Farber (133), Caleb Rathjen (149) and Ryder Downey (165) will be joined by Jared Simma (174) and Nick Fox (184), who each earned at-large bids. The number of qualifiers could extend to six, with Trever Anderson (125) being the alternate at 125 pounds for NCAAs. However, he had to medically forfeit out of the Big 12 Championships, so his health status would be in question if he got called up.

With that, Max Brady (141), Cael Rahnavardi (157), John Gunderson (197) and Adam Ahrendsen (285) will have their seasons come to an end. Brady, a true freshman, will still have three NCAA chances in his career after showing promising moments in relief of Cory Land’s season-ending injury. Gunderson, a U23 World team member, will return for next season as well. Rahnavardi and Ahrendsen were both in their final seasons of eligibility.

Following injuries to Land and Wyatt Voelker, it’s been a hard year for the Panthers. This is half the number of NCAA qualifiers that UNI had last season when they qualified 10 for the first time since 1986. The last time UNI had five or fewer qualifiers was 2016.

However, all five of their wrestlers have each shown moments of brilliance, either this season or in prior NCAA Championships. They may be a smaller crew than normal, but Downey, Rathjen, Farber, Simma and Fox are all ones to watch in Cleveland.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.

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