In a chilling twist to one of America’s most infamous juvenile crime cases, a Wisconsin woman who stabbed her classmate 19 times in 2014 to “appease the fictional character Slender Man” has reportedly escaped police supervision after cutting off her GPS tracking tag. Authorities confirmed late Monday night that 22-year-old Anissa Weier, who was released from a psychiatric facility in 2021 under strict conditional monitoring, is now the subject of an urgent statewide manhunt.
“She is considered a missing and potentially dangerous individual,” said Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. David Haskins in a briefing shared by CNN. “Our concern is not only for public safety but also for her own mental health and wellbeing.”
“Breaking: Anissa Weier, convicted in the ‘Slender Man’ stabbing case, has escaped supervision after cutting off her GPS monitor, police confirm.” @ABC
Weier, who was just 12 years old at the time of the stabbing, gained international notoriety after she and co-defendant Morgan Geyser lured their classmate, Peyton “Bella” Leutner, into a wooded area of Waukesha and stabbed her 19 times in what they later claimed was an offering to the online horror figure “Slender Man.” Leutner miraculously survived, crawling out of the woods and flagging down a cyclist for help. Both attackers were later found not guilty by reason of mental illness.
Now, nearly a decade later, the horror story has resurfaced — this time in reality. Weier’s GPS ankle monitor was found discarded near a Milwaukee bus stop around 3 p.m. Monday, according to police. Surveillance footage shows her boarding a city bus shortly after, carrying what appeared to be a duffel bag. She has not been seen since.
“The tag was cleanly cut,” said Lt. Haskins. “This was a deliberate and calculated act. She knew what she was doing.”
“Officials say Anissa Weier removed her ankle monitor Monday and vanished. Her last known location was Milwaukee’s east side.” @Reuters
Weier had been living in supervised community housing under a conditional release plan approved by Waukesha County Circuit Court. Her release came after psychiatric evaluations determined she no longer posed a threat to herself or others. As part of her release, she was required to wear an electronic monitoring device, maintain therapy appointments, and abstain from internet access. Investigators now believe she may have violated all three conditions before vanishing.
“She’s very intelligent and resourceful,” said criminologist Dr. Rachel Godfrey. “The fact that she successfully removed her tracker without triggering an immediate response suggests planning. The question now is: why?”
Police have not indicated that Weier has harmed anyone since fleeing custody, but they have urged the public to remain alert. “Do not approach her,” the sheriff’s office warned in a statement. “Call 911 immediately if she is seen.”
The case has reignited painful memories for the Leutner family, who have stayed largely out of the public eye since the original trial. A family representative told People that Peyton, now 23, was “shaken” after learning of the escape. “She rebuilt her life once,” the statement read. “To know that one of her attackers is out there again — it’s a nightmare she thought was over.”
“‘It’s a nightmare she thought was over.’ — Peyton Leutner’s family reacts after Anissa Weier disappears from supervision.” @people
Weier’s release in 2021 was controversial from the start. At the time, prosecutors opposed it, citing lingering concerns about her mental stability. “She has spent her entire adolescence in treatment,” said District Attorney Susan Opper during the hearing. “But we can’t pretend that her delusions, or the trauma they caused, just disappeared.”
Since her release, Weier had reportedly been compliant with her supervision terms — until last week, when she missed a mandatory therapy session and failed to respond to welfare checks. Authorities now say those were the first red flags that something was wrong. “By the time her GPS signal went offline, she had a three-hour head start,” Haskins confirmed to Fox News.
Investigators are reviewing footage from bus stations, convenience stores, and bank ATMs across Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. They’re also monitoring online forums for any references to the “Slender Man” mythology that once consumed Weier’s imagination. “Given her history, we can’t ignore the symbolic weight of that story in her psyche,” said BBC News correspondent Laura Keating. “It’s part of why this case still terrifies people.”
“Police searching for escaped ‘Slender Man’ attacker say she may still identify with the delusional narrative behind the crime.” @guardian
Public reaction has been swift and emotional. Hashtags like #SlenderManCase and #JusticeForPeyton began trending within hours of the announcement, with many users questioning how such a high-risk offender could evade supervision so easily. “How does someone this notorious just walk off?” one viral post asked. “It’s a failure of the system — again.”
Waukesha County officials are now conducting an internal review into how the monitoring breach went unnoticed for several hours. “There were clear procedural errors,” admitted Sheriff Eric Severson. “That gap gave her time to disappear.”
Meanwhile, police are expanding their search beyond state lines, working with the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service to track potential interstate travel. “She could be anywhere by now,” one law enforcement source told NBC. “But make no mistake — we will find her.”
For the families involved, the resurgence of the “Slender Man” case feels like reopening a wound that never fully healed. “It’s been almost ten years,” said one former classmate. “We were kids when it happened. Now we’re adults — and she’s still running from the same shadows.”
Authorities ask anyone with information to contact the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office tip line or local law enforcement immediately. “She’s not the same 12-year-old she once was,” Lt. Haskins warned. “But her past makes her unpredictable — and that’s what scares us most.”
