In the peaceful town of Waukesha, Wisconsin, a horrifying incident shattered the community's sense of security in May 2014. What began as a typical birthday celebration for 12-year-old Morgan Geyser turned into a nightmare that would capture national attention and raise disturbing questions about the influence of internet folklore on impressionable minds. The quiet city of approximately 65,000 residents, established in 1834 and named after a Native American chieftain, became the setting for one of the most chilling crimes involving children in recent memory.

The events unfolded when Morgan Geyser invited her friends Anissa Weier and Payton Leutner for a birthday sleepover. After an evening of roller skating at the local Skateland, the three girls returned to Morgan's house, but two of them harbored a sinister plan. Motivated by a disturbing obsession with the fictional internet character Slenderman, Morgan and Anissa had meticulously plotted to kill their friend Payton. Their horrific scheme culminated in a wooded area where Payton was stabbed 19 times but miraculously survived the attack, crawling to a nearby road where a cyclist discovered her and called for help.

Key Takeaways

A birthday celebration in Waukesha, Wisconsin became the scene of a shocking violent attack influenced by internet folklore.
Two 12-year-old girls lured their friend to a wooded area where they attempted to murder her as a sacrifice to the fictional Slenderman.
The victim survived despite suffering 19 stab wounds, managing to crawl to safety where she was discovered by a passing cyclist.

The History of Waukesha, Wisconsin

From Native Lands to Modern Settlement

Waukesha, Wisconsin began its journey in 1834 when settlers primarily from New England established a community that would grow into a substantial city. What started as a modest settlement has evolved into a thriving community that by 2014 had approximately 65,000 residents.

Native American Heritage and Early Presence

The area now known as Waukesha was originally inhabited by the Potawatami, an Algonquin-speaking tribe with close connections to the Ojibwa from the Ontario region. These indigenous groups maintained strong alliances with each other and the Ottawa tribe, forming powerful coalitions that significantly impacted early American history.

During significant conflicts, including Pontiac's Rebellion, these allied tribes successfully captured numerous frontier British forts. Their military achievements were remarkable, though they were ultimately unable to take Detroit. Like many indigenous peoples, the Potawatami were eventually forced onto reservation lands in Oklahoma, opening the territory for European American settlement.

The Naming of Waukesha

The settlement underwent several name changes during its early years:

Time Period Name Initial founding Prairie Village Intermediate period Prairieville Final name Waukesha

According to local tradition, the name "Waukesha" was adopted to honor a local Native American chief. This naming practice reflected the deep indigenous history of the region that preceded European settlement.

European American Development

Following the relocation of Native Americans, European American settlers established permanent communities throughout Wisconsin. Waukesha was among many cities founded during this period of westward expansion, approximately 200 years before the present day.

The community grew steadily from its humble beginnings, developing the infrastructure and character that would define it through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This transition from indigenous territory to European American settlement represents a significant pivot point in the region's cultural and demographic history.

The Birth of Three Girls in the 2000s

In the early 2000s, three girls were born who would later become connected in a shocking incident that stunned a quiet Wisconsin community. Their lives began ordinarily enough in Waukesha, a peaceful city of approximately 65,000 residents with roots dating back to 1834. This historical town, initially called Prairie Village and later Prairieville, eventually took its name from a local Native American chieftain.

Anissa Weier, Morgan Geyser, and Payton Leutner

The three girls grew up in Waukesha's suburban environment, with Morgan Geyser serving as the central connection between Anissa Weier and Payton Leutner. While Anissa and Payton weren't particularly close friends independently, they often spent time together through their mutual friendship with Morgan. By 2014, the three were typical pre-teens enjoying normal activities like sleepovers and roller skating.

On May 30, 2014, the girls gathered to celebrate Morgan's 12th birthday. After school, Anissa and Morgan visited Anissa's house to collect sleepover essentials before Morgan's father drove them to Skateland, a local roller rink. The three enjoyed skating until approximately 9:30 PM when Mr. Geyser brought them back home.

What appeared to be an ordinary sleepover concealed disturbing intentions. Morgan and Anissa had secretly developed a plan to attack Payton that night, originally intending to tape her mouth shut at 2:00 AM and stab her while she slept. For unexplained reasons, they postponed their plan until the following day, which required developing a new strategy.

Their revised plan involved luring Payton to David's Park, where they first attempted to carry out the attack in a public bathroom. When Morgan hesitated, they moved to a wooded area under the pretense of playing hide-and-seek. After trying to convince Payton to lie face-down in a pile of leaves, Anissa pushed her to the ground and sat on her. Morgan then attacked Payton, stabbing her 19 times, inflicting serious wounds to her liver, stomach, and diaphragm.

After the assault, the girls left Payton in the woods, telling her not to move. Despite her severe injuries, Payton managed to stand and called out to Morgan in betrayal. This shocking act of violence would forever change the lives of all three girls born just a few years into the new millennium.

The Birthday Celebration That Ended in Horror

The Beginning of a Friendship

Morgan Geyser, Anissa Weier, and Payton Leutner were three young girls growing up in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a peaceful city of approximately 65,000 residents. Their friendship dynamic was somewhat triangular in nature, with Morgan often serving as the central connection between Anissa and Payton. While Anissa and Payton weren't particularly close, they maintained a casual relationship through their mutual friendship with Morgan.

The girls attended school together and participated in typical pre-teen activities. Their interactions seemed normal to outside observers, giving no indication of the disturbing events that would eventually unfold.

The Birthday Party Preparations

On May 30, 2014, the three 12-year-old girls gathered to celebrate Morgan's birthday with what appeared to be a typical sleepover. After school that day, Morgan and Anissa went to Anissa's home to collect sleepover essentials—sleeping bags, pillows, and snacks. Unknown to others, however, the two had already begun formulating a sinister plan that they had no intention of returning to school the following Monday.

Mr. Geyser drove the girls to Skateland, a local roller-skating rink, where they enjoyed themselves until approximately 9:30 PM. To everyone present, it seemed like an ordinary birthday celebration with friends skating and having fun. When the evening at Skateland concluded, Morgan's father picked up all three girls and drove them back to the Geyser residence for what should have been a harmless sleepover.

The Slenderman Inspiration and Attack

Behind the scenes of this seemingly innocent gathering lurked a disturbing plot. Morgan and Anissa had developed an obsession with a fictional internet character known as Slenderman. Their original plan involved waking up at 2:00 AM, using duct tape to silence Payton, and stabbing her in the neck while she slept. They intended to pull the sheets over her afterward to make it appear as though she was still sleeping, then flee the scene.

When 2:00 AM arrived, the girls hesitated for reasons they later gave different explanations for. They postponed their plan until the following day, which necessitated creating a new strategy. Their revised scheme involved:

Luring Payton to David's Park
Initially attempting to attack her in a bathroom that had a floor drain
Moving to nearby woods when the bathroom location didn't work out

The attack occurred after Anissa suggested playing hide-and-seek in the woods. When Payton refused to lie face-down in a pile of leaves as instructed, Anissa physically pushed her down and sat on her. As Morgan approached, Anissa reportedly yelled "go ballistic," prompting Morgan to tackle and stab Payton 19 times. The wounds were severe, damaging Payton's liver, stomach, and diaphragm, with one strike missing her heart by approximately one millimeter.

After the attack, the girls told Payton not to move, claiming she would "bleed out slower" and that they were going to get help. As they walked away, Payton called out, "I hate you. I trusted you." Despite her critical injuries, Payton managed to stand and stumble away from the scene, while Morgan and Anissa realized she wasn't going to die at the location as they had planned.

The Terrifying Events Unfold

The Changed Strategy at the Local Park

The original midnight plan shifted when the girls decided not to act at 2 AM as initially intended. They created a new strategy centered around David's Park, a local nature area. Anissa remembered the park bathroom had a floor drain, which they thought would be useful for disposing of blood evidence while carrying out their attack. Their reasoning, while flawed, seemed logical to their young minds. When they brought Payton to the bathroom, Morgan attempted to restrain her but experienced what Anissa described as a "nervous breakdown" and couldn't follow through with the attack. Surprisingly, Payton didn't seem to notice anything suspicious during this initial attempt.

The Woodland Ambush

After the bathroom plan failed, the girls moved to nearby woods where Anissa suggested playing hide-and-seek. She directed Payton to hide face-down in a pile of leaves, but Payton refused. Growing impatient with the pretense, Anissa physically pushed Payton to the ground and sat on her, waiting for Morgan to appear and carry out the attack. When Morgan hesitated, Anissa reportedly shouted "go ballistic," prompting Morgan to tackle Payton and begin the assault.

The attack was brutal and methodical. Morgan stabbed Payton 19 times, primarily hitting soft tissue but also damaging her:

Liver
Stomach
Diaphragm

Most alarmingly, the knife missed Payton's heart by approximately one millimeter. Though accounts differ about who did the stabbing—Anissa claimed Morgan did all of it while Morgan stated Anissa took several stabs toward the end—the intent was clear. When later describing the incident to police, Morgan used the disturbing phrase "stabby stab stab" to describe attacking her friend.

Payton's Struggle and Escape

After the vicious attack, the girls prepared to leave. Anissa told Payton not to move, claiming she would "bleed out slower" and falsely promising to get help. Payton, understanding the betrayal, called out to Morgan with heart-wrenching words: "I hate you. I trusted you."

Despite suffering 19 stab wounds and losing significant blood, Payton demonstrated remarkable resilience. She managed to stand up and begin moving, which alarmed her attackers who realized she wasn't going to die in the woods as they had planned. Showing extraordinary determination and will to survive, Payton began making her way toward help, beginning what would become a harrowing journey to safety while critically wounded.

Aftermath and Investigation

Police Questioning and Confessions

After the incident in the woods, the two girls left Peyton bleeding while they walked to a local Walmart. They were eventually found by law enforcement walking along a nearby highway. During initial questioning, both suspects gave detailed accounts of what happened in the wooded area. Morgan Geyser spoke with a disturbing calmness, using phrases like "stabby stab stab" to describe her actions against her friend. The interrogation recordings revealed how disconnected the girls seemed from the severity of their actions, with both providing matter-of-fact descriptions of the attack.

Morgan Geyser's Statement

Morgan's explanation to police was particularly unsettling due to her apparent lack of emotional response. She admitted to being the primary attacker, describing how she tackled Peyton and stabbed her multiple times. According to her confession, she targeted her friend's torso, striking the liver, stomach, and diaphragm. Medical reports later confirmed the attack missed Peyton's heart by approximately one millimeter—a chilling detail that emphasized how close the victim came to death.

Anissa Weier's Involvement

Anissa's role in the attack was initially described as supportive rather than directly violent. She told investigators she helped plan the attack and restrained the victim by sitting on her while waiting for Morgan to arrive. Anissa also admitted to encouraging Morgan with the phrase "go ballistic," which served as the trigger for the violent assault. After the stabbing, Anissa reportedly told the injured Peyton, "Don't move, you'll bleed out slower," before leaving with Morgan under the false pretense of getting help. The investigation revealed discrepancies between the two girls' accounts, with Morgan later claiming Anissa had also participated in the stabbing toward the end of the attack.

The Slender Man Stabbing: How Internet Horror Led Two 12-Year-Olds to Attempted Murder