MADISON — We’re learning new details about the arrest of Morgan Geyser in Illinois after she allegedly cut off her ankle bracelet and left a group home in Madison.
Geyser, one of the two Waukesha teens sentenced in the 2014 stabbing of classmate Payton Leutner, was granted conditional release to the group home this past summer — conditions Madison police say she violated when she removed her ankle bracelet and left on Saturday.
Watch the latest update here:
Both Geyser and a man were taken into custody outside an Illinois truck stop at 14840 Western Ave. Sunday night, after they had been reported for loitering, according to the Posen Police Department.
When officers arrived, Posen police say they found the two sleeping on the sidewalk. When questioned, Geyser repeatedly refused to give them her real name and initially gave an officer a false one, stating that she had “done something really bad.”
Eventually, Posen police say Geyser told officers to “just Google” her name. That’s when they say the officers learned her identity and took both her and the man into custody without incident.
“We are proud of the professionalism and diligence our officers demonstrated in bringing this situation to a safe conclusion and ensuring that a wanted escapee was located and returned to custody,” police said in a news release.
Timeline of events leading up to her arrest
Madison police say the Department of Corrections (DOC) received an alert at 9:30 p.m. Saturday that Geyser’s GPS monitoring bracelet was malfunctioning.
After speaking with the group home around 11:30 p.m., police say DOC officials were informed she had removed her GPS bracelet and was not home.
They then issued an apprehension request for Geyser around midnight — a request that, according to Madison police, was never relayed to them.
"DOC did place an apprehension request into their system that evening," Madison Police Chief John Patterson said during an interview Monday. "That's not something that we receive an immediate alert on, so it wasn't until morning that we needed to, you know, play catch-up."
It wasn’t until the group home called 911 the next morning at 7:46 a.m. to report Geyser as a missing person, and they were subsequently assigned to the call, that Madison police say they became aware she was missing.
Community reaction
Her disappearance raised concerns across the state, especially in Waukesha, where the teen was from.
TMJ4 spoke with Waukesha neighbors Sunday afternoon about the news. For some, the development is bringing back raw emotions.
“I was just surprised. I couldn’t believe it,” Nancy Zutavern said about hearing the news. “To think two young girls could be capable of such a terrible attack against a classmate of theirs was just surprising and shocking.”
“(It’s) unreal to know that she’s at large now,” Kristy Meyer said.
It also drew attention from Geyser’s lawyer, Tony Cotton, who took to social media Sunday afternoon imploring her to turn herself in.
“If anybody has contact with Morgan, hears from her, or if Morgan happens to see this — turn yourself in,” Cotton said in the video. “Do not continue to remain on the run like this. It is not in your best interest to handle this matter that way.”
A spokesperson for Leutner’s family also released a statement Sunday night about Geyser’s disappearance, saying they were aware of the situation and that “Payton and her family are safe and are working closely with local law enforcement to ensure their continued safety.”
What's next:
Geyser appeared in court Monday, where the court executed the out-of-state warrant from Wisconsin and ordered that she be detained in Cook County Jail, according to records from the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
An extradition hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
An investigation into Geyser’s escape is being handled by Dane County law enforcement. The Dane County district attorney’s office will handle any charges related to Geyser’s escape, according to Waukesha County District Attorney Lesli Boese.
Boese held a press conference late Monday morning, where she said she would support a motion to revoke Geyser’s conditional release if the Department of Health Services files one.
If revoked, Boese said Geyser would go back to a hospital setting.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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