20/20 True Crime Vault: The Wicked

ABC News | October 7, 2025

Episode Overview

This powerful episode of "20/20 True Crime Vault" delves into the infamous 2014 "Slender Man stabbing" in Waukesha, Wisconsin—a case where two 12-year-old girls attempted to murder their friend, Peyton Lightner, under the influence of an Internet-born urban legend. Through in-depth interviews, police accounts, and chilling interrogation clips, the episode explores not only the incident but also its psychological roots, aftermath, and the ongoing impact on all involved. It questions the boundaries between fantasy and reality, the dangers of digital folklore, and how the justice system grapples with such extraordinary juvenile crimes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene

• Background:
  • Peyton Lightner, a typical 12-year-old, attended her best friend's (Morgan Geyser) birthday sleepover along with Anissa Weier, a newer friend ("She was drawn to Morgan because Morgan was a bit of a loner." – Reporter/Interviewer, 03:24).
  • What seemed a normal Friday night became the backdrop for a months-long plot.
• Location:
  • Waukesha, Wisconsin—a safe suburban community with good schools and parks.
  • The attack happened on a beautiful day in May 2014.

2. The Attack

• Initial Events:
  • After an ordinary night at Skateland and sleepover activities, the girls head to the park the next morning.
  • Peyton had no inkling of the true plans the others had made ("They kept it a secret." – Peyton Lightner, 41:58).
• Three Murder Plans:
  • Multiple aborted attempts—first at night, then in a park bathroom, before the attack occurred in the woods.
  • Ultimately, Peyton was lured with the pretense of hide and seek ("They walked deeper and deeper into the woods." – Narrator/Host, 38:22).
• The Stabbing:
  • Morgan attacks Peyton, stabbing her 19 times ("The surgeon... told me that had it been the width of a human hair deeper... she wouldn't be here today." – Reporter/Interviewer, 13:34).
  • Peyton, demonstrating remarkable resilience, drags herself from the woods and is discovered by a cyclist.

3. The Investigation & Interrogations

• Law Enforcement Response:
  • Initial disbelief from first responders; difficulty comprehending two 12-year-olds could commit such violence ("This is the most unbelievable story I've ever heard. Who the heck is Slender Man?" – Detective Tresoni, 00:43 & 17:17).
  • Both girls are found hours later, walking along the side of a freeway.
• Chilling Interrogations:
  • The girls are interrogated separately, showing a chilling lack of remorse and shocking naiveté ("It was weird. I felt no remorse. I thought I would." – Morgan, 48:40).
  • Details of their belief that the Internet character Slender Man required a sacrifice ("We had to prove ourselves worthy to Slender." – Interviewer/Interrogator, 23:46).
  • Motive rooted in delusion, but also in psychological vulnerability ("If you do not look them in the eyes, it's easier to kill people." – Interviewer/Interrogator, 37:14).

4. Origins of the Motive: Slender Man and the Internet

• Digital Folklore:
  • Slender Man: an Internet-born myth amplified by “creepypasta” stories, images, and games.
  • The girls melded fantasy and reality ("They believed all of it was real." – Peyton Lightner, 29:33).
  • Influence of obsessive research and online role-play.
• Psychological Vulnerability:
  • Morgan’s family history of schizophrenia ("Her father has schizophrenia." – Morgan Geyser's Mother, 61:06).
  • Morgan is later diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia.
  • Anissa is found to have a "shared psychotic disorder"—folie à deux—casting the act as a product of a perfect psychological storm.

5. Aftermath: Legal and Personal Consequences

• Trial and Sentencing:

  • Both girls, only 12 at the time, are charged as adults for attempted first-degree homicide—raising questions about juvenile justice ("It's unthinkable to try a 12-year-old child as an adult regardless of what they've done." – Morgan Geyser's Mother, 48:32).
  • Anissa is found not guilty by reason of mental disease and sentenced to 25 years in a state mental institution (70:21).
  • Morgan is also committed for 40 years (73:42).
  • Peyton expresses conflicted feelings: "Adult crime is adult court. If they had stolen a candy bar, sure, that's a child, but you tried to kill somebody." (Peyton Lightner, 64:18).

• Impact on Families:

  • The toll on Peyton’s family is high ("Stacey and Joe, their marriage didn't survive this. And this is a sign of the true cost of tragedy." – Reporter/Interviewer, 80:31).
  • Morgan’s mother expresses grief and guilt; Peyton’s recovery is both physical and emotional.

6. Survivor's Story

• Recovery:

  • Peyton’s physical resilience is matched by her emotional strength.
  • She initially slept in her mother’s bed for fear, and still keeps scissors under her pillow for safety ("It just makes me feel safer." – Peyton Lightner, 74:50).
  • Her trust in others is deeply affected, yet she forges ahead ("I just see myself." – Peyton Lightner, 75:31).

• Forgiveness and Reflection:

  • The episode closes with Peyton’s remarkable perspective:
    • "Because of what she did, I have the life I have now, which I really, really like." (Peyton Lightner, 82:21)
    • "What happened to me has made me who I am. And I love it." (Peyton Lightner, 82:50)
  • On Morgan’s apology: "I mean, it's a nice gesture and I appreciate it, but they're just words on a piece of paper." (Peyton Lightner, 79:29)

7. Broader Implications

• Digital Literacy & Mental Health:
  • The story becomes a cautionary tale about children's access to online fantasy ("We can't change what's on the Internet, but we can change whether our kids access it and if they do access it, how they process it." – Reporter/Interviewer, 81:24).
  • The limits of parental insight and the urgent need for mental health support.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (With Timestamps)

• "Who the heck is Slender Man?"
  — Detective Tresoni (00:43, 17:17)
• "We were trying to kill her. So why did you pick Peyton? I didn't pick her. Whoever Anissa was talking about. She made it seem necessary."
  — Interviewer/Interrogator & Suspect (23:19–23:35)
• "It's easier to kill people when they're either asleep or unconscious."
  — Interviewer/Interrogator (37:14)
• "They just wanted to go on a walk. And I didn't think much of it. It's just a walk. It's in Waukesha. Like, what bad stuff happens in Waukesha."
  — Peyton Lightner (43:38)
• "The surgeon... told me that had it been the width of a human hair deeper... she wouldn't be here today."
  — Reporter/Interviewer (13:34)
• "It was weird. I felt no remorse. I thought I would."
  — Morgan (48:40)
• "If Morgan weren't schizophrenic, probably this doesn't happen."
  — Expert/Commentator (81:33)
• "Because of what she did, I have the life I have now, which I really, really like it."
  — Peyton Lightner (82:21)
• "What happened to me has made me who I am. And I love it."
  — Peyton Lightner (82:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction to Case & Attack: 00:33–14:08
• Interrogations & Slender Man Motive: 20:15–30:51
• Psychology & Digital Folklore: 24:01–30:24
• Family Perspectives & Warning Signs: 56:32–62:05
• Court Proceedings & Sentencing: 66:02–74:22
• Peyton's Reflections & Conclusion: 74:45–83:08

Conclusion

This episode is a gripping, comprehensive look into a real-life horror spawned from the blurry intersection of youthful vulnerability, online myth, and unrecognized mental illness. It offers rare insight into the minds of children caught between reality and Internet narrative, the struggles of the families affected, and the difficult questions facing the justice system. Above all, it chronicles the resilience of Peyton Lightner in the aftermath, ending not with definitive answers, but with a survivor’s evolving strength and hope for the future.