Naman Shrestha
When the news of the brutal killing of a 17-year-old girl named Meghan Elliott broke out, it terrorized the entire community, especially her family and friends. Despite being an open-and-shut case, the detectives tried to crack the motive behind the murder. In the episode titled ‘The Boy Who Killed His Twin’ of CBS’ ’48 Hours,’ the entire case and the intricacies of the investigation are covered in a detailed manner with the help of exclusive, insightful interviews with Meghan’s loved ones and the officials linked to the case.
Meghan Elliott Was Stabbed to Death in Her Sleep
Born in 2004 to Kathy Elliott and Michael Elliott, Meghan Elliott entered their lives as a ray of sunshine. Growing up in the city of Katy in Texas, she was accompanied by her twin brother, Benjamin Elliott. Her compassionate nature and vibrant personality allowed her to make friends easily. With big dreams to fulfill, she went to Cypress Park High School with her brother, with whom she allegedly shared a rather friendly bond. Everything changed in the lives of the Elliotts in the early hours of September 29, 2021.
Around 4:45 am, the police received a harrowing call from Benjamin, who told them that Meghan was in a critical condition. While he was performing CPR on her, the paramedics arrived at their house, located in the 4100 block of Brown Meadow Court in Katy, Texas, and took over the situation. Unfortunately, the 17-year-old girl was pronounced dead by EMS at the scene. The authorities secured the perimeter and inspected the scene of the crime. They recovered multiple pieces of potential evidence, including a bloody knife, blood swabs from the bedroom, living room, and an entry wall, and a leather knife sheath. The autopsy revealed that the cause of her death was two stab wounds to the neck.
Meghan Elliott’s Killer Confessed to the Murder Rightaway
During the 911 call, Meghan Elliott’s brother, Benjamin Elliott, claimed to have stabbed her in the neck while sleepwalking. After the police arrived at the scene, they took him into custody under suspicion of killing his twin sister. Amidst all the commotion, the Elliott family released a statement to KPRC2 through their attorney, stating, “We are still gathering all of the facts and details of this tragedy. There is no question Benjamin loved his sister very much. They were extremely close and the best of friends. The family is asking for privacy as they process this heartbreaking event.”
Upon interviewing the suspect, he told the detectives that he didn’t realize that he was dreaming while he stabbed his sister with an Air Force survival knife in her bedroom. He asked them if they had ever had a “realistic nightmare where everything felt real.” He added, “I freaked out and, like, put the knife down and put a pillow on her to try and stop the bleeding. Then called, you know, 911 from my phone.” Benjamin also claimed that Meghan told him about his sleepwalking about a year prior to the stabbing. As per his accounts, he shared a close bond with his twin sister. At the time of the stabbing, their parents were asleep in their bedroom.
While conducting a thorough search of his phone, the investigators found a couple of notes titled “survival/hiking” and “Personality test.” They also went through the text messages shared by the twins a week before the incident. After going through his phone activity in the moments leading to the murder, the authorities determined that Benjamin was in full control of his mental and physical faculties. Thus, he was charged with killing his sister and held at the Harris County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
Benjamin Elliott is Serving His Sentence at a Texas Prison Facility Today
A few years later, on February 18, 2025, Benjamin Elliott stood trial for the murder of his twin sister, Meghan Elliott. During the trial, he took the stand and claimed that he woke up between 2:30 and 3 am only to realize that he was in Meghan’s room. His defense counsel told the jurors that it was a sleepwalking incident. They asked the jury, “How could a kid who cherishes his sister, who loves her, protects her. How could someone commit a crime that heinous without a reasonable explanation?” Meanwhile, the prosecution argued that Benjamin was in his senses while stabbing his sister.
In order to support their arguments, both sides brought in experts to testify. In addition, the prosecution presented evidence that showed Benjamin was active on his phone right before the killing and that it logged his steps to and from Meghan’s room. During the closing arguments, the prosecution stated, “While I didn’t give you motive, I did give you premeditation. It’s not a coincidence that the knife he got the night before is the same knife he used to kill his sister.” Thus, after a week-long trial, the jury deliberated for about five hours before reaching a verdict.
On February 24, 2025, Benjamin David Elliott was found guilty of stabbing his twin sister to death. The following day, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the same. After the sentencing, his defense attorney expressed his satisfaction with the sentence, stating, “We are very happy with the sentence. We think it reflects what the judge thought was a weakness in the State’s case. We are pleased.” As of today, 21-year-old Benjamin David Elliott is serving his sentence at the John B. Connally Unit in Kenedy, Texas, with his parole eligibility date scheduled for August 2032.
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