Shivangi Sinha
In September 2021, police responded to a 911 call from a home in Katy, Texas, in the middle of the night. When officers arrived, they discovered 17-year-old Meghan Elliott with severe stab wounds. Despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead shortly after. The case shocked the community, as the brutal stabbing of a teenager inside her own home raised many questions. Investigators faced a complex and challenging search for answers, piecing together what happened that night. CBS’ ‘48 Hours: The Boy Who Killed His Twin’ explores the case in depth, detailing the investigation and how the truth ultimately came to light.
Meghan Elliott Was Pronounced Dead in Her Own Bedroom
Meghan Elliott grew up in Katy, Texas, with her parents, Michael and Kathy Elliott. She was a bright, cheerful teenager leading a normal life. Her twin brother, Benjamin Elliott, shared a remarkably close bond with her and it was the kind of connection unique to twins, full of care and understanding. Meghan also had an older sister, Elizabeth Elliott, who adored and looked after her younger siblings. Their home life was loving and stable, filled with everyday routines and ordinary moments. Meghan was enrolled at the Cypress Park High School, where she was doing well academically and was looking forward to all the possibilities that life had for her.
In the early hours of September 29, 2021, around 3 am, an emergency call was placed from the Elliott residence. Police arrived to find Benjamin administering CPR to his 17-year-old twin sister. Despite his efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death was determined to be multiple stab wounds, with two to the neck being fatal. Her parents, who were home at the time, had been awakened by the commotion and were left deeply shaken by the events unfolding in their house.
Meghan Elliott’s Killer Claimed He Never Intended to Kill Her
Police arrested Benjamin Elliott after the 911 call he made around 4 am. On the 911 call, he told responders that he had stabbed his sister and claimed it occurred during a dream. He said that he had awoken in the middle of it and called for help after securing his phone from his room. He said he had been shocked by what happened and attempted to stem the bleeding by placing a pillow near her neck. He then performed CPR, which was ongoing when emergency responders arrived. Benjamin was held on a $100,000 bond. Reports indicated he was not suffering from any mental illness at the time and had no influence of drugs or alcohol.
Benjamin’s family later testified that he had a long-standing history of difficulty falling asleep and waking up. He used to often set multiple alarms for school mornings. They emphasized that there was no hostility between the twins and no reason for him to act violently. The weapon used in the incident was an Air Force survival knife, which his father mentioned Benjamin had been fascinated by. Official records noted that Benjamin had turned on the room light after realizing what he had done between 2:30 am and 3 am. Additionally, Elizabeth Elliott testified that years earlier, she had observed Benjamin possibly sleepwalking.
According to Elizabeth, Benjamin was found standing in a bedroom doorway, unresponsive when his name was called. Meghan had also tried to get his attention, and Elizabeth gently touched his shoulder; his eyes barely opened, and she guided him back to bed. Despite these episodes, he never received an official diagnosis and was not taking any medications at the time of the incident. When Benjamin was arrested in September 2021, he described the experience as feeling like a “realistic nightmare.” However, detectives determined that his phone was active about 20 minutes before the incident.
Benjamin Elliott is Being Held in a Texas Prison Today
Benjamin Elliott remained in the county jail and was tried as an adult in February 2025. His defense presented sleep experts and testimonies regarding parasomnias. The prosecutors claimed that a number of factors, including sleep deprivation and proximity to the knife, resulted in the crime and did not explicitly state a motive for the attack. Despite this, he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Now 21 years old, he is being held at the John B. Connally Unit in Kenedy, Texas. His projected release date is February 18, 2040, though he will be eligible for parole starting August 19, 2032.
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