A Texas man was found guilty of killing his twin sister after a jury failed to accept his claim that he was sleepwalking when he fatally stabbed her in the neck.
Benjamin Elliot, 21, dialed 911 after he stabbed his sister Meghan several times inside their family’s Katy home on September 29, 2021. They were both 17 years old.
When police arrived, Benjamin told them he removed the knife from her neck and was reportedly performing CPR on his sister – but it was too late and Meghan was pronounced dead at the scene.
‘I stabbed her and then suddenly wasn’t,’ Benjamin told investigators during an initial interview.
‘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.’
The then-teenager was charged with first-degree murder and has been out on bond. His trial finally began last week, during which both of Benjamin’s parents testified in his favor.
The Harris County jury came to their decision on Monday after closing arguments, ABC 13 reported.
Courtroom footage showed Benjamin starring blankly as the judge read the guilty verdict aloud, while his parents began to sob.
Benjamin Elliot, 21, was found guilty of murdering his twin sister on Monday
Benjamin and Meghan were said to have been best friends who were very close
Throughout the trial, the accused appeared to maintain his composure – not shedding any tears – and was even seen with his head rested in his hand.
At the start of the trial, the defense waived their opening statement, and state prosecutor Maroun Koutani took the opportunity to invalidate Benjamin’s bizarre sleepwalking claim.
Koutani argued that data from Benjamin’s phone showed that he was using the device not long before stabbing Meghan.
She also noted that after he had attacked her, he kept his phone locked for at least 20 minutes before calling the police, KHOU 11 reported.
‘Her last memory is being ripped out of her sleep, her brother standing over her, a knife plunged in her neck and a pillow over her face,’ Koutani vividly described the scene.
Benjamin’s father Michael took the stand, revealing the weapon he went at his sister with was a survival knife he had become ‘enamored with.’
‘It’s not a coincidence that the knife he got the night before is the same knife he used to kill his sister,’ Prosecutor Megan Long argued.
When asked to identify a picture of his deceased daughter, Michael broke down in tears and could hardly find his words.
Kathy, Benjamin’s mother, emotionally recalled the moment she learned her daughter had died: ‘Michael told me Meghan had been stabbed. And I could hear CPR going on. But they wouldn’t let me go to her.’
Benjamin’s parents Michael and Kathy sobbed when they heard the guilty verdict
The twins have been pictured smiling and enjoying time together throughout their lives
His lawyer Wes Rucker addressed the ‘elephant in the room’ – his client’s uncommon defense – trying to prove the validity of the claim.
The attorney said in court: ‘Is this just some made-up bologna or a really creative defense? The answer is absolutely not.’
Rucker went on to outline data that points to the fact that sleepwalking can happen shortly after falling asleep, attempting to debunk Koutani’s earlier sentiments.
‘And this is not a rouse, this is not some defense to get Ben off a tragic, tragic set of circumstances,’ he asserted.
A forensic psychologist who previously assessed with Benjamin served as a witness.
‘At the time of my interview, he was reporting some current mental health issues but he reported no mental health issues that were evident at the time of the alleged incident,’ Dr Wendy Elliott.
Elizabeth, the twins’ older sister, addressed the court via Zoom and recalled an instance of Benjamin sleepwalking from years prior. His great-aunt also spoke about a family history of parasomnia.
According to courtroom testimonies and previous reports, Benjamin and Meghan got along well and were very close with each other.
Photos of the siblings show them huddling together as children, standing side-by-side on the beach as teens, and laughing together on a coach wearing silly costumes.
Benjamin appeared composed during the trial and even sunk his head into his hand at some points
Benjamin was arrested in 2021, but has been out on bond since then. Now, his crime could land him anywhere from five to 99 years in prison
Benjamin maintains that he was sleepwalking when he attacked and killed Meghan
‘He is going to live the rest of his life with the pain and regret and remorse that at his hands, his sister is no longer here,’ Rucker said.
‘The girl that he would wash windows with and ride the bus with, that he laughed with, that he giggled with. The one that he watched over, the one he loved.
‘He did it, he knows it. But he did not intentionally, knowingly, commit this act.’
Judge Danilo Lacayo will determine Benjamin’s punishment. In Texas, murder carries a prison sentence ranging from five to 99 years.
