A teenager from Katy, Texas, has spoken out after being convicted of fatally stabbing his twin sister while she slept, claiming he did so while ‘sleepwalking.’
Benjamin Elliott was sentenced to 15 years in prison in February for the 2021 killing of his sister Meghan. The tragic incident occurred when both siblings were 17 years old.
In the early hours of September 29, 2021, Elliott entered his sister’s bedroom holding a knife. Although he had entered her room many times before, this time he stabbed her in the neck while she slept. He then called 9-1-1 in shock, saying, “I just killed my sister,” and adding, “Oh my God … I thought it was a dream.”
For his parents, Kathy and Michael Elliott, the event was unimaginable: their daughter was dead, and their son—her twin and close friend—was accused of murder.
In an interview from prison with 48 Hours correspondent Erin Moriarty, Elliott maintained, “I would never have done that. I loved her … She was my best and closest friend.”
This sentiment was echoed by family friend Drue Whittecar, who noted, “He and Meghan are so close, you could never picture anything bad happening between them.” She added that Meghan often looked up to him and sought his presence when feeling uncomfortable.
Police found no evidence of any conflict between the siblings. This led investigators to focus on Elliott’s history of sleepwalking. Relatives recounted past incidents, such as one where he sleepwalked during a slumber party and was found eating a donut.
Dr. Jerald Simmons, a neurologist and sleep expert, was called to evaluate Elliott. Initially skeptical, Simmons conducted two sleep studies and found that the teenager rapidly entered a deep stage of sleep typically associated with sleepwalking. Simmons stated, “Ben definitely killed his sister. He did it, there’s no question. But … he didn’t do this voluntarily. There was no motivation.”
Elliott’s mother, Kathy, commented on the frightening nature of the revelation, saying, “It’s scary as hell. If that can happen to us, then that could happen to anybody with a sleep problem.”
However, not everyone was persuaded by Elliott’s explanation. Prosecutors highlighted inconsistencies in his account, including the fact that Meghan sustained two stab wounds, one of which was so deep it severed major arteries.