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Why did a Texas brother fatally stab his twin sister?

September 26, 2025 / 04:01

This episode of 48 Hours covers the trial of Texas teenager Benjamin Elliot, who is charged with the murder of his twin sister, Megan. The defense argues that Benjamin was sleepwalking during the incident, while the prosecution contends that there is no evidence of a motive or prior issues between the siblings.

On September 29, 2021, Benjamin called 911 after the stabbing, claiming he thought it was a dream. His parents were shocked, unable to comprehend why their son would harm his sister. Prosecutor Megan Long stated that there was no evidence of any problems between the twins.

Dr. Gerald Simmons, a sleep disorder expert, testified that sleepwalking is a real condition and could lead to actions taken while asleep. However, the prosecution remained skeptical, noting that while sleepwalking can occur, it is rare for someone to commit a crime in that state.

The episode raises questions about the nature of sleepwalking and its implications in legal defenses, highlighting the complexities of this tragic case.

TLDR

Texas teen Benjamin Elliot claims sleepwalking defense in twin sister's murder trial, raising questions about motives and sleep disorders.

Episode

4:01
00:00:00
This week on season on the season premiere of 48 hours, a Texas teenager is charged in the deadly stabbing of his
00:00:06
twin sister. At his trial, attorneys for the 17-year-old, his name is Benjamin Elliot. They said he was sleepwalking
00:00:13
when he killed her. But would a jury believe it? Here's an early look at Aaron Morardi's 48 hours report.
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[Music] In the early morning hours of September 29th, 2021, Texas teenager Benjamin Elliot was on
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his phone calling 911. >> County, no more. What's the location of your emergency?
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>> I just killed my sister. Oh my god. >> Okay, tell me exactly what happened. >> I thought it was a dream. I I took my
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wife and I stabbed her. I don't want her to die. >> How old is she? >> 17. We're twins.
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>> We're going to have to start CPR right now. >> Where's your son? >> Okay. Okay. We got it. EMS is coming.
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>> One, two, three. >> Arriving paramedics and police took control of the scene.
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>> What happened, son? >> It was a dream. >> He said it was a dream. Honey, >> what the
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>> Benjamin's parents could not imagine why their son would hurt his twin sister.
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Even prosecutor Megan Long found no motive. >> Were you able to find any evidence that
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there was a problem with these twins? >> No, we definitely looked into it and tried.
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>> This is the first study that we did. >> Benjamin's attorneys asked Dr. Gerald
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Simmons, a sleep disorder expert, to examine Benjamin. We have a video of him right here.
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>> Oh, there he is. And got an answer. You are convinced this was a sleepwalking
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incident? >> Yes. >> Prosecutors disagreed. >> I wouldn't say that it's impossible for
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someone to commit a crime while sleepwalking. I just don't think that was the case with Benjamin Elliot.
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>> Benjamin was charged with intentionally murdering his twin sister, Megan. >> What makes you so sure that you stabbed
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your sister while you were sleepwalking? I would never have done that. I loved her. She was my best and closest friend.
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>> This is so tragic and shocking. Erin Morardi joins us now. We have so many questions.
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>> First, how common is sleepwalking and has that ever been used successfully as
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a defense? >> Well, sleepwalking is far more common than I ever guess. It is actually a
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sleep disorder. You could actually eat while you're sleeping, too. Um, and the prosecutor in this case was a
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sleepwalker. Her children had actually been sleepwalkers. Some of the jurors had been sleepwalkers and new people.
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So, it's very it's common. >> It's not so common to commit a crime while you're sleepwalking, but it has
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been used successfully as a defense. There's one is hard to take super seriously. In the sunset, a man says he
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he got in a car, he drove, attacked his his mother-in-law, >> killed her, and was acquitted by the
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jury um because he successfully argued that he was sleepwalking at the time. >> My middle son, Nehemiah, who's now 19,
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he would climb out of his top bunk, go down the little ladder, and walk all the way downstairs. So, it it it happened in
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my family. I know sleepwalking is real. Yes. The >> question I have is, was there any
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evidence of any type of tension between the brother and sister? >> That was the most troubling thing for
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me. Now, I happen to be a twin and of course I can't imagine ever hurting my twin sister, but there was absolutely no
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evidence. They spent all their time in the phones. There's no emails. There's no texts. Nobody came forward with any
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evidence. So, it's just such a mystery and so puzzling. >> So tragic. >> All right, Aaron Morati, thank you so
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much. I'll be watching this and you can watch Aaron's 48 hours report. The boy who killed his twin.

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 80
    Most shocking
  • 80
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  • 75
    Most heartbreaking
  • 75
    Biggest twist

Episode Highlights

  • The Tragic Case of Benjamin Elliot
    A Texas teenager is charged with the murder of his twin sister, claiming sleepwalking as a defense.
    “I just killed my sister.”
    @ 00m 26s
    September 26, 2025
  • Sleepwalking Defense in Court
    Experts discuss the rarity and implications of using sleepwalking as a legal defense.
    “It's not so common to commit a crime while you're sleepwalking.”
    @ 02m 52s
    September 26, 2025

Episode Quotes

  • I just killed my sister.
    Why did a Texas brother fatally stab his twin sister?
  • I thought it was a dream.
    Why did a Texas brother fatally stab his twin sister?
  • It's just such a mystery and so puzzling.
    Why did a Texas brother fatally stab his twin sister?

Key Moments

  • 911 Call00:26
  • Claim of Sleepwalking00:41
  • No Evidence of Tension03:39
  • Mystery of the Incident03:46

Tension Over Time

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown