It was simply earlier than 9 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2023, when police arrived on scene in Friendswood, Texas.
OFFICER (bodycam): What occurred?
CONNOR HILTON: I screwed up so unhealthy.
OFFICER: Anyone harm?
CONNOR HILTON: (nods to affirm)
OFFICER: Who’s harm?
CONNOR HILTON (holds up two fingers): Two folks.
OFFICER: Two folks. …
OFFICER: The place are they at in the home?
OFFICER: The place are your folks at?
CONNOR HILTON: They’re — they’re within the walkway. They’re within the walkway. (crying)
Two Texas teenagers shot within the head at their good friend’s house
OFFICER (bodycam/getting into house): Oh, s***
When police entered Connor Hilton’s house, they discovered 18-year-old Ethan Riley and 19-year-old Benjamin Bliek mendacity on the ground. Every with a gunshot wound to the top.
15-YEAR-OLD (bodycam): Good day?
OFFICER: Good day? Who’s — who’s in right here?
15-YEAR-OLD: I am the caller within the rest room.
Additionally they found the boy who referred to as 911. He was 15.
OFFICER (bodycam): Open the door. Let me see your arms. Let me see your arms.
15-YEAR-OLD (opens door): It is simply me. I am on crutches.
OFFICER: Pull your shirt up. Pull your shirt up. Let me see the again. Flip round.
OFFICER (bodycam exterior house): Is there anyone else that is purported to be in the home?
15-YEAR-OLD: No.
OFFICER: What number of? 4 whole?
15-YEAR-OLD: It — it was 4 whole.
The teenager advised cops how rapidly every thing unfolded.
15-YEAR-OLD (bodycam): … We, as we, we actually 10 — not even a, two minutes of being in the home, uh – I – we are available, he is, uh, on the sofa or one thing, he stands up. I stroll proper to the lavatory, I’ve to pee. After which I heard two loud gunshots … And all people was quiet. And I felt like I might hear laughing, however I believe it was simply them respiration. And Connor was like, “What have I carried out? What have I carried out?” And began crying. And I do not know the place — I do not know the place y’all discovered him. However I believed he was gonna shoot by means of the door or one thing. …
In the home, unbelievably, paramedics noticed indicators of life in Ben and Ethan and labored to maintain them alive.
OFFICER (bodycam): The place’s the gun at, bud?
CONNOR HILTON: I — I actually haven’t any clue.
Exterior, police bagged Connor’s arms to protect proof earlier than placing him right into a squad automotive.
CONNOR HILTON (bodycam): I have to be put in a psychological hospital.
Connor, at first, claimed he fired the gun in self-defense.
CONNOR HILTON: We bought into an argument.
OFFICER: OK.
CONNOR HILTON: And Ethan tried to — he tried to come back at me and … He tried to come back at me and I freaked out and, um — He – he – he — he tried to seize for my throat.
On the time of the taking pictures, Connor’s mom, Johnece Hilton, wasn’t house.
Johnece Hilton: I bought a message from my neighbor that stated, hey, one thing is occurring at your own home. … And I used to be already on my means house. …
Tracy Smith: You pulled up and what did you see?
Johnece Hilton: Yellow tape, police automobiles all over the place …
OFFICER: I — I am gonna speak to you one thing that is gonna be very exhausting to speak about.
JOHNECE HILTON: OK.
Johnece Hilton: The police had me sit in a automotive … and he advised me. …
JOHNECE HILTON (in police automotive): I can not consider this.
OFFICER: Yeah. No, you recognize —
JOHNECE HILTON: That is madness. …
Tracy Smith: What was going by means of your thoughts?
Johnece Hilton: I used to be identical to, how might this occur? … I used to be simply there 45 minutes in the past and he — he was completely tremendous. …
It wasn’t lengthy earlier than Connor’s father, Neal Hilton, acquired phrase. Johnece and Neal divorced again when Connor was a toddler.
Neal Hilton: By no means in 1,000,000 years would you suppose you’ll get — I’d get that sort of cellphone name, simply realizing — you recognize, simply realizing my son. …
Ben and Ethan had been taken to space hospitals the place they had been combating for his or her lives. Nick McCanless, then a detective with the Friendswood Police Division, was tasked with calling Ben’s mother, Shannon Bliek.
Det. Nick McCanless: I get her cellphone quantity by means of dispatch and uh, name her up and I stated, “Look … your son has been injured … and I would like you to come back up right here.”
Shannon Bliek: I simply bought within the automotive, and I simply began praying. …
Tracy Smith: And what occurred whenever you bought to the hospital?
Shannon Bliek: Nick met me exterior the doorways, and he advised me that Ben had been shot. And I bear in mind falling to my knees. And he, you recognize, was like, come on, let’s go upstairs, and wait within the ready room and let’s discover out what is going on on.
Ultimately, a health care provider got here out to talk with them.
Shannon Bliek: He stated that Benjamin had been shot within the head. … It was all very surreal. It simply did not make any sense. … I simply kneeled on the ground and simply prayed.
Tracy Smith: What did you say in that prayer?
Shannon Bliek: I simply requested that He’d be with Ben and that He please get us by means of this. …
Whereas Ben underwent surgical procedure, Connor Hilton was taken to the Friendswood Police Division.
CONNOR HILTON (in police automotive): The place am I being transported to?
OFFICER: Friendswood.
CONNOR HILTON: I do know this is not a time to be — be bringing this up, however are you having a superb Christmas, officer? …
Nothing about that evening was making sense.
DETECTIVE SEAGO (police interview): Pay attention, what I’ve gotta do —
CONNOR HILTON: Is learn me my Miranda rights. I’ve the fitting to legal professional —
DETECTIVE SEAGO: So, nicely. Yeah. However I am — I am gonna learn ’em, man.
Quickly, Connor would find yourself in an interrogation room, with a completely new story to inform.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): Let me simply lower straight to the chase …
Det. Nick McCanless: He actually simply sort of opened up, proper? And it was an emotional curler coaster. …
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): what, I have to be trustworthy with you guys. I simply have to be… (crying) Oh, my God. …
“The thought of homicide is tremendous fascinating for me,” Connor Hilton tells detectives
DETECTIVE SEAGO (police interview): Hey man, how are you?
CONNOR HILTON: Doing good. How are you?
DETECTIVE SEAGO: Good, man. I am Detective Seago.
CONNOR HILTON: Have you learnt if my mother and father are right here?
DETECTIVE SEAGO: Yeah, I believe your mother and pop.
As his two associates had been within the hospital combating for his or her lives, Connor Hilton was in a Friendswood Police Division interrogation room in order that detectives might begin to unravel the reality of what occurred.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): The way you doing, sir?
DETECTIVE SEAGO: That is Detective McCanless.
Det. Nick McCanless: I knew nothing about him … I sort of went in blind. … And so I had no thought if he was going to be aggressive in direction of me …
DETECTIVE MCCANLESS (police interview): I do not know you, man. what I imply? I am attempting to get to know you, proper? Simply attempting to know, you recognize?
CONNOR HILTON: Sure, sir.
Det. Nick McCanless: Sure, sir. No, sir. …
Tracy Smith: Very well mannered.
Det. Nick McCanless: Very well mannered. … Not who I usually would sit throughout from and interview proper after a taking pictures.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): Let me simply lower straight to the chase …
It appeared the 17-year-old did not wish to waste any time. He launched right into a story and this time, he did not point out an argument. As a substitute, he stated it was an accident.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): I do not — I do not know. It simply all sort of — it simply all occurred (crying) …
DETECTIVE MCCANLESS: Inform me how the gun goes off.
CONNOR HILTON: It occurred so quick. I – I — I had it in my hand. I — I actually do not know (crying). I used to be simply standing subsequent to Ethan. (Crying) I — I do not know. … However I — I — I heard it —I heard it — I heard it go off.
Det. Nick McCanless: I am letting him stick together with his story about it simply went off, proper?
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): My f******* fool self had the silly finger on the set off.
Det. Nick McCanless: So I am like, OK, nicely, how did it go off the second time? … And so, I stated, Connor …
DET. MCCANLESS (police interview): I’ve bought two guys which might be — which have each been shot within the head, proper? So, you recognize what I imply? Like, how does that occur as an accident? That is what I need you to elucidate to me …
That is when Connor Hilton broke down.
Det. Nick McCanless: It is like his complete persona, every thing modified.
And so did his story, but once more.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): what, I have to be trustworthy with you guys. I simply have to be (crying) — Oh, my God. OK. I’ve had suicidal, homicidal ideas for thus lengthy. I’ve — I — I — I went up (crying) — I went as much as — to Ethan and simply— (simulates taking pictures, crying) … I am sorry for mendacity to you guys.
Detective: That is OK.
CONNOR HILTON: I actually am sorry.
And Connor did not cease there.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): I satisfied my mother to purchase that gun for me so I might both shoot myself or shoot someone. Oh, this feels so significantly better. (gasps)
Connor advised the detectives that he hadn’t advised anybody, together with his mother, that he had been experiencing these suicidal and homicidal ideas.
DETECTIVE MCCANLESS (police interview): What did you suppose you had been going to have the ability to obtain, that will help you, by doing this tonight? Was it one thing you felt you needed to do to have the ability to get this strain off of you?
CONNOR HILTON: Sure. You — you stated it proper there. These are the precise phrases … I do know it’ll sound actually like psychopathic and identical to straight up disgusting and simply bizarre, however the thought of (crying) homicide is simply tremendous fascinating for me. I do not know why. I do not know why. It’s. I do not know why. (crying)
DETECTIVE SEAGO: Pay attention, pay attention, hey — it is OK …
Det. Nick McCanless: That interview … was most likely one of the trustworthy interviews I’ve ever had with a suspect in a case the place actually they simply poured every thing out on the desk. And like, you could possibly see the sigh of reduction …
Tracy Smith: So stroll me although what Connor stated occurred.
Det. Nick McCanless: Connor says that he had deliberate this … His plan all alongside was to shoot his associates.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): Been planning it for thus lengthy.
However he stated he had no particular goal in thoughts. He had invited a complete group of associates over that evening; Ethan and Ben simply occurred to be those who confirmed up.
15-YEAR-OLD (bodycam): I used to be satisfied perhaps he was gonna attempt to kill me, too.
As for that 15-year-old who went to the lavatory as quickly as he bought there? He merely bought fortunate.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): He closed the lavatory door. … I — I believed it was dangerous to both shoot by means of the door or go — ‘trigger he locked the door.
DETECTIVE MCCANLESS: OK.
CONNOR HILTON: And I am actually glad. I am actually. I am so, so glad that he closed the door and I did not kill him. (crying)
Earlier than the interview ended, Connor made yet one more admission:
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): What I did was mistaken. I have to do the punishment. I do know that. However I additionally need assistance. I would like actually, actually—I would like some assist. (crying)
Det. Nick McCanless: I might inform he was struggling that evening with, I knew that is what I felt, I knew that is what I wished to do, however how I bought right here? I do not know. …
Connor Hilton was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault with critical bodily damage. That evening, in jail, Hilton was allowed to make a cellphone name to his mom.
CONNOR HILTON (jail cellphone name): Mother, I would like — I need assistance. I would like like — like psychological — like psychological—like mentally assist. (crying)
JOHNECE HILTON: I do know, sweetheart. It is OK. We’ll get it for you, OK?
CONNOR HILTON: I did—I did—I did a really unhealthy factor.
The subsequent day – Christmas Eve – Connor was launched on bond.
Johnece Hilton: We … bought him house … after which he simply misplaced it, fell on the ground.
Neal Hilton: Yeah.
Johnece Hilton: Like crying (crying). …
Tracy Smith: Did he let you know what occurred? …
Johnece Hilton: I — I could not hear any of it. … I, like I, mentally, did not wish to hear.
The Riley household spent their Christmas Eve within the hospital and had been there when their son, Ethan, died.
On Christmas evening, officers had been again at Connor Hilton’s door to arrest him on a homicide cost.
Connor Hilton: I look out the window and there is a SWAT truck exterior.
OFFICER (bodycam | officers enter house): Johnece —
JOHNECE HILTON: Sure, sir.
OFFICER: Hey, is he right here?
Tracy Smith: They got here in.
Connor Hilton: Yeah, they got here in …
OFFICER (bodycam): The place’s he at?
OFFICER: The place’s he at?
JOHNECE HILTON: He is proper there. He is proper there.
OFFICER: Arms, arms, arms. Present me your arms.
Connor Hilton: I used to be sort of like at the back of the home form of, and I simply had my arms up.
OFFICER (bodycam): Flip round. Face away from me.
Tracy Smith: They usually had their weapons drawn?
Connor Hilton: Sure, ma’am.
OFFICER (bodycam): You are below arrest for homicide, OK bud? (Connor crying) Alright, come on, bro. …
JOHNECE HILTON: Might I give him a hug?
OFFICER: No.
JOHNECE HILTON: No hugs?
OFFICER: No hugs.
NEAL HILTON: Connor —
OFFICER: Go. Let’s go.
NEAL HILTON: No hug? Hey, we love you, Connor.
JOHNECE HILTON: Please. I like you, bubby.
NEAL HILTON: Connor, we’re engaged on it, OK? Be robust.
Connor was booked into jail, however once more, the keep was short-lived. He was ultimately given a bond, and his household posted it.
As Connor’s mother and father started grappling with what their son had carried out, Shannon Bliek was nonetheless within the ICU along with her son, Ben.
Shannon Bliek: His head was bandaged considerably.
She’ll always remember the second she was first allowed to see him.
Shannon Bliek: I noticed him, and I began to hyperventilate. … And a nurse grabbed me and hugged me. … I composed myself and I walked over … I stated, “Benjamin, Ben, mama’s right here.” And Ben opened his eyes. … Form of like, I hear you, you recognize? …
If there may be any excellent news on this story, it is that Ben Bliek survived.
The Accutane protection
Shannon Bliek: He has proven extra resilience and extra grit than any particular person I might ever … even know. … It is identical to he is on a mission to get higher. And he simply does it.
Shannon Bliek believes it is a miracle her son Ben survived.
Shannon Bliek: Each bone flaps had been eliminated, that means the 2 large elements of the — the cranium. … He had a tracheotomy put in to breathe and he had a feeding tube put in to eat. … And he was paralyzed on the fitting aspect.
Following the taking pictures, Ben spent greater than three weeks within the hospital earlier than being transferred to an inpatient rehab. Not lengthy after arriving there, remarkably, he was up and strolling.
Shannon Bliek: He was working so exhausting, so exhausting. …
In line with Shannon, Ben would keep in that rehab for over a month.
Shannon Bliek: He needed to study to swallow once more. I imply, every thing.
Throughout that point, Shannon shielded her son from the small print of the taking pictures. Ben does not bear in mind something from that evening. It wasn’t till he got here throughout an article on his mother’s cellphone that he discovered his good friend Connor Hilton pulled the set off—and that his finest good friend, Ethan Riley, was killed.
CBS Information 
Ben Bliek: I used to be actually unhappy. …
Tracy Smith: What was Ethan like?
Ben Bliek: He was simply an impressive man. (emotional) … He … seemed on issues with a optimistic gentle (emotional). …
Tracy Smith: You discovered that this man that you simply had been pleasant with was the one who shot you and shot Ethan. …
Ben Bliek: I used to be livid …
However Ben pressured himself to remain centered on his restoration. At that time, Connor Hilton was out on home arrest awaiting trial. His mother and father say they had been nonetheless dumbfounded.
Neal Hilton: We knew that our son, not in 1,000,000 years, in his proper thoughts would try this. We knew that. …
Tracy Smith: You suppose he wasn’t in his proper thoughts?
Neal Hilton: Oh yeah, he positively wasn’t. … In his proper thoughts, he would by no means do that. … He is all the time been the sweetest, loving boy ever.
In the hunt for an evidence, Connor’s father Neal started researching a prescription zits treatment his son had been taking referred to as Accutane. The drug label warns of danger of “melancholy, psychosis … suicide, and aggressive and/or violent behaviors.” Neal inspired his son’s legal professionals to look into it.
Alamy 
Adam Brown, J.L. Carpenter and Rick DeToto make up Connor’s protection staff.
J.L. Carpenter: Connor had … no bother with the regulation, no bother with faculty …
Adam Brown: This does not make sense. …
Rick DeToto: One thing modified. … The child modified. What modified him? …
J.L. Carpenter: What it got here right down to in our analysis was the zits treatment. … And my analysis led me to Dr. Bremner.
Dr. Doug Bremner: My identify is Dr. Doug Bremner. I am a professor of psychiatry and radiology at Emory College College of Drugs …
J.L. Carpenter: His CV is 96 pages lengthy. …
Adam Brown: We did not mess around after we bought our professional …
J.L. Carpenter: I do not suppose there’s one other human being on this Earth who is aware of extra about this subject … than Dr. Douglas Bremner.
Dr. Bremner says he has carried out intensive analysis on isotretinoin, the generic model of Accutane. The drug is bought below a number of model names. He additionally will get paid to testify in instances.
Dr. Doug Bremner: It is a very robust treatment … There’s numerous folks, you recognize, all through the world which have skilled unwanted side effects from it … together with psychiatric unwanted side effects.
Tracy Smith: Why is it nonetheless available on the market?
Dr. Doug Bremner: Nicely, it is an important therapy for zits, particularly … extreme zits that is cystic.
And that is what Connor Hilton says he has.
Connor Hilton: Ever since I used to be little, I’ve all the time had these bumps … on my backside … Typically on my arm pit. … They might be extraordinarily painful. … I could not even stroll. Like, that is how unhealthy they had been … We tried all kinds of drugs to … make it go away. … After which in the future we went to the dermatologist, and so they stated, hey, we’re gonna provide you with Accutane.
That was in late July 2022, a couple of year-and-a-half earlier than the taking pictures. Connor was 15 on the time. His mom signed a doc acknowledging the dangers. In line with court-admitted dermatology information, a couple of month later, Connor reported that he stopped taking the treatment as a result of he was “feeling signs of melancholy.”
Connor Hilton: I used to be feeling actual down … and did not actually really feel like doing something.
However Bremner interviewed Connor on the protection’s request, and Connor advised him that he wasn’t fully trustworthy again then. He stated that it was after he began on the treatment that he started experiencing homicidal ideas, too.
CBS Information 
Tracy Smith: Did you inform anyone that you simply had been having these ideas? Did you attempt to get assist? …
Connor Hilton: I used to be scared to inform folks of my precise ideas as a result of I did not wanna go to a psychological hospital and folks suppose I am loopy.
Connor advised Bremner that when he stopped taking the treatment, the ideas subsided.
Connor Hilton: They slowly disappeared. … I used to be feeling extra energetic, extra like will to do stuff … however I used to be additionally in ache ‘reason behind the bumps. They bought worse once more as a result of I wasn’t taking Accutane …
In January 2023, after a number of months of being off the treatment, Connor’s dermatology information present that he went again on it. This time, he was given a decrease dose than initially prescribed.
Tracy Smith: Have been you in any respect apprehensive? Like, oh, this messed with my thoughts the primary time perhaps I should not return on these things. …
Connor Hilton: The bumps had been so painful. I — I simply wanted one thing to remedy it as a result of it was so un — it was simply insufferable. …
Tracy Smith: Did the ideas come again?
Connor Hilton: Sure, ma’am … slowly, however sure, it did, suicidal and homicidal ideas. …
Connor advised Bremner that the ideas ultimately turned consuming.
Connor Hilton: It simply amplified the longer I used to be on it.
However he by no means reported any points to his dermatologist once more.
Connor would proceed taking the treatment on and off for the subsequent 11 months — up till the time of the taking pictures. Connor advised Bremner that on that day, he took double his prescribed dose.
Dr. Doug Bremner: He stated that he had missed the dose the day earlier than. So as an alternative of taking two tablets, he took 4 tablets. …
After pulling the set off that evening, Connor stated he stopped taking Accutane and by no means skilled homicidal ideas once more. After talking to Connor, and reviewing the proof within the case, Bremner shaped an opinion.
Tracy Smith: Why do you consider Connor Hilton shot his associates that evening?
Dr. Doug Bremner: I believe he turned psychotic on Accutane, and he had recurrent homicidal ideation that he was not capable of management …
Bremner is agency in his opinion.
Dr. Doug Bremner: These … ideas didn’t happen earlier than he took Accutane. … He went off the drug and people ideas went away. After which he began the drug once more and the ideas got here again. In order that’s thought-about to be proof principally of a causal impact between a drug and a symptom. …
Tracy Smith: that persons are gonna take a look at this and say, that is only a household on the lookout for an excuse for the horrible factor that their child did.
Dr. Doug Bremner: Nicely, I believe that, you recognize, there was no motivation, there was no historical past by any means of battle. … This particular person was psychotic. …
JG Pharma, the distributor listed on the field of Accutane that Connor Hilton was taking on the time of the taking pictures, didn’t reply to “48 Hours”‘ request for remark.
However Connor’s protection attorneys would construct their total case round Bremner’s opinion, though they had been unaware of every other murder case through which an Accutane protection labored.
Adam Brown: You see this child … you see how upset he’s, you see how remorseful he’s. … It is not just a few younger man deciding, I am simply gonna go on this rampage. That is not what we’ve got right here. …
However prosecutors would not be so satisfied.
Kayla Allen: It is not Accutane, he was evil.
What led Connor Hilton to kill?
In August 2025, simply weeks earlier than Connor Hilton’s homicide trial was scheduled to start, a listening to was held to find out whether or not protection professional Dr. Doug Bremner can be allowed to testify.
Rick DeToto: He is probably the most certified professional I’ve ever had on a case.
Protection legal professional Rick DeToto needed to persuade a choose that the physician’s testimony was dependable and related.
Rick DeToto: What we’re arguing is that by means of the professional … Connor … was in psychosis from the Accutane and he couldn’t management himself. … Homicide … has gotta be carried out deliberately and knowingly. … He couldn’t management his conduct. And that takes out the component of deliberately and knowingly in homicide. …
On the listening to, Dr. Bremner testified that it was his opinion that Hilton was affected by a medicine psychotic dysfunction on the evening of the incident.
CONNOR HILTON (bodycam | evening of taking pictures): (Wails) Why did I do that? (stomps ft)
He pointed to a examine he carried out which discovered that isotretinoin, the generic model of Accutane, impacts part of the mind that regulates emotion.
Dr. Douglas Bremner 
DR. DOUG BREMNER (at listening to): There’s the mind on the left earlier than therapy; after which, after three months of therapy, you may see there is a — a visual lower in operate within the higher a part of the mind.
A slide from Bremner’s examine proven on the listening to(pictured above), exhibits a reddish space on the mind on the left that is not on the fitting. Bremner says that illustrates the mind on Accutane has much less exercise.
RICK DETOTO (at listening to): Why is that necessary to what we’ve got been speaking about?
DR. DOUG BREMNER: As a result of we all know that that a part of the mind is concerned in melancholy and in addition impulsivity.
Ben Bliek and his mom had been within the courtroom.
Ben Bliek: It’s a bunch of horse s***.
Shannon Bliek: It was very convincing listening to that gentleman communicate. … After which as soon as questions had been requested on the prosecution aspect … It simply fell aside.
PROSECUTOR SHAWN CONNALLY: Have you ever ever carried out a mind scan of Connor Hilton?
DR. DOUG BREMNER: No.
Tracy Smith: What was your response whenever you heard that their protection was going to be that this zits treatment triggered psychosis?
Kayla Allen: Nicely, I believed it was ridiculous. …
Kayla Allen is the lead prosecutor on the case.
Kayla Allen: I do not suppose a jury was going to purchase the Accutane … made me do it protection.
On the listening to, prosecutors argued Bremner’s testimony must be excluded. They usually launched a more moderen examine that discovered that: “… isotretinoin customers do not have an elevated danger of suicide or psychiatric situations …” For Allen, the case is straightforward:
Kayla Allen: I believe that he simply wished to see what it felt wish to kill somebody.
Tracy Smith: And that had nothing to do with the zits treatment he was on?
Kayla Allen: I do not consider it did. No. …
She argues Connor was in his proper thoughts on the time of the taking pictures and factors to that assertion he made on scene as proof.
Kayla Allen: He tried to make an announcement … That … one of many boys had come at him.
CONNOR HILTON (bodycam): We bought into an argument …
CONNOR HILTON (bodycam): Ethan … he tried to come back at me, and … he — he — he — he tried to seize for my throat. …
Kayla Allen: He is working a self-defense argument proper from the start. … Somebody … who’s insane on the time they’ve dedicated a criminal offense cannot routinely begin forming a protection for themselves. … By the point he bought to the police station, it was like, look, I am sorry, I lied to you. I am not gonna mislead you anymore. I am gonna let you know the reality.
And Allen says Connor’s police interview can be key.
Kayla Allen: He advised cops that he had been planning it.
He had acknowledged that he knew proper from mistaken, too.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): I have to do the punishment. I do know what I did was mistaken …
Kayla Allen: He knew by loading that gun … and placing it as much as somebody and pulling that set off that he was going to kill them. … That is what he wished to do. …
Tracy Smith: These had been his associates.
Kayla Allen: Sure.
Tracy Smith: Why would he shoot them?
Kayla Allen: I do not know. …
Tracy Smith: As a result of there is no clear motive on this case, does not that assist the protection’s argument that Connor went into some form of a psychosis?
Kayla Allen: I do not suppose it does. … There’s simply folks which might be evil and do evil issues.
Allen argues Connor Hilton is a type of folks.
Tracy Smith: Had you ever seen Connor pull out this gun earlier than?
Ben Bliek: Yeah.
Neal Hilton 
His associates advised detectives about issues he’d stated within the months main as much as the taking pictures.
Kayla Allen: He would say, in the future I wanna be necessary. … I wanna go away a legacy. And he would make feedback about killing folks.
And detectives additionally pulled Connor’s on-line exercise. On YouTube, he downloaded quite a few movies about homicide. His social media posts referenced it as nicely. Connor’s associates reported this put up was made simply hours earlier than the taking pictures — it accommodates the lyrics, “Homicide one, higher run … Killing a lot is so enjoyable.”
J.L. Carpenter: That is chemically induced …
Connor’s protection attorneys argue Connor turned obsessive about homicide after he went on Accutane.
Tracy Smith: So, all of that may be blamed on the zits treatment?
J.L. Carpenter: Completely.
They usually say the police investigation helps their case, as a result of a number of of Connor’s associates advised police they observed a change in him throughout sophomore 12 months, which was after he went on the drug.
Tracy Smith: And whenever you say they observed a change, what are they saying?
J.L. Carpenter: He was beginning to isolate. He was getting extra concerned into true crime. He wished to be a murder detective. …
However Allen insists Connor’s conduct had nothing to do with Accutane.
Kayla Allen: That is simply what the protection needs the group to consider as a result of it provides them an excuse. … He was having issues already earlier than Accutane was even launched in his life about not eager to go to high school …
In truth, Connor was prescribed the antidepressant Prozac months earlier than he began on Accutane. However Connor says he was solely combating regular teenage anxiousness then.
Connor Hilton: I used to be a freshman. I used to be nervous. … Do I slot in? Do I not? …
Tracy Smith: And through that freshman 12 months, did you’ve got suicidal, homicidal ideas?
Connor Hilton: No, ma’am.
However after that listening to to find out whether or not Bremner can be allowed to testify, the choose dealt the protection a blow and dominated Bremner would solely be allowed to testify throughout the punishment part of the trial, if needed.
J.L. Carpenter: So, in Texas, we’ve got two phases, guilt/innocence, after which if there is a responsible verdict, the punishment part. …
Tracy Smith: So, what is going to you do throughout the first part of the trial, the guilt/innocence part, if you cannot current your professional? …
Rick DeToto: There’s not a lot you are able to do. You simply have to sit down there and take it and wait ’til you get to punishment. After which we placed on an aggressive case relating to the Accutane.
There was nonetheless rather a lot on the road. As a result of in Texas prison court docket, Connor Hilton was thought-about an grownup, and a jury might sentence him to as little as 5 years in jail all the way in which as much as 99 years — or life.
Tracy Smith: How excessive are the stakes right here?
Adam Brown: I do not suppose you get a lot increased
J.L. Carpenter: It is a child’s life.
Survivor faces his shooter in court docket
Two weeks earlier than Connor Hilton was set to face trial, there was a giant improvement. Prosecutors provided him a deal: 50 years in jail if he pleaded responsible to homicide and aggravated assault with a lethal weapon. He would additionally should waive his proper to enchantment.
Neal Hilton: We all know … Connor would’ve by no means carried out this if it wasn’t for the Accutane. …
Tracy Smith: So, you did not wanna take the plea deal?
Neal Hilton: I did not.
Tracy Smith: You did not wanna take the plea deal?
Johnece Hilton: No. No. …
Tracy Smith: However Connor?
Neal Hilton: Nicely, he did. …
Tracy Smith: What did Connor let you know?
Johnece Hilton: I do not need the households to should undergo that. (crying)
They are saying their son did not need Ethan Riley’s household and Ben Bliek and his household to should endure by means of a trial. And he additionally did not wish to danger receiving a life sentence.
Neal Hilton: He was attempting to get us on board with it … And I stated, “Bud,” I stated, “it is simply a very long time.” (emotional)
However in the end, the choice was Connor’s and he selected to just accept the deal. Connor’s protection attorneys say they did not counsel him someway, however they consider he made the fitting name.
Rick DeToto: I believe the consensus between the three of us was there was a really robust risk that he would get life. … That bodycam video strolling in the home … It is a very troublesome bodycam video to look at.
However whereas Connor Hilton and his protection staff had nervous about the potential of a life sentence, prosecutor Kayla Allen had nervous concerning the reverse.
Kayla Allen: My fundamental concern was he was a younger child. … And I believe that at instances it hurts jury’s hearts to condemn a younger child to life. … We didn’t plea the case as a result of we had been nervous concerning the Accutane … It was extra his age. …
She says she provided the deal solely after confirming the victims’ households had been on board.
On Sept. 2, 2025, a plea listening to was held.
JUDGE REBECCA MILLO: It is my understanding you are right here this morning to enter a plea on each of those expenses. Is that right?
CONNOR HILTON: Sure, your Honor. (crying)
JUDGE REBECCA MILLO: How do you plea to every of those expenses?
CONNOR HILTON: Responsible.
CBS Information 
Ben Bliek: He was crying as a result of he was going to jail. And never as a result of —
Shannon Bliek: He felt unhealthy for what he did. …
Tracy Smith: Do you suppose that Connor’s zits treatment performed any function? …
Ben Bliek: No.
Shannon Bliek: No. … We all know lots of people who’ve taken that treatment.
Tracy Smith: They usually haven’t got homicidal tendencies?
Shannon Bliek: Right. …
Tracy Smith: Why do you suppose Connor pulled the set off?
Ben Bliek: As a result of he wished to homicide someone.
After Connor Hilton formally accepted the plea, Ben bought the prospect to make a sufferer impression assertion. He made it clear to Connor how he felt.
CBS Information 
BEN BLIEK (in court docket): Initially, cease sniveling. Cease crying. You probably did this to your self … Secondly, the grief you’ve got triggered the Rileys, and my family, I’ll by no means forgive you. …
Shannon addressed the court docket subsequent. She turned her consideration to Connor’s mom.
SHANNON BLIEK (in court docket): We’re all residing this nightmare as a result of a mom selected to not inform her son no when he requested her to purchase a gun … This mom put the gun within the hand of a kid who mustn’t have had it … Disgrace on you.
Bear in mind, Connor had advised police his mom purchased him the gun.
CONNOR HILTON (police interview): I satisfied my mother to purchase that gun for me …
And within the hours after the crime, Johnece additionally advised that to police.
DETECTIVE MCCANLESS (police interview): What was causing shopping for the gun?
JOHNECE HILTON: He wished to get it.
DETECTIVE MCCANLESS: OK.
However after we interviewed each Connor and Johnece Hilton, they denied that the gun was bought for him.
Johnece Hilton: I bought that for myself …
Tracy Smith: Why did you inform the police that you simply did purchase it for him?
Johnece Hilton: I do not know. I — I do not even do not forget that — they confirmed me the interview. (crying) I haven’t got — I’ve no reminiscence of that. …
Tracy Smith: Do you suppose you had been overlaying for him? Why would you say that?
Johnece Hilton: I do not know. I do not know. (crying)
Johnece Hilton has not been charged with any crime in reference to the case. And though she purchased the gun lower than two months earlier than the crime, she insists she had no thought her son was homicidal.
Tracy Smith: There have been these social media posts that he made about homicide instances.
Johnece Hilton: Mm-hmm.
Tracy Smith: He watched numerous homicide movies.
Johnece Hilton: Sure. …
Tracy Smith: Weren’t these warning indicators?
Johnece Hilton: No, I did not suppose so. …
The Hiltons proceed guilty the zits treatment.
Tracy Smith: You obtain the gun in November. You did not see any results of the zits treatment, psychologically, that will lead you to suppose I should not have a gun in the home?
Neal Hilton: I did not.
Johnece Hilton: I did not, no. …
Nonetheless, Johnece says she lives with an unlimited quantity of remorse.
Johnece Hilton: And I am so sorry that this occurred, and — and I do really feel accountable. (crying) … I want I might return and alter every thing. … I would not not have bought the firearm. I would not have made him take the zits drugs. (crying)
The final particular person to handle the court docket throughout Connor Hilton’s plea listening to was Matthew Riley, Ethan Riley’s father.
MATTHEW RILEY (in court docket): I sit right here with a lot love—love in my coronary heart for my son, Ethan Matthew Riley.
Ethan’s mom, Tara Riley, stood behind him. They declined “48 Hours”‘ request for an interview.
Ethan Riley obituary 
MATTHEW RILEY (in court docket): He’s a lovely soul, full of affection and lightweight … You may see that gentle in his eyes and listen to it in his laughter … (emotional)
After that, Connor Hilton was taken into custody. We spoke to him contained in the Galveston County Jail the subsequent day.
Connor Hilton (in jail): Simply the sensation of loneliness yesterday was insufferable. I imply, do not get me mistaken, I did it to myself. I am the explanation why I am right here. However it — it simply — it sucks. …
CBS Information 
For Ben Bliek, on a regular basis life stays a problem. He performs pickle ball and basketball to assist restore his mobility — however he says one particular person has helped him probably the most.
Ben Bliek: My mother. (Mother turns into emotional) … She’s all the time there for me. …
Tracy Smith: Are you able to clarify how troublesome this has been?
Ben Bliek: It is rather troublesome, however pouting about it’s not going to get Ethan again. (crying) So —
Shannon Bliek: You simply gotta maintain going.
Ben Bliek: Yeah. …
Connor Hilton can be eligible for parole in August 2050. He can be 43 years outdated.
Produced by Stephanie Slifer. Gary Winter and Doreen Schechter are the producer-editors. Jenna Jackson is the event producer. Emma Steele is the sector producer. Patti Aronofsky is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the chief story editor. Judy Tygard is the chief producer.
