When two teenagers were found shot in the head at close range inside a La Salle Street home in Friendswood, Texas, on the evening of December 23, 2023, it left the entire community shaken to the core. The triggerman was their friend and the resident of the place, then 17-year-old Connor Lynn Hilton, who had invited them over mere hours prior for a casual hangout during the holiday break. This case has since been explored in detail in CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Rx Defense,’ even featuring exclusive interviews from attorneys, police officials, the assailant himself, and both his parents.
Connor Hilton Shot Two Friends Without Provocation
Born in 2006 into a loving, supportive home helmed by Johnece and Neal Hilton, Connor Hilton reportedly grew up surrounded by care, comfort, as well as coziness to a large extent. He never had any behavioural or disciplinary issues, as per his mother in the aforementioned original, nor did he have a temper because his natural personality was “very mild” and “laidback.” Therefore, by the time late 2023 rolled around, he was a typical teenager, enjoying his senior year of high school with friends while also continuing to hone his skills in his beloved sport of basketball.
It wasn’t strange when Connor invited friends over to his La Salle Street home on the evening of December 23, 2023, but what followed was when he grabbed the firearm his mother had purchased. According to court records, the 17-year-old suddenly shot 18-year-old Ethan Riley and 19-year-old Benjamin “Ben” Bliek in the head without any provocation before walking out of the room. Another friend immediately dialled 911 to report the ordeal and identify the shooter, only for the latter to be the first person officials encountered upon their arrival as he was sitting on the sidewalk.
Connor Hilton’s Team Maintains His Mental Health Played a Role in the Ordeal
Connor admitted to being the shooter while in tears, but it wasn’t until deputies saw the scene and realized the seriousness of the matter that he was detained before being formally arrested later. “I want to die,” he had wailed while being handcuffed. “I’m gonna die. I’m gonna – – … Why did I do this?,” which are similar to the sentiments he ex pressed during his interrogation at the local station. As per police records, the teenager had prayed while in the back of the cruiser by saying, “Dear God, I’m going to hell,” and then quickly declared, “I’m so evil,” to detectives upon questioning.
Connor reportedly also alleged that he had convinced his mother to buy him a gun because he had long-standing homicidal ideations. However, she later told the authorities she had bought it for personal protection. It was then that the teen stated he pulled the trigger on his two friends, alleging the prescribed medication he was on made him do it. His defense team sought to claim it was psychosis from his acne medication that made him do it. He was subsequently charged with one count of murder in connection with the death of 18-year-old Ethan Riley and one count of aggravated assault for the shooting of 19-year-old survivor Ben Bliek.
When the preliminary hearings for Connor’s case began, and his team put forth their defense of the shooting being the result of a “serious mental health” episode, the presiding judge shut it down. They ruled that psychosis could not be used as his legal defense during trial, owing to there being no direct evidence suggesting such a spell was a side effect of the acne medication in question. Nevertheless, since then, his attorneys as well as his parents have asserted that he did struggle with his mental health in the months preceding the whole ordeal — they claim he had severe anxiety and depression.
Connor Hilton is Currently Serving His Time in State Prison
Although Connor was charged with murder and aggravated assault, he was released in early January 2024 on a $1 million bond, but it was with several strict stipulations. His bail conditions made it clear that he was to remain under house arrest 24 hours a day while also having a GPS monitor strapped to his ankle — if he failed to abide, his bond would be revoked. These stipulations were to remain in effect until he stood trial, yet that never happened, as he agreed to a plea deal shortly after a judge tossed out his defense and less than a week before his trial was to commence. It was on September 2, 2025, that Connor pleaded guilty to one count each of murder and aggravated assault.
According to records, Connor was sentenced to 50 years for murder and 20 years for aggravated assault, to run concurrently. Furthermore, he will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years. Today, at the age of 19, he is incarcerated at the maximum-security George Beto Unit in unincorporated Anderson County, Texas, where he is expected to remain until at least August 22, 2050. However, if he is denied parole, he will only be released on August 22, 2075. Ethan’s family has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Connor and his mother, seeking over $1 million in damages and exemplary damages. The civil trial for the same commenced on February 3, 2026, and further claims regarding the convict’s mental health have come to light from a testimony given by his mother.
Johnece testified that her son struggled with anxiety and depression to such an extent in the months preceding the shooting that she even purchased marijuana for him under the belief it would soothe him. She also asserted he was on prescribed medications and that she had bought the gun used in the shooting for personal protection and to practice at a firing range. However, prosecutors introduced evidence of texts between the mother-son duo indicating Connor had told his mother the specific gun he wanted, and that was indeed the murder weapon.
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