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48 Hours season 39 opens with The Boy Who Killed His Twin, the report on the 2021 death of 17-year-old Meghan Elliott and the case against her twin brother, Benjamin Elliott. The episode aired on Sep 27, 2025, and focuses on the events inside the family home, the investigation, the trial, and the outcome.
The episode continues to stream following its premiere, bringing new audiences to the season opener. Coverage of the episode renewed attention on the verdict and Benjamin’s current status.
48 Hours season 39: Where is Benjamin Elliott now?
Benjamin Elliott, now 21, is serving a 15-year sentence at the John B. Connally Unit in Karnes County, Texas. The sentence followed a 2025 guilty verdict for felony murder in his twin sister’s death. According to People.com, prosecutors asked for a longer term, and a judge set the punishment at 15 years.
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Parole eligibility is set for 2032, and an appeal is planned, as reported by CBS News. In a jailhouse interview, Benjamin maintained that the killing happened during a sleepwalking episode and said he never intended harm.
Also read: Mind of a Monster: Ted Bundy on ID - What gruesome facts emerged from audio archives?
The night of the killing
The stabbing occurred on Sep 29, 2021. At about 4:41 am, Benjamin called 911 and said, “I just killed my sister,” adding that he thought it was a dream. The call audio and a recorded police interview were featured in the report, with investigators noting that he was found attempting CPR when deputies arrived. CBS News reported these details and included the 911 audio and interview in the broadcast.
The knife was an Air Force survival knife given by his father earlier that day, a point that drew scrutiny at trial. Prosecutors alleged he had been awake before the attack and argued that two neck wounds and a blood pattern pointed to intent, including a claim that a pillow may have been used to cover Meghan’s face.
Per ABC13, the state argued that phone activity, the lack of blood spatter on walls, and the pillow supported their theory. Benjamin reportedly told police he placed a pillow to try to stop bleeding.
Defense lawyers presented a sleepwalking theory. A neurologist, Dr. Jerald Simmons, ran two sleep studies and said Benjamin quickly entered slow-wave sleep, the stage linked with parasomnia behaviors. The defense argued that a 24-minute window without phone activity matched a possible episode. CBS News reported the expert’s view, while noting that the state’s expert rejected the sleepwalking claim.
Trial outcome in 48 Hours season 39
A grand jury indicted Benjamin in April 2023. Trial began in February 2025. Both sides called sleep experts, and jurors heard the 911 call, the interview, and forensic testimony on wounds and blood evidence. After deliberations, the jury found him guilty.
The next day, the judge imposed a 15-year sentence. According to FOX26 Houston, jurors asked the court for leniency, and the judge cited the request along with Benjamin’s lack of a prior record.
48 Hours season 39: The Boy Who Killed His Twin streams on Paramount+, Roku Premium Channel, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, and fuboTV. 48 Hours season 39 is also offered as a digital purchase on Apple TV.
