Transcription
You are about to see Johnny's Hilton find out that her son, 17-year-old Connor Hilton, just shot his two best friends in the head.
"I, I'm going to talk to you something that's going to be very hard to talk about. And I have your son in the backseat of the patrol car because he's indicated to us that he took two people's lives today in your house."
"I cannot believe this. This is insanity."
But the details of this tragedy only get wilder. While Connor unloaded his weapon on two of his friends, a third friend heard everything after locking himself in the bathroom about five feet away.
"Hello."
"Hello. Who's, who's in here?"
"Bathroom. Open the door. Let me see your hands. It's just me. I'm Crushes."
After making sure the surviving friend wasn't hiding any weapons, the officers escorted him outside to take his statement.
"As we literally, ten, not even a two minutes of being in the house, uh, I, we come in, he's, uh, on the couch or something. He stands up. I walk right to the bathroom. I have to pee. And then I heard two long, loud gunshots. And everybody was quiet. And I, I felt like I could hear laughing, but I think it was just them breathing. And Connor was like, 'What have I done? What have I done?' And started crying. And I don't know where, I don't know where y'all found him, but I thought he was going to shoot through the door or something. And Connor was like, 'What have I done? What have I done?'"
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this case is that the shooter, Connor Hilton, had no motive and no history of violence whatsoever. Even when the officers first arrived on the scene, Connor was waiting outside for them and seemed mortified by his own actions.
"I screwed it out so bad."
"Somebody hurt."
"Who's hurt?"
"People, teenage males."
"Okay. Okay. I think they're deceased."
"Just going to detain people. Okay."
"They're walking."
"Where's the gun at? I, I really am this way. I need to be put in a mental hospital."
"Dear God."
"I'm going to hell."
As Connor waited in the cruiser by himself, it was obvious that he felt remorseful. But as soon as the officer got into the car with him, his tone suddenly changed.
"Where are we being transported to?"
"Friendly. I know this isn't a time to be bringing this up, but, uh, are you having a good Christmas, officer?"
After just a few minutes, he started to talk about the shooting, only to claim that he opened fire out of self-defense.
"We got into an argument. Okay, Ethan, he tried to come at me, and he tried to come at me, and I freaked out, and he, he tried to, tried to grab my throat."
What Connor just said was that during the few minutes that he and his friends were at his house, one of the victims, 18-year-old Ethan Riley, started an argument with him. Ethan then became physical with Connor and attempted to choke him. So, Connor freaked out and opened fire, hitting both Ethan and the other victim, 19-year-old Benjamin Bleak.
But there was one problem. This story didn't align with the evidence at all. Not only were there no signs of a struggle, but the witness who called 911 didn't see or hear any arguments break out. This seemed like a desperate attempt from Connor to justify his actions.
When Connor arrived at the police station, one of the detectives was already there, ready to swab Connor's hands for evidence.
"Hey man, how are you?"
"I'm doing good. Okay, you know my go."
He was then brought into an interrogation room for questioning.
"Listen, what I got to do..."
"...is read me my Miranda rights. I have the right to attorney."
"Well, yeah, but I want, I'm going to read them, man."
As they got into the questions, Connor began panicking, so they did their best to calm him down.
"Hey, listen to me, brother. Take some deep breaths. Okay."
"I don't know you, man. You know what I mean? I'm trying to get to know you, right? Just trying to understand, you know?"
"Yes, sir. You just got straight to the chase. I don't, I don't know. It just all go, and just my idiot self had this stupid finger on the tree."
For some reason, it seemed that Connor had forgotten the story that he gave in the back of the cruiser.
"He tried to come out here."
"I can't breathe."
This claim of self-defense was already hard to believe, but he eventually told the detectives a news story that sounded even more ridiculous.
"Tell me how the gun goes off. Why does it happen so fast? I, I, I had it in my hand. I, I really don't know. I, I, I was just standing next to Ethan. I, I don't know, but I, I heard, I heard it come up."
To paint a picture of Connor's second story: he is now saying that once he and his friends entered his house, he decided to show off his new gun when it unexpectedly fired. This story could explain how the first shot went off, but what about the second shot?
"I've got two guys that are, that have both been shot in the head, right? So, you know what I mean? Like, how does that happen as an accident? That's what I want you to explain to me."
With just a little bit of pushback from the detectives, Connor gave in and told them everything.
"You know what? I need to be honest with you guys. I just need to be... Oh my God. Okay, I've had homicidal thoughts for so long. I've, I went up to, I went up to, to Ethan and just..."
"I'm sorry for lying. You guys are really sorry. I know it's going to sound really like psychopathic and just like straight up disgusting. It's just weird, but the idea of murder is just super interesting for me. I don't know why. I don't know why. I don't know why."
"What did you think you were going to be able to achieve to help you by doing this tonight? Was it something you felt you had to do to be able to get this pressure off of you?"
"Yes, you, you said it right there. Those are the exact words."
As far as Connor could tell, there was no rhyme or reason for his urge to commit murder. That being said, the detectives wondered why he didn't try to kill his third friend, the one who was in the bathroom during the shooting.
"I think he closed the bathroom door. I thought it was risky to either shoot through the door or go 'cause he locked the door. Okay."
"I'm really glad. I'm really, I'm so, so glad that he closed the door and I didn't kill him. I'm so evil. I convinced my mom to buy that gun for me so I can shoot somebody. Oh, this feels so much."
In retrospect, Johnny's buying her mentally ill and underage son a firearm probably wasn't the best move. But according to her, she had no idea about her son's dangerous mental state and didn't see a problem with buying him a gun.
"What was the reason for buying a gun?"
"He wanted to get it."
However, the investigation would later show that Connor was seeing a psychiatrist for severe anxiety and other mental issues. Johnny's also allowed Connor to self-medicate at home with marijuana and alcohol, but this resulted in Connor forming dependencies on these substances.
Despite these factors, Connor's parents frequently took him to the gun range without asking his doctor if he was mentally fit to be handling weapons. On top of all of this, Connor slowly started isolating himself from his friend group and began posting videos of himself playing with firearms from his mom's safe. He became hyperfixated on true crime videos, sometimes saying that he wanted to become a homicide detective and other times saying that he wanted to kill people.
And just hours before the shooting, he posted a selfie on Instagram with the song, "Who is Freddy Dread playing in the background?" And the lyrics were about killing people. It was clear that Connor had an unhealthy obsession with the content he was consuming. And it seemed that Connor's parents didn't see his concerning behavior as a cry for help.
"What I did was wrong. I need to do the punishment. I know that. But I also need help."
"I need really, really, I need some help."
The interview was wrapped up, and Connor was escorted to a holding cell at the Friendswood Police Department. While he was in jail, he made a phone call to his mom, telling her the same things he told the detectives.
"I, I need, I need help."
"I know, sweetheart. It's okay. We'll get it for you. Okay."
"I did, I did, I did a very bad thing."
The next day, on Christmas Eve, his parents were able to post his $1 million bond, allowing him to spend Christmas Day at home, the same home where the shooting took place, at least until 6:00 p.m. when he was indicted for murder. And the police were back at his doorstep to arrest him.
"Somebody spotlight these windows!"
With their guns drawn, Friendswood police swarmed the home of a 17-year-old, now murder suspect.
"The Friendswood Police Department. We have a warrant. Come open the door now!"
Still no movement from inside the home. The officer gets back on the bullhorn.
"We have a warrant! Come to the door now!"
"Johnny, where's he at?"
"Where's he at?"
"There. He's right there. Hey, hands! Show me your hand! Turn around! Face away from me!"
"You're under arrest for murder. Okay."
"All right. Give him a hug."
"No hug."
"Hey, we love you, Connor. Connor, we're working on this. Okay."
"Be strong."
Connor was escorted to the back of a police cruiser yet again and sent back to jail. The next day, he pled not guilty to his charges. Another $1 million bond was set, this time with strict conditions, including 24-hour house arrest, a GPS monitor, surrendering his passport, no social media access, and no contact with the victim's families.
"Are you Connor's parents?"
"No, ma'am."
"Are you family members?"
"We are."
"Any comment about this these new charges?"
"Uh, I don't know anything about any new charges."
"He was charged with murder."
"Okay."
"Any comment on that?"
"That's not me. No comment. No, ma'am."
"What about his million-dollar bond? Do family members plan to bail him out this time?"
"No information on that, ma'am."
Once again, his family posted his bond within days, and he remained at home with his mom while awaiting his trial.
"I've met with, uh, him on multiple occasions, and he comes across as a very remorseful, we'll say, very, very remorseful young man, um, who is just kind of one of your typical 17-year-old high school students. So, it's, it was very shocking. We are just now getting the evidence in the case. Um, it really does, in my opinion, uh, support the idea that this was a very, very serious mental health episode that caused this."
While Connor's defense team started preparing for trial, his peers at Friendswood High School were still processing this tragic event.
"You see it everywhere on social media, on, on news articles. Everyone's talking about it."
Senior Alex Leondo says he knew victim Ethan Riley for years. This is a photo of the 18-year-old from a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for funeral expenses.
"I have him in my English class, and I'm just going to look around. It's just going to be an empty seat. It's, I don't think I'm ready for that."
Friendswood police say Riley was fatally shot last Saturday by 17-year-old Connor Hilton at his family's home here on Lasal Street.
"It's very tragic."
On August 25th, 2025, a hearing was held to decide whether or not the defense could introduce a certain witness during the trial, Dr. Doug Brenner. Dr. Brener is a professor of psychiatry and radiology at Emory University School of Medicine. His professional opinion was that at the time of the murder, Connor was in a state of psychosis due to his acne treatment.
This opinion was based on a study Dr. Brener conducted in 2005, which concluded that the chemical in Connor's acne treatment had major effects on the human brain.
"There's the brain on the left before treatment, and then after 3 months of treatment, you can see there's a, a visible decrease in function in the upper part of the brain. Why is that important royally involving?"
"Because we know that that part of the brain is involved in depression and also impulsivity."
Even right on the packaging, it mentions a possibility of psychosis and violent behavior. Apparently, Connor had used this treatment in the past, long before the shooting, but had to stop because it was affecting him emotionally. However, in January of 2023, one year before the shooting, he started using it again. The defense claimed that this was the start of his concerning behavior, and over time, the homicidal thoughts slowly set in.
Connor's history with his acne treatment, along with the fact that the prosecution couldn't pinpoint a motive, led Brener to believe that Connor was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time of the shooting.
However, the prosecution began questioning Dr. Brener, and it became clear that his opinion was based on generalities and possibilities, not Connor's personal experience.
"Said he was psychotic because he was taking the Accutane. I need you to draw a line and explain to me how Connor Hilton taking the Accutane made him insane at the time of the offense."
"Well, we know the Accutane can cause psychosis..."
"...in Connor Hilton..."
"...and that's what happened with him."
"Have you ever performed a brain scan of Connor Hilton?"
"No."
To discredit Dr. Dr. Brener's opinion even further, they pointed to a more recent study from November of 2023 that said Connor's acne treatment does not cause an increased risk of psychosis. They believed that Connor's state of mind was crystal clear based on his general wherewithal when the authorities arrived at the scene and his ability to tell right from wrong.
"Dear God, I'm going go now. I'm so evil."
It was up to the judge to decide what Dr. Brener's role would be in Connor's trial. It was determined that Dr. Brener was allowed to testify for the defense, but only during the penalty phase, which would only take place if Connor is found guilty.
"Basically, the judge has ruled that it's not admissible to determine whether or not Connor is guilty, but it should be admissible in terms of mitigation. Mitigation meaning trying to lower the punishment that the jury gives him potentially if he's found guilty in the case. While we respectfully disagree with the judge, um, she gave us a good hearing. She listened to the evidence and she formed her opinion. We respect that."
Connor's trial was just weeks away at this point, and without an expert witness to support their claims, there was a high chance that he would be found guilty and potentially spend the rest of his life in prison. So, just days later, Connor decided to take a plea deal.
"How do you plead to each of these charges?"
"Guilty."
The deal was that if Connor plead guilty to murder, he would only serve 50 years in prison, and he would be eligible for parole in just 25 years. The motivating factor above all was Connor. Connor wanted to plead guilty at that point. He didn't want the families to have to come down here and testify and go through everything that they would have to go through in a trial subject to cross-examination.
At the plea hearing, those affected by Connor's actions were given the opportunity to speak to him directly. The first person to take the stand was Benjamin Bleak, one of Connor's victims.
What we haven't told you up until this point is that both Ethan and Ben were actually clinging to life when the first responders arrived at Connor's house. They were rushed to the nearest ER, and although Ethan had ultimately succumbed to his gunshot wound, Ben made a miraculous recovery. He was paralyzed on the right side of his body. So, he spent over a month in physiotherapy, regaining his motor skills and physical strength. Eventually, he was able to walk, talk, and eat, but his memory from the night of the shooting never came back. He learned about the shooting and Ethan's death when he saw an online news article about it on his mom's phone. In Ben's own words, he was furious.
"First of all, stop snibbling! Stop crying! You did this to yourself! And secondly, the grief you have caused the Riley Leagues and my own family, I will never forgive you!"
After Ben's statement, his mom, Shannon Bleke, who was with Ben every step of the way throughout his recovery, got on the stand and scolded Connor's mom.
"We are all living this nightmare because a mother chose not to tell her son no when he asked her to buy a gun. Shame on you!"
Ethan's father also said his peace, reflecting on the wonderful person his son was.
"I sit here with so much love. Love in my heart for my son, Ethan Matthew Wright. He's a beautiful soul, full of love and light. You could see that light in his eyes, a light that will continue to overcome the darkness of your evil thoughts and actions. I'm going to close with the words that I shared at Ethan's funeral to our son and brother, Ethan Matthews. Riley: 'There are no words to express how much we love you. You are and always will be our beautiful son and brother, and the love of our lives. Our love and admiration for the person you are is immeasurable beyond words. So, until the time we can wrap our arms tightly around you, kissing your beautiful face, we will continue to hold you firmly in our hearts, wherever this earthly journey takes us.'"
Connor was sentenced to 50 years in prison for murder and aggravated assault, causing serious bodily harm. But this story doesn't end there.
After Connor's sentencing, Ethan Riley's parents filed a civil suit against Janice Hilton and won. A jury determined that Janice was negligent for buying Connor marijuana, hosting gatherings where alcohol was present for Connor and his friends, and purchasing a handgun for him, failing to recognize that he posed a potential danger to others.
Although Janice explicitly told the detectives that she had bought the handgun for Connor during her interview:
"What was the reason for buying the gun?"
"He wanted to get it."
She changed her story completely during her civil suit. Apparently, when she watched that part of her interview, she had no memory of it, and she claimed that she had actually bought the gun for herself, not for Connor. However, text messages exchanged between Connor and Janice showed that Connor had told her to buy the specific gun he wanted.
Ultimately, Ethan Riley's parents were awarded $60 million, but it is uncertain how much of that money the Riley's will be able to collect from Johnny's. Shortly after this decision, Johnny's Hilton sold her house and moved out of Friendswood.
As for Connor, he currently resides at the George Beo unit in Tennessee Colony, Texas, and will be eligible for parole in the year 2050.