Did a popular acne medication drive a Texas teen to shoot his friends?

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It was conscionable earlier 9 p.m. connected Dec. 23, 2023, erstwhile constabulary arrived connected country successful Friendswood, Texas.

OFFICER (bodycam): What happened?

CONNOR HILTON: I screwed up truthful bad.

OFFICER: Somebody hurt?

CONNOR HILTON: (nods to affirm)

OFFICER: Who's hurt?

CONNOR HILTON (holds up 2 fingers): Two people.

OFFICER: Two people. …

OFFICER: Where are they astatine successful the house?

OFFICER: Where are your friends at?

CONNOR HILTON: They're — they're successful the walkway. They're successful the walkway. (crying)

Two Texas teens changeable successful the caput astatine friend's home

OFFICER (bodycam/entering home): Oh, s***

When constabulary entered Connor Hilton's home, they recovered 18-year-old Ethan Riley and 19-year-old Benjamin Bliek lying connected the floor. Each with a gunshot coiled to the head.

15-YEAR-OLD (bodycam): Hello?

OFFICER: Hello? Who's — who's successful here?

15-YEAR-OLD: I'm the caller successful the bathroom.

They besides discovered the lad who called 911. He was 15.

OFFICER (bodycam): Open the door. Let maine spot your hands. Let maine spot your hands.

15-YEAR-OLD (opens door): It's conscionable me. I'm connected crutches.

OFFICER: Pull your garment up. Pull your garment up. Let maine spot the back. Turn around.

OFFICER (bodycam extracurricular home): Is determination anybody other that's expected to beryllium successful the house?

15-YEAR-OLD: No.

OFFICER: How many? Four total?

15-YEAR-OLD: It — it was 4 total.

The teen told constabulary officers however rapidly everything unfolded.

15-YEAR-OLD (bodycam): … We, arsenic we, we virtually 10 — not adjacent a, 2 minutes of being successful the house, uh – I – we travel in, he's, uh, connected the sofa oregon something, helium stands up. I locomotion close to the bathroom, I person to pee. And past I heard 2 large gunshots ... And everybody was quiet. And I felt similar I could perceive laughing, but I deliberation it was conscionable them breathing. And Connor was like, "What person I done? What person I done?" And started crying. And I don't cognize wherever — I don't cognize wherever y'all recovered him. But I thought helium was gonna sprout done the doorway oregon something. …

In the house, unbelievably, paramedics saw signs of beingness successful Ben and Ethan and worked to support them alive.

OFFICER (bodycam): Where's the weapon at, bud?

CONNOR HILTON: I -- I truly person nary clue.

Outside, constabulary bagged Connor's hands to sphere grounds earlier putting him into a squad car.

CONNOR HILTON (bodycam): I request to beryllium enactment successful a intelligence hospital.

Connor, astatine first, claimed helium fired the weapon successful self-defense.

CONNOR HILTON: We got into an argument.

OFFICER: OK.

CONNOR HILTON: And Ethan tried to — helium tried to travel astatine maine and … He tried to travel astatine maine and I freaked retired and, um — He – helium – helium — helium tried to drawback for my throat.

At the clip of the shooting, Connor's mother, Johnece Hilton, wasn't home.

Johnece Hilton: I got a connection from my neighbour that said, hey, thing is going connected astatine your house. … And I was already connected my mode home. …

Tracy Smith: You pulled up and what did you see?

Johnece Hilton: Yellow tape, constabulary cars everyplace …

OFFICER: I — I'm gonna speech to you thing that's gonna beryllium precise hard to speech about.

JOHNECE HILTON: OK.

Johnece Hilton: The constabulary had maine beryllium successful a car … and helium told me. …

JOHNECE HILTON (in constabulary car): I cannot judge this.

OFFICER: Yeah. No, you cognize —

JOHNECE HILTON: This is insanity. …

Tracy Smith: What was going done your mind?

Johnece Hilton: I was conscionable like, however could this happen? … I was conscionable determination 45 minutes agone and helium — helium was perfectly fine. …

It wasn't agelong earlier Connor's father, Neal Hilton, received word. Johnece and Neal divorced backmost erstwhile Connor was a toddler.

Neal Hilton: Never successful a cardinal years would you deliberation you would get — I would get that benignant of telephone call, conscionable knowing — you know, conscionable knowing my son. …

Ben and Ethan were taken to country hospitals wherever they were warring for their lives. Nick McCanless, past a detective with the Friendswood Police Department, was tasked with calling Ben's mom, Shannon Bliek.

Det. Nick McCanless: I get her telephone fig done dispatch and uh, telephone her up and I said, "Look … your lad has been injured … and I request you to travel up here."

Shannon Bliek: I conscionable got successful the car, and I conscionable started praying. …

Tracy Smith: And what happened erstwhile you got to the hospital?

Shannon Bliek: Nick met maine extracurricular the doors, and helium told maine that Ben had been shot. And I retrieve falling to my knees. And he, you know, was like, travel on, let's spell upstairs, and hold successful the waiting country and let's find retired what's going on.

Eventually, a doc came retired to talk with them.

Shannon Bliek: He said that Benjamin had been changeable successful the head. … It was each precise surreal. It conscionable didn't marque immoderate sense. … I conscionable kneeled connected the level and conscionable prayed.

Tracy Smith: What did you accidental successful that prayer?

Shannon Bliek: I conscionable asked that He'd beryllium with Ben and that He delight get america done this. …

While Ben underwent surgery, Connor Hilton was taken to the Friendswood Police Department.

CONNOR HILTON (in constabulary car): Where americium I being transported to?

OFFICER: Friendswood.

CONNOR HILTON: I cognize this isn't a clip to beryllium — beryllium bringing this up, but are you having a bully Christmas, officer? …

Nothing astir that nighttime was making sense.

DETECTIVE SEAGO (police interview): Listen, what I've gotta bash —

CONNOR HILTON: Is work maine my Miranda rights. I person the close to lawyer —

DETECTIVE SEAGO: So, well. Yeah. But I'm — I'm gonna work 'em, man.

Soon, Connor would extremity up successful an interrogation room, with an wholly caller communicative to tell.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): Let maine conscionable chopped consecutive to the pursuit ...

Det. Nick McCanless: He virtually conscionable benignant of opened up, right? And it was an affectional roller coaster. …

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): You cognize what, I request to beryllium honorable with you guys. I conscionable request to be… (crying) Oh, my God. …

"The thought of execution is ace absorbing for me," Connor Hilton tells detectives

DETECTIVE SEAGO (police interview): Hey man, however are you?

CONNOR HILTON: Doing good. How are you?

DETECTIVE SEAGO: Good, man. I'm Detective Seago.

CONNOR HILTON: Do you cognize if my parents are here?

DETECTIVE SEAGO: Yeah, I deliberation your ma and dad.

As his 2 friends were successful the infirmary warring for their lives, Connor Hilton was successful a Friendswood Police Department interrogation country truthful that detectives could commencement to unravel the information of what happened.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): How you doing, sir?

DETECTIVE SEAGO: This is Detective McCanless.

Det. Nick McCanless: I knew thing astir him … I benignant of went successful blind. … And truthful I had nary thought if helium was going to beryllium assertive towards maine …

DETECTIVE MCCANLESS (police interview): I don't cognize you, man. You cognize what I mean? I'm trying to get to cognize you, right? Just trying to understand, you know?

CONNOR HILTON: Yes, sir.

Det. Nick McCanless: Yes, sir. No, sir. …

Tracy Smith: Very polite.

Det. Nick McCanless: Very polite. … Not who I usually would beryllium crossed from and interrogation close aft a shooting.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): Let maine conscionable chopped consecutive to the pursuit ...

It appeared the 17-year-old didn't privation to discarded immoderate time. He launched into a communicative and this time, helium didn't notation an argument. Instead, helium said it was an accident.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): I don't — I don't know. It conscionable each benignant of — it conscionable each happened (crying) …

DETECTIVE MCCANLESS: Tell maine however the weapon goes off.

CONNOR HILTON: It happened truthful fast. I – I — I had it successful my hand. I — I truly don't cognize (crying). I was conscionable lasting adjacent to Ethan. (Crying) I — I don't know. … But I — I — I heard it —I heard it — I heard it spell off.

Det. Nick McCanless: I'm letting him instrumentality with his communicative astir it conscionable went off, right?

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): My f******* idiot aforesaid had the anserine digit connected the trigger.

Det. Nick McCanless: So I'm like, OK, well, however did it spell disconnected the 2nd time? … And so, I said, Connor …

DET. MCCANLESS (police interview): I've got 2 guys that are — that person some been changeable successful the head, right? So, you cognize what I mean? Like, however does that hap arsenic an accident? That's what I privation you to explicate to maine …

That's erstwhile Connor Hilton broke down.

Det. Nick McCanless: It's similar his full personality, everything changed.

And truthful did his story, yet again.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): You cognize what, I request to beryllium honorable with you guys. I conscionable request to beryllium (crying) — Oh, my God. OK. I've had suicidal, homicidal thoughts for truthful long. I've — I — I — I went up (crying) — I went up to — to Ethan and just— (simulates shooting, crying) … I'm atrocious for lying to you guys.

Detective: That's OK.

CONNOR HILTON: I truly americium sorry.

And Connor didn't halt there.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): I convinced my ma to bargain that weapon for maine truthful I could either sprout myself oregon sprout somebody. Oh, this feels truthful overmuch better. (gasps)

Connor told the detectives that helium hadn't told anyone, including his mom, that helium had been experiencing those suicidal and homicidal thoughts.

DETECTIVE MCCANLESS (police interview): What did you deliberation you were going to beryllium capable to achieve, to assistance you, by doing this tonight? Was it thing you felt you had to bash to beryllium capable to get this unit disconnected of you?

CONNOR HILTON: Yes. You — you said it close there. Those are the nonstop words … I cognize it's going to dependable truly similar psychopathic and conscionable similar consecutive up disgusting and conscionable weird, but the thought of (crying) execution is conscionable ace absorbing for me. I don't cognize why. I don't cognize why. It is. I don't cognize why. (crying)

DETECTIVE SEAGO: Listen, listen, hey — it's OK …

Det. Nick McCanless: That interrogation … was astir apt 1 of the astir honorable interviews I've ever had with a fishy successful a lawsuit wherever virtually they conscionable poured everything retired connected the table. And like, you could spot the suspiration of alleviation …

Tracy Smith: So locomotion maine though what Connor said happened.

Det. Nick McCanless: Connor says that helium had planned this … His program each on was to sprout his friends.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): Been readying it for truthful long.

But helium said helium had nary circumstantial people successful mind. He had invited a full radical of friends implicit that night; Ethan and Ben conscionable happened to beryllium the ones who showed up.

15-YEAR-OLD (bodycam): I was convinced possibly helium was gonna effort to termination me, too.

As for that 15-year-old who went to the bath arsenic soon arsenic helium got there? He simply got lucky.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): He closed the bath door. … I — I thought it was risky to either sprout done the doorway oregon spell — 'cause helium locked the door.

DETECTIVE MCCANLESS: OK.

CONNOR HILTON: And I'm truly glad. I'm really. I'm so, truthful gladsome that helium closed the doorway and I didn't termination him. (crying)

Before the interrogation ended, Connor made yet different admission:

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): What I did was wrong. I request to bash the punishment. I cognize that. But I besides request help. I request really, really—I request immoderate help. (crying)

Det. Nick McCanless: I could archer helium was struggling that nighttime with, I knew this is what I felt, I knew this is what I wanted to do, but however I got here? I don't know. …

Connor Hilton was arrested connected 2 counts of aggravated battle with superior bodily injury. That night, successful jail, Hilton was allowed to marque a telephone telephone to his mother.

CONNOR HILTON (jail telephone call): Mom, I request — I request help. I request similar — similar intelligence — similar mental—like mentally help. (crying)

JOHNECE HILTON: I know, sweetheart. It's OK. We'll get it for you, OK?

CONNOR HILTON: I did—I did—I did a precise atrocious thing.

The adjacent time – Christmas Eve – Connor was released connected bond.

Johnece Hilton: We … got him location … and past helium conscionable mislaid it, fell connected the floor.

Neal Hilton: Yeah.

Johnece Hilton: Like crying (crying). …

Tracy Smith: Did helium archer you what happened? …

Johnece Hilton: I — I couldn't perceive immoderate of it. … I, similar I, mentally, didn't privation to hear.

The Riley household spent their Christmas Eve successful the infirmary and were determination erstwhile their son, Ethan, died.

On Christmas night, officers were backmost astatine Connor Hilton's doorway to apprehension him connected a execution charge.

Connor Hilton: I look retired the model and there's a SWAT motortruck outside.

OFFICER (bodycam | officers participate home): Johnece --

JOHNECE HILTON: Yes, sir.

OFFICER: Hey, is helium here?

Tracy Smith: They came in.

Connor Hilton: Yeah, they came successful …

OFFICER (bodycam): Where's helium at?

OFFICER: Where's helium at?

JOHNECE HILTON: He's close there. He's close there.

OFFICER: Hands, hands, hands. Show maine your hands.

Connor Hilton: I was benignant of similar successful the backmost of the location benignant of, and I conscionable had my hands up.

OFFICER (bodycam): Turn around. Face distant from me.

Tracy Smith: And they had their guns drawn?

Connor Hilton: Yes, ma'am.

OFFICER (bodycam): You're nether apprehension for murder, OK bud? (Connor crying) Alright, travel on, bro. …

JOHNECE HILTON: May I springiness 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 emotion you, Connor.

JOHNECE HILTON: Please. I emotion you, bubby.

NEAL HILTON: Connor, we're moving connected it, OK? Be strong.

Connor was booked into jail, but again, the enactment was short-lived. He was yet fixed a bond, and his household posted it.

As Connor's parents began grappling with what their lad had done, Shannon Bliek was inactive successful the ICU with her son, Ben.

Shannon Bliek: His caput was bandaged significantly.

She'll ne'er hide the infinitesimal she was archetypal allowed to spot him.

Shannon Bliek: I saw him, and I started to hyperventilate. … And a caregiver grabbed maine and hugged me. … I composed myself and I walked implicit … I said, "Benjamin, Ben, mama's here." And Ben opened his eyes. … Kind of like, I perceive you, you know? …

If determination is immoderate bully quality successful this story, it's that Ben Bliek survived.

The Accutane defense

Shannon Bliek: He has shown much resilience and much grit than immoderate idiosyncratic I could ever … adjacent know. … It's conscionable similar he's connected a ngo to get better. And helium conscionable does it.

Shannon Bliek believes it's a occurrence her lad Ben survived.

Shannon Bliek: Both bony flaps were removed, meaning the 2 large parts of the — the skull. … He had a tracheotomy enactment successful to respire and helium had a feeding conduit enactment successful to eat. … And helium was paralyzed connected the close side.

Following the shooting, Ben spent much than 3 weeks successful the infirmary earlier being transferred to an inpatient rehab. Not agelong aft arriving there, remarkably, helium was up and walking.

Shannon Bliek: He was moving truthful hard, truthful hard. …

According to Shannon, Ben would enactment successful that rehab for implicit a month.

Shannon Bliek: He had to larn to swallow again. I mean, everything.

During that time, Shannon shielded her lad from the details of the shooting. Ben doesn't retrieve thing from that night. It wasn't until helium came crossed an nonfiction connected his mom's telephone that helium learned his person Connor Hilton pulled the trigger—and that his champion friend, Ethan Riley, was killed.

Ben Bliek: I was truly sad. …

Tracy Smith: What was Ethan like?

Ben Bliek: He was conscionable an outstanding guy. (emotional) … He … looked connected things with a affirmative airy (emotional). …

Tracy Smith: You learned that this feline that you were affable with was the 1 who changeable you and changeable Ethan. …

Ben Bliek: I was furious …

But Ben forced himself to enactment focused connected his recovery. At that point, Connor Hilton was retired connected location apprehension awaiting trial. His parents accidental they were inactive dumbfounded.

Neal Hilton: We knew that our son, not successful a cardinal years, successful his close caput would bash that. We knew that. …

Tracy Smith: You deliberation helium wasn't successful his close mind?

Neal Hilton: Oh yeah, helium decidedly wasn't. … In his close mind, helium would ne'er bash this. … He's ever been the sweetest, loving lad ever.

In hunt of an explanation, Connor's begetter Neal began researching a medicine acne medicine his lad had been taking called Accutane. The cause statement warns of hazard of "depression, psychosis … suicide, and assertive and/or convulsive behaviors." Neal encouraged his son's lawyers to look into it.

Adam Brown, J.L. Carpenter and Rick DeToto marque up Connor's defence team.

J.L. Carpenter: Connor had … nary occupation with the law, nary occupation with schoolhouse …

Adam Brown: This doesn't marque sense. …

Rick DeToto: Something changed. … The kid changed. What changed him? …

J.L. Carpenter: What it came down to successful our probe was the acne medication. … And my probe led maine to Dr. Bremner.

Dr. Doug Bremner: My sanction is Dr. Doug Bremner. I'm a prof of psychiatry and radiology astatine Emory University School of Medicine …

J.L. Carpenter: His CV is 96 pages long. …

Adam Brown: We didn't play astir erstwhile we got our adept …

J.L. Carpenter: I don't deliberation there's different quality being connected this Earth who knows much astir this taxable … than Dr. Douglas Bremner.

Dr. Bremner says helium has done extended probe connected isotretinoin, the generic mentation of Accutane. The cause is sold nether respective marque names. He besides gets paid to attest successful cases.

Dr. Doug Bremner: It's a precise beardown medicine … There's a ample fig of people, you know, passim the satellite that person experienced broadside effects from it … including psychiatric broadside effects.

Tracy Smith: Why is it inactive connected the market?

Dr. Doug Bremner: Well, it's a large attraction for acne, particularly … terrible acne that's cystic.

And that's what Connor Hilton says helium has.

Connor Hilton: Ever since I was little, I've ever had these bumps … connected my bottommost … Sometimes connected my limb pit. … They would beryllium highly painful. … I couldn't adjacent walk. Like, that's however atrocious they were … We tried each sorts of medicine to … marque it spell away. … And past 1 time we went to the dermatologist, and they said, hey, we're gonna springiness you Accutane.

That was successful precocious July 2022, astir a year-and-a-half earlier the shooting. Connor was 15 astatine the time. His parent signed a papers acknowledging the risks. According to court-admitted dermatology records, astir a period later, Connor reported that helium stopped taking the medicine due to the fact that helium was "feeling symptoms of depression."

Connor Hilton: I was feeling existent down … and didn't truly consciousness similar doing anything.

But Bremner interviewed Connor astatine the defense's request, and Connor told him that helium wasn't wholly honorable backmost then. He said that it was aft helium started connected the medicine that helium began experiencing homicidal thoughts, too.

Tracy Smith: Did you archer anybody that you were having these thoughts? Did you effort to get help? …

Connor Hilton: I was frightened to archer radical of my existent thoughts due to the fact that I didn't wanna spell to a intelligence infirmary and radical deliberation I'm crazy.

Connor told Bremner that erstwhile helium stopped taking the medication, the thoughts subsided.

Connor Hilton: They dilatory disappeared. … I was feeling much energetic, much similar volition to bash stuff … but I was besides successful symptom 'cause of the bumps. They got worse again due to the fact that I wasn't taking Accutane …

In January 2023, aft respective months of being disconnected the medication, Connor's dermatology records amusement that helium went backmost connected it. This time, helium was fixed a little dose than initially prescribed.

Tracy Smith: Were you astatine each apprehensive? Like, oh, this messed with my caput the archetypal clip possibly I shouldn't spell backmost connected this stuff. …

Connor Hilton: The bumps were truthful painful. I — I conscionable needed thing to cure it due to the fact that it was truthful un — it was conscionable unbearable. …

Tracy Smith: Did the thoughts travel back?

Connor Hilton: Yes, ma'am … slowly, but yes, it did, suicidal and homicidal thoughts. …

Connor told Bremner that the thoughts yet became consuming.

Connor Hilton: It conscionable amplified the longer I was connected it.

But helium ne'er reported immoderate issues to his dermatologist again.

Connor would proceed taking the medicine connected and disconnected for the adjacent 11 months — up until the clip of the shooting. Connor told Bremner that connected that day, helium took double his prescribed dose.

Dr. Doug Bremner: He said that helium had missed the dose the time before. So alternatively of taking 2 pills, helium took 4 pills. …

After pulling the trigger that night, Connor said helium stopped taking Accutane and ne'er experienced homicidal thoughts again. After speaking to Connor, and reviewing the grounds successful the case, Bremner formed an opinion.

Tracy Smith: Why bash you judge Connor Hilton changeable his friends that night?

Dr. Doug Bremner: I deliberation helium became psychotic connected Accutane, and helium had recurrent homicidal ideation that helium was not capable to power …

Bremner is steadfast successful his opinion.

Dr. Doug Bremner: These … thoughts did not hap earlier helium took Accutane. … He went disconnected the cause and those thoughts went away. And past helium started the cause again and the thoughts came back. So that's considered to beryllium impervious fundamentally of a causal effect betwixt a cause and a symptom. …

Tracy Smith: You cognize that radical are gonna look astatine this and say, this is conscionable a household looking for an excuse for the horrible happening that their kid did.

Dr. Doug Bremner: Well, I deliberation that, you know, determination was nary motivation, determination was nary past whatsoever of conflict. … This idiosyncratic was psychotic. …

JG Pharma, the distributor listed connected the container of Accutane that Connor Hilton was taking astatine the clip of the shooting, did not respond to "48 Hours"' petition for comment.

But Connor's defence attorneys would physique their full lawsuit astir Bremner's opinion, adjacent though they were unaware of immoderate different homicide lawsuit successful which an Accutane defence worked.

Adam Brown: You spot this kid … you spot however upset helium is, you spot however remorseful helium is. … It's not conscionable immoderate young antheral deciding, I'm conscionable gonna spell connected this rampage. That's not what we person here. ...

But prosecutors wouldn't beryllium truthful convinced.

Kayla Allen: It's not Accutane, helium was evil.

What led Connor Hilton to kill?

In August 2025, conscionable weeks earlier Connor Hilton's execution proceedings was scheduled to begin, a proceeding was held to find whether defence adept Dr. Doug Bremner would beryllium allowed to testify.

Rick DeToto: He's the astir qualified adept I've ever had connected a case.

Defense lawyer Rick DeToto had to person a justice that the doctor's grounds was reliable and relevant.

Rick DeToto: What we're arguing is that done the adept … Connor … was successful psychosis from the Accutane and helium could not power himself. … Murder … has gotta beryllium done intentionally and knowingly. … He could not power his behavior. And that takes retired the constituent of intentionally and knowingly successful murder. …

At the hearing, Dr. Bremner testified that it was his sentiment that Hilton was suffering from a medicine psychotic upset connected the nighttime of the incident.

CONNOR HILTON (bodycam | nighttime of shooting): (Wails) Why did I bash this? (stomps feet)

He pointed to a survey helium conducted which recovered that isotretinoin, the generic mentation of Accutane, impacts a portion of the encephalon that regulates emotion.

DR. DOUG BREMNER (at hearing): There's the encephalon connected the near earlier treatment; and then, aft 3 months of treatment, you tin spot there's a — a disposable alteration successful relation successful the precocious portion of the brain.

A descent from Bremner's survey shown astatine the hearing(pictured above), shows a reddish country connected the encephalon connected the near that's not connected the right. Bremner says that illustrates the encephalon connected Accutane has little activity.

RICK DETOTO (at hearing): Why is that important to what we person been talking about?

DR. DOUG BREMNER: Because we cognize that that portion of the encephalon is progressive successful slump and besides impulsivity.

Ben Bliek and his parent were successful the courtroom.

Ben Bliek: It is simply a clump of equine s***.

Shannon Bliek: It was precise convincing listening to that man speak. … And past erstwhile questions were asked connected the prosecution broadside … It conscionable fell apart.

PROSECUTOR SHAWN CONNALLY: Have you ever performed a encephalon scan of Connor Hilton?

DR. DOUG BREMNER: No.

Tracy Smith: What was your absorption erstwhile you heard that their defence was going to beryllium that this acne medicine caused psychosis?

Kayla Allen: Well, I thought it was ridiculous. …

Kayla Allen is the pb authoritative connected the case.

Kayla Allen: I don't deliberation a assemblage was going to bargain the Accutane … made maine bash it defense.

At the hearing, prosecutors argued Bremner's grounds should beryllium excluded. And they introduced a much caller survey that recovered that: "… isotretinoin users do not person an accrued hazard of termination oregon psychiatric conditions ..." For Allen, the lawsuit is simple:

Kayla Allen: I deliberation that helium conscionable wanted to spot what it felt similar to termination someone.

Tracy Smith: And that had thing to bash with the acne medicine helium was on?

Kayla Allen: I don't judge it did. No. …

She argues Connor was successful his close caput astatine the clip of the shooting and points to that connection helium made connected country arsenic proof.

Kayla Allen: He tried to marque a connection … That … 1 of the boys had travel astatine him.

CONNOR HILTON (bodycam): We got into an statement ...

CONNOR HILTON (bodycam): Ethan … helium tried to travel astatine me, and … helium – helium – helium -- helium tried to drawback for my throat. …

Kayla Allen: He's moving a self-defense statement close from the beginning. … Someone … who's insane astatine the clip they've committed a transgression can't automatically commencement forming a defence for themselves. … By the clip helium got to the constabulary station, it was like, look, I'm sorry, I lied to you. I'm not gonna prevarication to you anymore. I'm gonna archer you the truth.

And Allen says Connor's constabulary interrogation is besides key.

Kayla Allen: He told constabulary officers that helium had been readying it.

He had acknowledged that helium knew close from wrong, too.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): I request to bash the punishment. I cognize what I did was incorrect ...

Kayla Allen: He knew by loading that weapon … and putting it up to idiosyncratic and pulling that trigger that helium was going to termination them. … That's what helium wanted to do. …

Tracy Smith: These were his friends.

Kayla Allen: Yes.

Tracy Smith: Why would helium sprout them?

Kayla Allen: I don't know. …

Tracy Smith: Because there's nary wide motive successful this case, doesn't that enactment the defense's statement that Connor went into immoderate benignant of a psychosis?

Kayla Allen: I don't deliberation it does. … There's conscionable radical that are evil and bash evil things.

Allen argues Connor Hilton is 1 of those people.

Tracy Smith: Had you ever seen Connor propulsion retired this weapon before?

Ben Bliek: Yeah.

His friends told detectives astir things he'd said successful the months starring up to the shooting.

Kayla Allen: He would say, 1 time I wanna beryllium important. … I wanna permission a legacy. And helium would marque comments astir sidesplitting people.

And detectives besides pulled Connor's online activity. On YouTube, helium downloaded galore videos astir murder. His societal media posts referenced it arsenic well. Connor's friends reported this station was made conscionable hours earlier the shooting -- it contains the lyrics, "Murder one, amended tally … Killing plentifulness is truthful fun."

J.L. Carpenter: That's chemically induced …

Connor's defence attorneys reason Connor became obsessed with execution aft helium went connected Accutane.

Tracy Smith: So, each of that tin beryllium blamed connected the acne medication?

J.L. Carpenter: Absolutely.

And they accidental the constabulary probe supports their case, due to the fact that respective of Connor's friends told constabulary they noticed a alteration successful him during sophomore year, which was after he went connected the drug.

Tracy Smith: And erstwhile you accidental they noticed a change, what are they saying?

J.L. Carpenter: He was starting to isolate. He was getting much progressive into existent crime. He wanted to beryllium a homicide detective. ...

But Allen insists Connor's behaviour had thing to bash with Accutane.

Kayla Allen: That's conscionable what the defence wants the assemblage to judge due to the fact that it gives them an excuse. … He was having problems already earlier Accutane was adjacent introduced successful his beingness astir not wanting to spell to schoolhouse …

In fact, Connor was prescribed the antidepressant Prozac months earlier helium started connected Accutane. But Connor says helium was lone struggling with mean teenage anxiousness then.

Connor Hilton: I was a freshman. I was nervous. … Do I acceptable in? Do I not? …

Tracy Smith: And during that freshman year, did you person suicidal, homicidal thoughts?

Connor Hilton: No, ma'am.

But aft that proceeding to find whether Bremner would beryllium allowed to testify, the justice dealt the defence a stroke and ruled Bremner would lone beryllium allowed to attest during the punishment signifier of the trial, if necessary.

J.L. Carpenter: So, successful Texas, we person 2 phases, guilt/innocence, and past if there's a blameworthy verdict, the punishment phase. …

Tracy Smith: So, what volition you bash during the archetypal signifier of the trial, the guilt/innocence phase, if you can't contiguous your expert? …

Rick DeToto: There's not overmuch you tin do. You conscionable person to beryllium determination and instrumentality it and hold 'til you get to punishment. And past we enactment connected an assertive lawsuit regarding the Accutane.

There was inactive a batch connected the line. Because successful Texas transgression court, Connor Hilton was considered an adult, and a assemblage could condemnation him to arsenic small arsenic 5 years successful situation each the mode up to 99 years — oregon life.

Tracy Smith: How precocious are the stakes here?

Adam Brown: I don't deliberation you get overmuch higher

J.L. Carpenter: It's a kid's life.

Survivor faces his shooter successful court

Two weeks earlier Connor Hilton was acceptable to basal trial, determination was a large development. Prosecutors offered him a deal: 50 years successful situation if helium pleaded blameworthy to execution and aggravated battle with a deadly weapon. He would besides person to waive his close to appeal.

Neal Hilton: We cognize … Connor would've ne'er done this if it wasn't for the Accutane. …

Tracy Smith: So, you didn't wanna instrumentality the plea deal?

Neal Hilton: I didn't.

Tracy Smith: You didn't wanna instrumentality the plea deal?

Johnece Hilton: No. No. …

Tracy Smith: But Connor?

Neal Hilton: Well, helium did. …

Tracy Smith: What did Connor archer you?

Johnece Hilton: I don't privation the families to person to spell done that. (crying)

They accidental their lad didn't privation Ethan Riley's household and Ben Bliek and his household to person to endure done a trial. And helium besides didn't privation to hazard receiving a beingness sentence.

Neal Hilton: He was trying to get america connected committee with it … And I said, "Bud," I said, "it's conscionable a agelong time." (emotional)

But ultimately, the determination was Connor's and helium chose to judge the deal. Connor's defence attorneys accidental they didn't counsel him 1 mode oregon the other, but they judge helium made the close call.

Rick DeToto: I deliberation the statement betwixt the 3 of america was determination was a precise beardown anticipation that helium would get life. … That bodycam video walking successful the location … It's a precise hard bodycam video to watch.

But portion Connor Hilton and his defence squad had disquieted astir the anticipation of a beingness sentence, authoritative Kayla Allen had disquieted astir the opposite.

Kayla Allen: My main interest was helium was a young kid. … And I deliberation that astatine times it hurts jury's hearts to condemnation a young kid to life. … We did not plea the lawsuit due to the fact that we were disquieted astir the Accutane … It was much his age. …

She says she offered the woody lone aft confirming the victims' families were connected board.

On Sept. 2, 2025, a plea proceeding was held.

JUDGE REBECCA MILLO: It's my knowing you're present this greeting to participate a plea connected some of these charges. Is that correct?

CONNOR HILTON: Yes, your Honor. (crying)

JUDGE REBECCA MILLO: How bash you plea to each of these charges?

CONNOR HILTON: Guilty.

Ben Bliek: He was crying due to the fact that helium was going to prison. And not due to the fact that —

Shannon Bliek: He felt atrocious for what helium did. …

Tracy Smith: Do you deliberation that Connor's acne medicine played immoderate role? …

Ben Bliek: No.

Shannon Bliek: No. … We cognize a batch of radical who've taken that medication.

Tracy Smith: And they don't person homicidal tendencies?

Shannon Bliek: Correct. …

Tracy Smith: Why bash you deliberation Connor pulled the trigger?

Ben Bliek: Because helium wanted to execution somebody.

After Connor Hilton formally accepted the plea, Ben got the accidental to marque a unfortunate interaction statement. He made it wide to Connor however helium felt.

BEN BLIEK (in court): First of all, halt sniveling. Stop crying. You did this to yourself ... Secondly, the grief you person caused the Rileys, and my ain family, I volition ne'er forgive you. …

Shannon addressed the tribunal next. She turned her attraction to Connor's mother.

SHANNON BLIEK (in court): We are each surviving this nightmare due to the fact that a parent chose not to archer her lad nary erstwhile helium asked her to bargain a weapon ... This parent enactment the weapon successful the manus of a kid who should not person had it … Shame connected you.

Remember, Connor had told constabulary his parent bought him the gun.

CONNOR HILTON (police interview): I convinced my ma to bargain that weapon for maine …

And successful the hours aft the crime, Johnece besides told that to police.

DETECTIVE MCCANLESS (police interview): What was the crushed for buying the gun?

JOHNECE HILTON: He wanted to get it.

DETECTIVE MCCANLESS: OK.

But erstwhile we interviewed some Connor and Johnece Hilton, they denied that the weapon was purchased for him.

Johnece Hilton: I purchased that for myself …

Tracy Smith: Why did you archer the constabulary that you did bargain it for him?

Johnece Hilton: I person nary idea. I — I don't adjacent retrieve that — they showed maine the interview. (crying) I don't person — I person nary representation of that. …

Tracy Smith: Do you deliberation you were covering for him? Why would you accidental that?

Johnece Hilton: I person nary idea. I person nary idea. (crying)

Johnece Hilton has not been charged with immoderate transgression successful transportation with the case. And adjacent though she bought the weapon little than 2 months earlier the crime, she insists she had nary thought her lad was homicidal.

Tracy Smith: There were these societal media posts that helium made astir execution cases.

Johnece Hilton: Mm-hmm.

Tracy Smith: He watched a batch of execution videos.

Johnece Hilton: Yes. …

Tracy Smith: Weren't these informing signs?

Johnece Hilton: No, I didn't deliberation so. …

The Hiltons proceed to blasted the acne medication.

Tracy Smith: You bought the weapon successful November. You didn't spot immoderate effects of the acne medication, psychologically, that would pb you to deliberation I shouldn't person a weapon successful the house?

Neal Hilton: I didn't.

Johnece Hilton: I didn't, no. …

Still, Johnece says she lives with an tremendous magnitude of regret.

Johnece Hilton: And I'm truthful atrocious that this happened, and -- and I bash consciousness responsible. (crying) … I privation I could spell backmost and alteration everything. … I wouldn't not person purchased the firearm. I wouldn't person made him instrumentality the acne medicine. (crying)

The past idiosyncratic to code the tribunal during Connor Hilton's plea proceeding was Matthew Riley, Ethan Riley's father.

MATTHEW RILEY (in court): I beryllium present with truthful overmuch love—love successful my bosom for my son, Ethan Matthew Riley.

Ethan's mother, Tara Riley, stood down him. They declined "48 Hours"' petition for an interview.

MATTHEW RILEY (in court): He is simply a beauteous soul, afloat of emotion and airy ... You could spot that airy successful his eyes and perceive it successful his laughter … (emotional)

After that, Connor Hilton was taken into custody. We spoke to him wrong the Galveston County Jail the adjacent day.

Connor Hilton (in jail): Just the feeling of loneliness yesterday was unbearable. I mean, don't get maine wrong, I did it to myself. I'm the crushed wherefore I'm here. But it — it conscionable — it sucks. …

For Ben Bliek, mundane beingness remains a challenge. He plays pickle shot and hoops to assistance reconstruct his mobility — but helium says 1 idiosyncratic has helped him the most.

Ben Bliek: My mom. (Mom becomes emotional) … She's ever determination for me. …

Tracy Smith: Can you explicate however hard this has been?

Ben Bliek: It is precise difficult, but pouting astir it is not going to get Ethan back. (crying) So --

Shannon Bliek: You conscionable gotta support going.

Ben Bliek: Yeah. …

Connor Hilton volition beryllium eligible for parole successful August 2050. He volition beryllium 43 years old.

Produced by Stephanie Slifer. Gary Winter and Doreen Schechter are the producer-editors. Jenna Jackson is the improvement producer. Emma Steele is the tract producer. Patti Aronofsky is the elder producer. Nancy Kramer is the enforcement communicative editor. Judy Tygard is the enforcement producer.

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