Transcript

The Rx Defense | Full Episode

From 48 Hours · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 42 min · 4,958 words · 57 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "The Rx Defense | Full Episode", an episode of 48 Hours published February 13, 2026 (42 min, about 4,958 words). It mentions 13 people, works and ideas, including Connor Hilton, Accutane, Ethan Riley, Benjamin Bliek, Dr. Doug Bremner.

What this episode is about

The Rx Defense explores the shocking case of Connor, who confessed to murdering two friends, and delves into the complexities of his mental state at the time, suggesting that a common acne medication may have triggered a psychotic episode. The narrative unfolds through police interactions, emotional testimonies, and expert analysis to uncover the underlying reasons for Connor's violent actions.

Key takeaways

  • Innocent until proven guilty? More like 'mild-mannered until proven a murderer'—what a twist!
  • The unpredictability of violence: Connor's quiet demeanor masked horrors that unfolded in moments.
  • Psychosomatic parallels: Can acne meds really trigger a psychotic break? Welcome to the wild world of defense strategies.
  • The irony of friendship: Connor killed his closest allies, leaving 'good friend' echoes hauntingly ironic.
  • Crime scene chaos: Families torn apart in an instant, revealing how fragile normalcy can be.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Connor Hilton, Ethan Riley, December 23, 2023, Texas
  2. – 10:00: Connor Hilton, Benjamin Bliek, Friendswood Police Department, Ethan Riley
  3. – 15:00: Connor Hilton, Friendswood Police Department
  4. – 20:00: Connor Hilton, Shannon Bliek, Benjamin Bliek, Ethan Riley
  5. – 25:00: Accutane, Connor Hilton, Benjamin Bliek, Ethan Riley
  6. – 30:00: Accutane, Connor Hilton, Dr. Doug Bremner, J.G. Pharma
  7. – 35:00: Accutane, Connor Hilton, Ethan Riley, Texas
  8. – 40:00: Connor Hilton, Johnece Hilton, Accutane, Ethan Riley

Notable quotes from "The Rx Defense | Full Episode"

  • An expert with the defense saying the shooting was driven by psychosis caused by a popular acne medication.
    about Accutane · at
  • [ Police radio chatter ] -Oh [bleep] -...they found 18-year-old Ethan Riley and 19-year-old Benjamin Bliek lying on the floor, each with a gunshot wound to the head.
    about Benjamin Bliek · at
  • At the time of the shooting, Connor's mother, Johnece Hilton, wasn't home.
    about Johnece Hilton · at
  • Nick McCanless, then a detective with the Friendswood Police Department, was tasked with calling Ben's mom, Shannon Bliek.
    about Friendswood Police Department · at
  • Connor says that he had planned this.
    about Connor Hilton · at
  • ♪♪ -The Riley family spent their Christmas Eve in the hospital and were there when their son Ethan died.
    about Ethan Riley · at
  • Shannon Bliek believes it's a miracle her son Ben survived.
    about Shannon Bliek · at
  • I think he became psychotic on Accutane, and he had recurrent homicidal ideation that he was not able to control.
    about Dr. Doug Bremner · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Connor Hilton — Person · Primary accused / defendant · 24 mentions · first at
    Central figure accused of shooting Ethan Riley and Benjamin Bliek; his intent, mental state, and alleged Accutane-induced psychosis drive the narrative and legal dispute.
  • Ethan Riley — Person · Victim (deceased) · 6 mentions · first at
    One of the two friends shot; later dies in hospital, forming the murder charge and victim-impact context.
  • Benjamin Bliek — Person · Victim (survivor) / victim-impact speaker · 4 mentions · first at
    Surviving shooting victim whose recovery and courtroom statement counterbalance the defense narrative and show ongoing harm.
  • Dr. Doug Bremner — Person · Defense expert witness (psychiatry/radiology) · 3 mentions · first at
    Key expert supporting the defense theory that isotretinoin/Accutane caused psychosis and homicidal ideation; his admissibility is litigated and limited by the judge.
  • Johnece Hilton — Person · Connor Hilton's mother / key family witness · 4 mentions · first at
    Provides parental perspective, timeline (not home at shooting), bond/re-arrest events, and disputed statements about purchasing the gun; criticized in victim impact statement.
  • Shannon Bliek — Person · Benjamin Bliek's mother / family spokesperson · 4 mentions · first at
    Describes hospital/rehab journey, frames survival as miraculous, and delivers a pointed courtroom statement criticizing Johnece Hilton and gun access.
  • Neal Hilton — Person · Connor Hilton's father / catalyst for Accutane theory · 2 mentions · first at
    Researches Accutane warnings, pushes defense team to investigate medication link, and frames Connor as not in his right mind; divorced from Johnece.
    It wasn't long before Connor's father, Neal Hilton, received word.

Companies & orgs

  • Friendswood Police Department — Company · Setting · 4 mentions · first at
    Local law enforcement agency involved in the investigation and arrest of Connor Hilton
  • Emory University School of Medicine — Company · Affiliation · 1 mention · first at
    Institution where Dr. Doug Bremner, the defense's expert witness, is a professor
    I'm a professor of psychiatry and radiology at Emory University School of Medicine.
  • J.G. Pharma — Company · Third party · 1 mention · first at
    Distributor of the Accutane medication taken by Connor Hilton
    JG Pharma, the distributor listed on the box of Accutane that Connor Hilton was taking at the time of the shooting, did not respond to our request for comment.

Products & tech

  • Accutane — Product · Case study · 18 mentions · first at
    Central to the defense's argument that the medication caused psychosis leading to the crime

Places & events

  • December 23, 2023 — Event · Key event · 1 mention · first at
    Date of the shooting incident that is the focus of the episode
    ♪♪ ♪♪ -It was just before 9:00 p.m. on December 23, 2023, when police arrived on scene in Friendswood, Texas.
  • Texas — Place · Setting · 2 mentions · first at
    State where the crime occurred and where the legal proceedings took place
    ♪♪ ♪♪ -It was just before 9:00 p.m. on December 23, 2023, when police arrived on scene in Friendswood, Texas.

Full transcript with timestamps

[ Festive music plays ] ♪♪ [ Suspenseful music plays ] -When police get to the scene, the first person that they come upon is Connor. And they're trying to figure out what happened. [ Police radio chatter ] The officers aren't exactly sure when they walk into the house what they're gonna see. -And what do the police see? -Ethan first. And then you see Ben. They were both shot in the head. They immediately turn around, and they say, "Detain him," talking about Connor.

♪♪ -He's gonna buckle you up, alright? -I have your son in the back seat of the patrol car... -Uh-huh. -...because he's indicated to us that he took two people's lives today in your house. -Okay. ♪♪ -He never had a temper. Always very mild, laid-back. -Had he ever been in trouble? -No. Never. -No. ♪♪ -[ Voice breaking ] My son -- he's a good boy, he's a good kid. -Relax okay? -That was not him that night. I know that was him physically. But mentally, that was not him. -Have a seat in here for me, okay? -That night, he was just like, "Why would I do this?

You know, those were my friends." ♪♪ -Can you tell me anything about your friends, about Ethan and Ben? -[ Sobbing ] [ Sniffles ] I'm sorry. [ Breathes shakily ] ♪♪ All I'm gonna say is that they were very good friends to me. That's all I'm going to say. ♪♪ -He talked about that it was evil, what he did. He knew what he was doing. He wanted to pull that trigger, and he did. -[ Sobbing ]

-Connor's accused of shooting two friends. He admits that he did it. What am I missing here? Why take this case on? -Well, because we wanted to get to the truth of what happened, the whys. -It is baffling to me. Out of the blue, a extremely incredible act of violence was committed. -After our research, we realized that there was a reason.

-An expert with the defense saying the shooting was driven by psychosis caused by a popular acne medication. -You think the acne medication put you in a mental state where you could commit murder? -Yes ma'am. [ Theme music plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

-It was just before 9:00 p.m. on December 23, 2023, when police arrived on scene in Friendswood, Texas. When police entered Connor Hilton's home... [ Police radio chatter ] -Oh [bleep] -...they found 18-year-old Ethan Riley and 19-year-old Benjamin Bliek lying on the floor, each with a gunshot wound to the head. -They also discovered the boy who called 911. He was 15.

-Are there any...in the house? -Because he's a minor, we're blurring the face of the 15-year-old. The teen told police officers how quickly everything unfolded. In the house, unbelievably, paramedics saw signs of life in Ben and Ethan and worked to keep them alive. Outside, police bagged Connor's hands to preserve evidence before putting him into a squad car.

-[ Exhales sharply ] -Connor at first claimed he fired the gun in self-defense. [ Indistinct conversations ] -Uh-oh. -At the time of the shooting, Connor's mother, Johnece Hilton, wasn't home. -I got a message from my neighbor that said, "Hey, something's going on at your house." And I was already on my way home. -You pulled up, and what did you see? -Yellow tape, police cars everywhere. -I'm gonna talk to you something that's gonna be very hard to talk about. -Okay. The police had me sit in a car, and he told me.

-[ Voice breaking ] I cannot believe this! -No, you know -- -This is insanity. -What was going through your mind? -I just was like, "How could this happen? I was just there 45 minutes ago." And he was perfectly fine. -It wasn't long before Connor's father, Neal Hilton, received word. Johnece and Neal divorced back when Connor was a toddler. -Never in a million years would you think I would get that kind of phone call, you know, just knowing my son. -Ben and Ethan were taken to area hospitals, where they were fighting for their lives.

Nick McCanless, then a detective with the Friendswood Police Department, was tasked with calling Ben's mom, Shannon Bliek. -I get her phone number through dispatch and call her up. And I said, "Look. Your son has been injured, and I need you to come up here." [ Suspenseful music plays ] ♪♪ -I just got in the car, and I just started praying. -And what happened when you got to the hospital? -Nick met me outside the doors, and he told me that Ben had been shot, and I remember falling to my knees. And, you know, he was like, "Come on.

Let's go upstairs and wait in the waiting room, and let's find out what's going on." -Eventually, a doctor came out to speak with them. -He said that Benjamin had been shot in the head. It was all very surreal. It just didn't make any sense. I just kneeled on the floor and just prayed. -What did you say in that prayer? -I just asked that He be with Ben and that He please get us through this. -While Ben underwent surgery... ...Connor Hilton was taken to the Friendswood Police Department.

Nothing about that night was making sense. Soon, Connor would end up in an interrogation room with an entirely new story to tell. -He literally just kind of opened up, right? And it was an emotional roller coaster.

-As his two friends were in the hospital fighting for their lives... ...Connor Hilton was in a Friendswood Police Department interrogation room so that detectives could start to unravel the truth of what happened.

-I knew nothing about him. I kind of went in blind, and so I had no idea if he was going to be aggressive towards me. Yes, sir. No, sir. -Very polite? -Very polite. Not who I normally would sit across from and interview right after a shooting. -It appeared the 17-year-old didn't want to waste any time. He launched into a story, and this time he didn't mention an argument. Instead, he said it was an accident.

-I'm letting him stick with his story about it just went off, right? So I'm like, "Okay, well, how did it go off the second time?" And so I said, "Connor..." -That's when Connor Hilton broke down. -It's like his whole personality, everything changed. -And so did his story yet again.

And Hilton didn't stop there. Hilton told the detectives that he hadn't told anyone, including his mom, that he'd been experiencing those suicidal and homicidal thoughts. -That interview was probably one of the most honest interviews I've ever had with a suspect. In a case where literally, they just poured everything out on the table. And, like, you could see the sigh of relief. -So walk me through what Connor said happened. -Connor says that he had planned this. His plan all along was to shoot his friends. -But he said he had no specific target in mind.

He'd invited a whole group of friends over that night. Ethan and Ben just happened to be the ones who showed up. As for that 15-year-old who went to the bathroom as soon as he got there, he simply got lucky.

Before the interview ended, Hilton made yet another admission. -I could tell he was struggling that night with "I knew this was what I felt, I knew this was what I wanted to do, but how I got here, I don't know." -Connor Hilton was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault with serious bodily injury. That night in jail, Hilton was allowed to make a phone call to his mother.

♪♪ The next day, Christmas Eve, Connor Hilton was released on bond. -We got him home, and then he just lost it. Fell on the floor, like, crying. -Did he tell you what happened? -I couldn't hear any of it. Like, I mentally didn't want to hear. ♪♪ -The Riley family spent their Christmas Eve in the hospital and were there when their son Ethan died. ♪♪ -Somebody spotlight these windows. -On Christmas night... -This is the Friendswood Police Department. -...officers were back at Connor Hilton's door to arrest him on a murder charge.

-I look out the window and there's a SWAT truck outside. -Johnny. -Yes sir. Is he here? -They came in. -Yeah, they came in. -Where's he at? -Where's he at? -He's right there. -Hey! -Hands, hands, hands! Show me your hands. -I was kind of, like, in the back of the house sort of. And I just had my hands up. -Turn around. Face away from me. -And they had their guns drawn? -Yes ma'am.

-[ Crying ] -Alright, come on. -Okay. [ Indistinct conversations ] -Hilton was booked into jail, but again, the stay was short lived. He was eventually given a bond, and his family posted it. As Connor's parents began grappling with what their son had done, Shannon Bliek was still in the ICU with her son Ben. -His head was bandaged significantly. -She'll never forget the moment she was first allowed to see him. -I saw him and I started to hyperventilate. And a nurse grabbed me and hugged me. I composed myself and I walked over.

I said, "Benjamin, Ben, Mom is here." And Ben opened his eyes and kind of like, "I hear you," you know? -If there is any good news in this story... Ben, are you comfortable with walking over here? ...it's that Ben Bliek survived. How are you feeling today? -Good. ♪♪ ♪♪ -He has shown more resilience and more grit than any person I could ever even know. It's just like he's on a mission to get better, and he just does it. -Shannon Bliek believes it's a miracle her son Ben survived. -Both bone flaps were removed, meaning the two big parts of the skull.

He had a tracheotomy put in to breathe and he had a feeding tube put in to eat and he was paralyzed on the right side. -Following the shooting, Ben spent more than three weeks in the hospital before being transferred to an inpatient rehab. -Yeah. -Not long after arriving there, remarkably, he was up and walking. -Straighten it out. -He was working so hard. So hard. -According to Shannon, Ben would stay in that rehab for over a month. -Excellent job. -He had to learn to swallow again. I mean, everything. -During that time, Shannon shielded her son from the details of the shooting.

Ben doesn't remember anything from that night. It wasn't until he came across an article on his mom's phone that he learned his friend Connor Hilton pulled the trigger, and that his best friend, Ethan Riley, was killed. -I was really sad. -What was Ethan like? -He was just an outstanding guy. He looked on things with a positive life. -You learn that this guy that you were friendly with was the one who shot you and shot Ethan. -I was furious. -But Ben forced himself to stay focused on his recovery. At that point, Connor Hilton was out on house arrest awaiting trial.

His parents say they were still dumbfounded. -We knew that our son not in a million years in his right mind would do that. We knew that. -You think he wasn't in his right mind? -Oh, yeah, he definitely wasn't -- In his right mind, he would never do this. He's always been the sweetest, loving boy ever. -In search of an explanation, Connor's father, Neal, began researching a prescription acne medication his son had been taking called Accutane. The drug label warns of risk of depression, psychosis suicide and aggressive and/or violent behaviors.

Neal encouraged his son's lawyers to look into it. -Something happened here. -Adam Brown... -Something happened. -It's an emotional case. -...J.L. Carpenter... -These type of cases are a challenge. -...and Rick Tototo make up Connor's defense team. -Connor had no trouble with the law. No trouble with school. -This doesn't make sense. -Something changed. The kid changed. What changed him? -What it came down to in our research was the acne medication. And my research led me to Dr. Bremner. -My name is Dr. Doug Bremner.

I'm a professor of psychiatry and radiology at Emory University School of Medicine. -His CV is 96 pages long. -We didn't play around when we got our expert. -I don't think there's another human being on this earth who knows more about this topic than Dr. Douglas Bremner. -Dr. Bremner says he's done extensive research on isotretinoin, the generic version of Accutane. The drug is sold under several brand names. He also gets paid to testify in cases. -It's a very strong medication. There's a large number of people throughout the world that have experienced side effects from it, including psychiatric side effects.

-Why is it still on the market? -Well, it's a great treatment for acne, especially severe acne that's cystic. -And that's what Connor Hilton says he has. -Ever since I was little, I've always had these bumps on my bottom, sometimes on my armpit. They would be extremely painful. I couldn't even walk. Like, that's how bad they were. We tried all sorts of medicine to make it go away. And then one day we went to the dermatologist and they said, "Hey, we're going to give you Accutane." -That was in late July 2022, about a year and a half before the shooting.

Connor was 15 at the time. His mother signed this document acknowledging the risks. According to court-admitted dermatology records, about a month later, Connor reported that he stopped taking the medication because he was "feeling symptoms of depression." -I was feeling real down and didn't really feel like doing anything. -But Dr. Bremner interviewed Connor at the defense's request, and Connor told him that he wasn't completely honest back then. He said that it was after he started on the medication that he began experiencing homicidal thoughts too.

-Did you tell anybody that you were having these thoughts? Did you try to get help? -I was scared to tell people of my actual thoughts because I didn't want to go to a mental hospital and people think I'm crazy. -Connor told Dr. Bremner that when he stopped taking the medication, the thoughts subsided. -They slowly disappeared. I was feeling more energetic, more, like, will to do stuff, but I was also in pain because of the bumps. They got worse again because I wasn't taking Accutane. -In January 2023, after several months of being off the medication, Connor's dermatology records show that he went back on it.

This time, he was given a lower dose than initially prescribed. -Were you at all apprehensive? Like, "Oh, this has messed with my mind the first time. Maybe I shouldn't go back on this stuff"? -The bumps are so painful, I -- I just needed something to cure it because it was so -- it was just unbearable. -Did the thoughts come back? -Yes, ma'am. Slowly but yes, they did. Suicidal and homicidal thoughts. -Connor told Dr. Bremner that the thoughts eventually became consuming. -It just amplified the longer I was on it.

-But he never reported any issues to his dermatologist again. Connor would continue taking the medication on and off for the next 11 months up until the time of the shooting. Connor told Dr. Bremner that on that day, he took double his prescribed dose. -He said that he had missed the dose the day before. So instead of taking two pills, he took four pills. -After pulling the trigger that night, Connor said he stopped taking Accutane and never experienced homicidal thoughts again. After speaking to Connor and reviewing the evidence in the case, Dr. Bremner formed an opinion.

-Why do you believe Connor Hilton shot his friends that night? -I think he became psychotic on Accutane, and he had recurrent homicidal ideation that he was not able to control. -Dr. Bremner is firm in his opinion. -These thoughts did not occur before he took Accutane. He went off the drug and those thoughts went away. And then he started the drug again and the thoughts came back. So that's considered to be proof basically of a causal effect between a drug and a symptom. -You know that people are going to look at this and say, "This is just a family looking for an excuse for the horrible thing that their kid did."

-Well, I think that, you know, there was no motivation. There was no history whatsoever of conflict. This person was psychotic. -JG Pharma, the distributor listed on the box of Accutane that Connor Hilton was taking at the time of the shooting, did not respond to our request for comment. But Connor's defense attorneys would build their entire case around Dr. Bremner's opinion, even though they were unaware of any other homicide case in which an Accutane defense worked. -You see this kid. -[ Crying ] -You see how upset he is.

You see how remorseful he is. It's not just some young man deciding, "I'm just going to go on this rampage." That's not what we have here. -But prosecutors wouldn't be so convinced. -It's not Accutane. He was evil. ♪♪

-In August 2025, just weeks before Connor Hilton's murder trial was scheduled to begin, a hearing was held to determine whether defense expert Dr. Doug Bremner would be allowed to testify. -He's the most qualified expert I've ever had on a case. -Defense attorney Rick Detoto had to convince a judge that the doctor's testimony was reliable and relevant. -May I approach the witness, Your Honor? What we're arguing is that through the expert, Connor was in psychosis from the Accutane, and he could not control himself.

Murder has got to be done intentionally and knowingly. He could not control his behavior. And that takes out the element of intentionally and knowingly in murder. -At the hearing, Dr. Bremner testified that it was his opinion that Hilton was suffering from a medication psychotic disorder on the night of the incident. -Why did I do this?! -He pointed to a study he conducted which found that isotretinoin, the generic version of Accutane, impacts a part of the brain that regulates emotion.

See the reddish area on the left? It's not on the right. Dr. Bremner says that illustrates the brain on Accutane has less activity. -It is a bunch of horse [bleep] -Ben Bliek and his mother were in the courtroom. -It was very convincing listening to that gentleman speak. And then once questions were asked on the prosecution side... ...it just fell apart. -What was your reaction when you heard that their defense was going to be that this acne medication caused psychosis? -Well, I thought it was ridiculous. -Kayla Allen is the lead prosecutor on the case.

-I don't think a jury was going to buy the "Accutane made me do it" defense. -At the hearing, prosecutors argued Dr. Bremner's testimony should be excluded. And they introduced a more recent study that found that, "isotretinoin users do not have an increased risk of suicide or psychiatric conditions." For Allen, the case is simple. -I think that he just wanted to see what it felt like to kill someone. -And that had nothing to do with the acne medication. -I don't believe it did. No. -She argues Connor Hilton was in his right mind at the time of the shooting, and points to that statement he made on scene as proof.

-He tried to make a statement... ...that one of the boys had come at him. He's working a self-defense argument right from the beginning. Someone who's insane at the time they've committed a crime can't automatically start forming a defense for himself. But by the time he got to the police station, it was like, "Look, I'm sorry I lied to you. I'm not going to lie to you anymore. I'm going to tell you the truth." -And Allen says Connor's police interview is also key. -He told police officers that he had been planning it.

-He had acknowledged that he knew right from wrong, too. -He knew by loading that gun and putting it up to someone and pulling that trigger that he was going to kill them. That's what he wanted to do. -These were his friends. -Yes. -Why would he shoot them? -I don't know. -Because there's no clear motive in this case, doesn't that support the defense's argument that Connor went into some sort of a psychosis? -I don't think it does. There's just people that are evil and do evil things. -Allen argues Connor Hilton is one of those people.

Had you ever seen Connor pull out this gun before? -Yeah. -His friends told detectives about things he'd said in the months leading up to the shooting. -He would say, "One day, I want to be important. I want to leave a legacy." And he would make comments about killing people. -And detectives also pulled Connor's online activity. On YouTube, he downloaded numerous videos about murder. His social media posts referenced it as well. Connor's friends reported this post was made just hours before the shooting. It contains the lyrics "Murder one better run, killing plenty is so fun."

-It's chemically induced. -Connor's defense attorneys argue Connor became obsessed with murder after he went on Accutane. -So all of that can be blamed on the acne medication? -Absolutely. -And they say the police investigation supports their case because several of Connor's friends told police they noticed a change in him during sophomore year, which was after he went on the drug. And when you say they noticed a change, what are they saying? -Well, he was starting to isolate. He was getting more involved into true crime.

He wanted to be a homicide detective. -But Allen insists Connor's behavior had nothing to do with Accutane. -That's just what the defense wants the community to believe, because it gives them an excuse. He was having problems already before Accutane was even introduced in his life about not wanting to go to school. -In fact, Connor was prescribed the antidepressant Prozac months before he started on Accutane, but Connor says he was only struggling with normal teenage anxiety then. -I was a freshman, I was nervous.

Do I fit in? Do I not? -And during that freshman year, did you have suicidal, homicidal thoughts? -No, ma'am. -But after that hearing to determine whether Dr. Bremner would be allowed to testify, the judge dealt the defense a blow and ruled Dr. Bremner would only be allowed to testify during the punishment phase of the trial, if necessary. -So in Texas, we have two phases, guilt and innocence, and then if there's a guilty verdict, the punishment phase. -So what will you do during the first phase of the trial, the guilt/innocence phase, if you can't present your expert?

-There's not much you can do. You just have to sit there and take it and wait until you get to punishment. And then we put on an aggressive case regarding the Accutane. -There was still a lot on the line because in Texas criminal court, Connor Hilton was considered an adult and a jury could sentence him to as little as five years in prison all the way up to 99 years or life. -How high are the stakes here? -I don't think you get much higher. -It's a kid's life. ♪♪

-Two weeks before Connor Hilton was set to stand trial, a big development. Prosecutors offered him a deal. 50 years in prison if he pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He would also have to waive his right to appeal. -We know Connor would have never done this if it wasn't for the Accutane. -So you didn't want to take the plea deal? -I didn't. -You didn't want to take the plea deal? -No. -But Connor? -Well, he did. -What did Connor tell you? -"I don't want the families to have to go through that."

-They say their son didn't want Ethan Riley's family and Ben Bliek and his family to have to suffer through a trial. And he also didn't want to risk receiving a life sentence. -He was trying to get us on board with it, and I said, "Bud," I said, "it's just a long time." ♪♪ -But ultimately the decision was Connor's and he chose to accept the deal. Connor's defense attorneys say they didn't counsel him one way or the other, but they believe he made the right call. -I think the consensus between the three of us was there was a very strong possibility that he would get life.

That body cam video walking in the house, it's a very difficult body cam video to watch. -But while Connor Hilton and his defense team had worried about the possibility of a life sentence, prosecutor Kayla Allen had worried about the opposite. -My main concern was he was a young kid, and I think that at times it hurts juries' hearts to sentence a young kid to life. We did not plea the case because we were worried about the Accutane. It was more his age. -She says she offered the deal only after confirming the victims' families were on board.

-All rise. -On September 2, 2025, a plea hearing was held. -It's my understanding you're here this morning to enter a plea on both of these charges. Is that correct? -[ Crying ] Yes, Your Honor. -How do you plead to each of these charges? -Guilty. -He was crying because he was going to prison. Not because he felt bad for what he did. -Do you think that Connor's acne medication played any role? -No. We know a lot of people who've taken that medication. -And they don't have homicidal tendencies? Why do you think Connor pulled the trigger?

-Because he wanted to murder somebody. -After Connor Hilton formally accepted the plea, Ben got the chance to make a victim impact statement. He made it clear to Connor how he felt. -First of all, stop sniveling. Stop crying. You did this to yourself. Secondly, the grief you have caused the Rileys and my own family, I will never forgive you. -Shannon addressed the court next. She turned her attention to Connor's mother. -We are all living this nightmare because a mother chose not to tell her son no when he asked her to buy a gun.

This mother put the gun in the hand of a child who should not have had it. Shame on you. -Remember, Connor had told police his mother bought him the gun. And in the hours after the crime, Johnece also told that to police. -But when we interviewed both Connor and Johnece Hilton, they denied that the gun was purchased for him. -I purchased that for myself. -Why did you tell the police that you did buy it for him? -I have no idea. I don't even remember that. They showed me the interview. I don't have -- I have no memory of that.

-Do you think you were covering for him? Why would you say that? -I have no idea. -Johnece Hilton has not been charged with any crime in connection with the case. And even though she bought the gun less than two months before the crime, she insists she had no idea her son was homicidal. -There were these social media posts that he made about murder cases. He watched a lot of murder videos. Weren't these warning signs? -No, I didn't think so. -The Hiltons continue to blame the acne medication. -You bought the gun in November.

You didn't see any effects of the acne medication psychologically that would lead you to think "I shouldn't have a gun in the house"? -I didn't. -I didn't, no. -Still, Johnece says she lives with an enormous amount of regret. -I'm so sorry that this happened, and I do feel responsible. I wish I could go back and change everything and I would not have purchased the firearm. I wouldn't have made him take the acne medicine. ♪♪ -The last person to address the court during Connor Hilton's plea hearing was Matthew Riley, Ethan Riley's father.

-I sit here with so much love -- love in my heart for my son Ethan. -Ethan's mother, Tara Riley, stood behind him. They declined our request for an interview. -He's a beautiful soul, full of love and light. You could see that light in his eyes and hear it in his laughter. -After that, Connor Hilton was taken into custody. We spoke to him inside the Galveston County Jail the next day. -Just the feeling of loneliness yesterday was unbearable. I mean, don't get me wrong, I did it to myself. I'm the reason why I'm here. But it just -- It sucks.

-For Ben Bliek, everyday life remains a challenge. He plays pickleball and basketball to help restore his mobility. But he says one person has helped him the most. -My mom, she's always there for me. -Can you explain how difficult this has been? -It is very difficult, but pouting about it is not going to get Ethan back. So... -Just got to keep going. -Yeah. -Go easy on me, my friend. Whoops. -Oops. -See, my backhand is bad, too. -Yours is not as bad as my mom. ♪♪ -Oh, is that what we do? -Yeah. -Good game. -Good job, guys.

♪♪

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "The Rx Defense | Full Episode"?

Connor Hilton (Guest), Johnece Hilton (Guest), Neal Hilton (Guest), Shannon Bliek (Guest), Ben Bliek (Guest), Kayla Allen (Guest), Dr. Doug Bremner (Guest), Nick McCanless (Guest).

What is "The Rx Defense | Full Episode" about?

The Rx Defense explores the shocking case of Connor, who confessed to murdering two friends, and delves into the complexities of his mental state at the time, suggesting that a common acne medication may have triggered a psychotic episode. The narrative unfolds through police interactions, emotional testimonies, and expert analysis to uncover the underlying reasons for Connor's violent actions.

What is mentioned in this 48 Hours episode?

13 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Connor Hilton, Accutane, Ethan Riley, Benjamin Bliek, Dr. Doug Bremner, December 23, 2023. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The Rx Defense | Full Episode"?

The episode runs 42 min; the transcript is about 4,958 words in 57 timestamped sections.

More from 48 Hours

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated February 15, 2026.