How Ordinary Teens Became Murderers In Texas

In Texas, most of the truly heinous crimes come from hardened hands — not teenage ones. Here's a closer look at three Texas teen murderers who shocked their families, communities, and the world with deplorable acts of violence.

Karmelo Anthony

In April 2025, a high school track meet in Frisco turned deadly when 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony fatally stabbed another 17-year-old, Austin Metcalf, under a team tent. Anthony claimed self-defense, but in June 2026, a Collin County jury rejected that claim and found him guilty of murder. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison, and his legal team has filed notice of appeal. One moment, a school event. The next, a tragedy.

Benjamin Elliott

Then there’s Benjamin Elliott, who was 17 when he stabbed his twin sister, Meghan, to death at the family’s Katy-area home in 2021. He told investigators he thought he was dreaming, then woke up to find it was real. His family stood by him and believed he was sleepwalking. Prosecutors argued he was awake, pointing to evidence he’d been on his phone shortly before the stabbing. A Harris County jury rejected the sleepwalking defense and found him guilty of murder, and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.What do you think? Ever had a nightmare like that? Me neither.

Paris Lee Bennett

And perhaps most shocking of all: Paris Lee Bennett, just 13 years old when he murdered his 4-year-old sister, Ella, in Abilene back in 2007. Investigators believe he did it not out of rage, but out of calculation, to hurt his mother in a truly unforgivable way. Not only did Bennett kill his innocent sister, but he was also found to have sexually abused her during her final moments.

Three stories, three families torn apart. These cases are a reminder that evil doesn’t always wait until adulthood. These weren’t hardened killers lurking in alleyways — they were kids carrying backpacks through school halls, hanging out with friends on lunch breaks, and hiding darkness behind their youthful, familiar faces.

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These are the unsolved murders of Amarillo, Texas.

If you have any information or if you know something, call Amarillo Crime Stoppers at 806-374-4400.

Gallery Credit: Sarah Clark

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Gallery Credit: Daniel Paulus