13 Year Old Thinks He Got Away With Sister’s Murder | The Case of Ella Bennett | HO!!!!

ABILENE, TX — On a cold night in February 2007, a tragedy unfolded in a quiet Texas home that would haunt a family and shock a community for years to come. It began with a frantic 9-1-1 call from 13-year-old Paris Bennett, who claimed his four-year-old sister, Ella, was unresponsive.

But as police and paramedics rushed to the scene, the truth behind Ella’s death revealed a chilling secret and a case that would raise painful questions about childhood mental illness, family trauma, and the limits of forgiveness.

The Night Everything Changed

February 4th, 2007 was Super Bowl Sunday, a night filled with excitement across the country. Charity Bennett, a single mother working double shifts at a local sports bar, left her two children—Paris and Ella—in the care of a babysitter. By all accounts, Paris was a gifted, quiet boy, adored by teachers and family alike.

Ella, the youngest, was lively and social, her presence lighting up every room. The siblings were inseparable, and Paris was considered a model older brother.

But that night, the babysitter left early after Paris convinced her their mom would be home soon and that he was responsible enough to look after Ella. Both claims were false. Within hours, everything would change.

At 11:42 PM, Paris dialed 9-1-1, his voice frantic. The operator pleaded with him to perform CPR on Ella. Paris resisted at first, claiming it was too late, but eventually pretended to follow instructions as the operator counted along. When first responders arrived, they found Ella face down, showing no signs of resuscitation. The CPR Paris claimed to perform was a lie.

A Mother’s Nightmare

Charity Bennett’s life had never been easy. Decades earlier, she herself was the child at the center of a notorious murder case. In 1980, her father, James, was found dead in their Georgia home, shot three times just days after remarrying Charity’s mother, Kyla. Though Kyla was tried for murder, she was acquitted, and the killer was never found. The trauma of her father’s death and the suspicion surrounding her mother haunted Charity throughout her childhood, fueling years of addiction and loneliness.

Determined to break the cycle, Charity rebuilt her life, earned a degree in psychology, and poured her energy into raising Paris and later, Ella. Despite her struggles, Charity was committed to giving her children the love and stability she never had.

But on that February night, as she worked at the packed sports bar, police arrived to deliver the worst news imaginable. Her daughter Ella was dead. Charity rushed home, her mind racing, only to find her house blocked off by police tape and swarmed by officers, neighbors, and news crews. She watched in horror as Ella’s body was carried out in a bag, her world collapsing in grief.

The Chilling Truth

After Ella’s body was taken away, Charity was taken to the police station, desperate to see her surviving child. Paris, her only son, stood at the far end of the room. Charity ran to him, hugging him tightly, grateful he was alive. But Paris did not hug her back. His coldness was unnerving, a stark contrast to the boy she thought she knew.

As detectives began their investigation, the disturbing truth emerged. Paris had orchestrated the evening, sending the babysitter away and waiting until he and Ella were alone. He then attacked his sister, ultimately killing her. During the 9-1-1 call, he lied to the operator, pretending to attempt CPR while his sister lay lifeless.

When Charity confronted Paris in jail, he dropped his act. “Y’all are so f***ing stupid,” he sneered, laughing at her. The boy who had once been her pride and joy was now unrecognizable.

Searching for Answers

The shock of Ella’s murder rippled through Abilene. The community was stunned. How could a 13-year-old, described as intelligent and well-mannered, commit such an unthinkable act? Many blamed Charity, scrutinizing her parenting and questioning the books Paris read or the video games he played. The grief and judgment were relentless.

Desperate for answers, Charity had Paris evaluated by a psychologist. The result was devastating: her son was diagnosed as a sociopath. The tragedy forced Charity into an impossible position—she was the mother of both the victim and the perpetrator.

“When I would go talk to a district attorney, I had to be Ella’s mother,” she recalled. “When I went to talk to a defense attorney, I had to be Paris’s mother. And if I tried to put Paris and Ella together in my brain, I really got close to insanity.”

The Trial and Its Aftermath

The trial began nearly a month after Ella’s death. Charity found herself in the middle of the courtroom, unable to choose sides. “They’re both my children,” she said. Ultimately, she chose to stand by Paris, not out of denial, but out of a sense of duty. She wanted him to be held accountable and to receive psychiatric help, not to escape justice.

“I told him that I was always going to love him no matter what,” Charity said. “And then I also promised him that I was always going to do the best job I could to be his mother.”

On August 15, 2007, Paris pleaded guilty to capital murder in juvenile court and received the maximum sentence for a minor—40 years in prison. He will spend most of his adult life incarcerated.

Breaking the Cycle

For Charity, the pain of losing both her children—one to death, the other to prison—was nearly unbearable. But she refused to let history repeat itself. “I have been able to forgive Paris for the worst thing imaginable, but I’m never going to be comfortable with it,” she said. “In order to have my own sense of peace, to have integrity, it’s time to stop the pattern.”

Charity founded the Ella Foundation in her daughter’s memory, dedicated to preventing violence and supporting families affected by trauma. She became an advocate for children’s mental health, speaking publicly about the need for early intervention and proper support for kids struggling with mental illness.

“The night that Ella died, I made her a promise that something meaningful would come out of her death,” Charity said. “So I set up the Ella Foundation to prevent violence by sharing our story.”

A Lasting Legacy

Today, Charity continues her advocacy, determined to help other families avoid the pain she endured. Through her work, Ella’s memory lives on, offering hope and healing to those who have lost loved ones to violence or mental illness.

“You’re right that it will never bring Ella back, but it does keep Ella alive,” Charity said. “I can’t change Paris today, but maybe by doing this, I can help with changing somebody else’s child.”

The case of Ella Bennett remains one of the most disturbing crimes in recent Texas history—a chilling reminder of the complexities of mental health, the impact of generational trauma, and the resilience required to survive unimaginable loss. For Charity Bennett, the journey is far from over, but through her courage and determination, she is ensuring that Ella’s life, and even Paris’s tragic choices, will not be forgotten.

As Abilene and the broader community reflect on the events of that night, the hope is that the lessons learned will help prevent future tragedies, and that the legacy of Ella Bennett will be one of compassion, understanding, and change.