Murder of Ella Bennett: Difference between revisions
Tag: Reverted |
→Background: not attested to in sources |
||
(16 intermediate revisions by 11 users not shown) | |||
Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
| time = {{circa}} 11:30 [[12-hour clock|p.m.]] |
| time = {{circa}} 11:30 [[12-hour clock|p.m.]] |
||
| timezone = [[Central Time Zone|CST]] |
| timezone = [[Central Time Zone|CST]] |
||
| type = [[Child-on-child murder]] by [[stabbing]], [[strangulation]], [[sororicide |
| type = [[Child-on-child murder]] by [[stabbing]], [[strangulation]], [[sororicide]] |
||
| weapon = [[Knife]] |
| weapon = [[Knife]] |
||
| victim = Ella Bennett, aged 4 |
| victim = Ella Bennett, aged 4 |
||
Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
| title = <br> |
| title = <br> |
||
| child = yes |
| child = yes |
||
| sentence = 40 years in prison ([[parole]] possible after 20 years) |
| sentence = 40 years in prison ([[parole]] possible after 20 years) |
||
Currently being held at the Ferguson Unit - Midway Texas}} |
|||
}} |
}} |
||
On February 4, 2007, Paris Lee Bennett, a 13-year-old American boy, murdered his 4-year-old sister, Ella Bennett, in [[Abilene, Texas]]. Paris [[Stabbing|stabbed]] Ella 17 times |
On February 4, 2007, Paris Lee Bennett, a 13-year-old American boy, murdered his 4-year-old sister, Ella Bennett, in [[Abilene, Texas]]. Paris [[Stabbing|stabbed]] Ella 17 times. |
||
The motive for the murder was Paris's [[resentment]] towards his mother, Charity Bennett, as he believed the best way to emotionally damage her was to take away one of her children. |
The motive for the murder was Paris's [[resentment]] towards his mother, Charity Bennett, as he believed the best way to emotionally damage her was to take away one of her children. |
||
Paris [[pleaded guilty]] in juvenile court to [[Murder in Texas law|capital murder]], and was given the maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, with the possibility of [[parole]] after 20 years. Following the murder, Paris was diagnosed as a [[Psychopathy|psychopath]]. |
Paris [[pleaded guilty]] in juvenile court to [[Murder in Texas law|capital murder]], and was given the maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, with the possibility of [[parole]] after 20 years. Following the murder, Paris was diagnosed as a [[Psychopathy|psychopath]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} |
||
The murder has gained extensive attention due to its circumstances, as well as the ages of both the perpetrator and the victim. |
The murder has gained extensive attention due to its circumstances, as well as the ages of both the perpetrator and the victim. |
||
== Background == |
== Background == |
||
Charity Bennett, the mother of Paris and Ella Bennett, was the daughter of Kyla Claar Bennett, a woman who was charged with [[Conspiracy to murder|conspiring to murder]] her husband and Charity's father, James Robert Bennett Jr. She was controversially found [[Acquittal|not guilty]], and Charity believes her mother was actually guilty. Kyla later joked in a documentary about "manipulat[ing]" the jury. During her childhood, Charity intentionally became addicted to drugs in an attempt to bring attention from her mother to her, but Kyla never showed any interest |
Charity Bennett, the mother of Paris and Ella Bennett, was the daughter of Kyla Claar Bennett, a woman who was charged with [[Conspiracy to murder|conspiring to murder]] her husband and Charity's father, James Robert Bennett Jr. She was controversially found [[Acquittal|not guilty]], and Charity believes her mother was actually guilty. Kyla later joked in a documentary about "manipulat[ing]" the jury. During her childhood, Charity intentionally became addicted to drugs in an attempt to bring attention from her mother to her, but Kyla never showed any interest.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1980-05-15 |title=Kyla Bennett Freed on $100,000 Bond - May 15, 1980 |pages=144 |work=The Atlanta Constitution |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-kyla-bennett-fr/26323434/ |access-date=2023-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1980-07-09 |title=Jurors Clear Kyla Bennett in Cobb Trial |pages=1 |work=The Atlanta Constitution |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-jurors-clear-ky/26324266/ |access-date=2023-06-06}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title='The Family I Had' Is One Of The Saddest, Most Unnerving Documentaries You'll Ever See |url=https://www.ranker.com/list/family-i-had-documentary-sad-moments/eric-vega |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=Ranker |language=en}}</ref> |
||
== Murder == |
== Murder == |
||
Shortly before the murder, Charity had relapsed into her drug addiction, and this was believed to be Paris's breaking point to what made him decide to murder Ella. |
Shortly before the murder, Charity had relapsed into her drug addiction, and this was believed to be Paris's breaking point to what made him decide to murder Ella. However, Paris displayed warning signs of violence before the murder and has since admitted to feeling homicidal tendencies since he was a young child. |
||
On February |
On February 4, 2007, Charity hired a babysitter, as she had to work late at her job at the restaurant [[Buffalo Wild Wings]] as it was the night of the 2007 [[Super Bowl XLI|Super Bowl]]. Around 10 p.m., Paris was able to manipulate the babysitter and convinced her to leave the house. Later that night sometime before 11:30 p.m., Paris entered Ella's room, and stabbed her 17 times. Following the murder, he called a school friend for about six minutes before deciding to call [[9-1-1]] at 11:42 p.m. On the call, Paris appeared to fake insanity, telling the dispatcher that he thought Ella was an inflamed pumpkin-headed demon and stabbed her. Once the dispatcher instructed Paris to perform [[Cardiopulmonary resuscitation|CPR]], he instead pretended he was by counting with the dispatcher as he paced around the room. Paris was later arrested sometime before 12:30 a.m.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-06-06 |title=Boy murdered his 4yo sister just to make his mother suffer |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/face-to-face-with-paris-bennett-the-boy-who-murdered-his-sister-just-to-make-his-mother-suffer/ZM72OQKZOINIFVDAGVL6OSF524/ |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Clarendon |first=Dan |date=2018-01-06 |title=Who Is Paris Bennett? Convict Killed Sister When He Was 13 and She Was 4 |url=https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/who-is-paris-bennett-150483/ |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=In Touch Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-22 |title=Mum reveals moment she heard her four-year-old daughter was murdered by her son |url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/mum-reveals-night-teen-son-murdered-half-sister-in-texas-38389280.html |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-AU}}</ref> |
||
== Legal proceedings == |
== Legal proceedings == |
||
Following his arrest, Paris was charged with the capital murder of Ella. Paris was not charged as an adult, since the minimum age a juvenile can be tried as an adult in Texas is 14. He was instead charged in juvenile court and pleaded guilty to capital murder. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years, which is the maximum sentence for a defendant convicted of capital murder in juvenile court in Texas. When he was 19, Paris was transferred to adult prison.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garza |first=Ariana |date=2012-09-05 |title=Abilene teen to serve remainder of 40-year sentence -- for killing 4-year-old sister -- in adult prison |url=https://ktxs.com/news/abilene/abilene-teen-to-serve-remainder-of-40-year-sentence-for-killing-4-year-old-sister-in-adult-prison |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=KTXS |language=en}}</ref> During proceedings, Paris was diagnosed as a psychopath. He has said he has had [[homicidal ideation]] since he was a child.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2021-03-08 |title=Paris Bennett: The Horrific Story Of The Psychopath Who Killed His Four-Year-Old Sister |url=https://www.buggedspace.com/story-of-paris-bennett/ |access-date=2023-06-06 |language=en-US}}</ref> Paris will first be eligible for parole in February 2027. If he is never granted parole, he will be released in February 2047.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas Department of Criminal Justice Inmate Search |url=https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/viewDetail.action?sid=07898441 |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=inmate.tdcj.texas.gov}}</ref> |
Following his arrest, Paris was charged with the capital murder of Ella. Paris was not charged as an adult, since the minimum age a juvenile can be tried as an adult in Texas is 14.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-12 |title=Age Boundaries in Juvenile Justice Systems |url=https://www.nga.org/publications/age-boundaries-in-juvenile-justice-systems/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=National Governors Association}}</ref> He was instead charged in juvenile court and pleaded guilty to capital murder. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years, which is the maximum sentence for a defendant convicted of capital murder in juvenile court in Texas. When he was 19, Paris was transferred to adult prison.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garza |first=Ariana |date=2012-09-05 |title=Abilene teen to serve remainder of 40-year sentence -- for killing 4-year-old sister -- in adult prison |url=https://ktxs.com/news/abilene/abilene-teen-to-serve-remainder-of-40-year-sentence-for-killing-4-year-old-sister-in-adult-prison |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=KTXS |language=en}}</ref> During proceedings, Paris was diagnosed as a psychopath. He has said he has had [[homicidal ideation]] since he was a child.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2021-03-08 |title=Paris Bennett: The Horrific Story Of The Psychopath Who Killed His Four-Year-Old Sister |url=https://www.buggedspace.com/story-of-paris-bennett/ |access-date=2023-06-06 |language=en-US}}</ref> Paris will first be eligible for parole in February 2027. If he is never granted parole, he will be released in February 2047.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Texas Department of Criminal Justice Inmate Search |url=https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/viewDetail.action?sid=07898441 |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=inmate.tdcj.texas.gov}}</ref> |
||
== Aftermath == |
== Aftermath == |
||
Charity initially maintained contact with Paris since the murder, which Paris said |
Charity initially maintained contact with Paris since the murder, which Paris said astounded him. Charity has been told that she and her new son are at risk once Paris is released, which she accepts and has acknowledged she will most likely need to move to a new location once Paris is released. Experts have said that it is unlikely that Paris could ever be rehabilitated.<ref name=":2" /> In 2021, Charity stated that she had ceased all communication with Paris after learning he was involved with a woman who was on bond two hours away from where she lived for planning a mass shooting. She stated, "I finally accepted it is okay to love him as my son but really dislike the man he has become."<ref>{{cite web|title=Charity Lee on Facebook| website=[[Facebook]] |url= https://www.facebook.com/100000607793274/posts/pfbid02QCXF4nuS5SdDc2JFQTbQsfaDSX33Qbm7so66ssAZwUa6AzMdZ1H86fKjtbK2ZxJul/?d=n }}</ref> |
||
In 2017, a documentary titled ''The Family I Had'' was released about the case; it focused on Charity's life of being the daughter of a murder suspect (Kyla), and the mother of both a murderer (Paris) and a murder victim (Ella).<ref name=":0" /> |
In 2017, a documentary titled ''The Family I Had'' was released about the case; it focused on Charity's life of being the daughter of a murder suspect (Kyla), and the mother of both a murderer (Paris) and a murder victim (Ella).<ref name=":0" /> |
||
Line 53: | Line 54: | ||
[[Category:Child murder in the United States]] |
[[Category:Child murder in the United States]] |
||
[[Category:Deaths by person in Texas]] |
[[Category:Deaths by person in Texas]] |
||
[[Category:Deaths by stabbing in |
[[Category:Deaths by stabbing in Texas]] |
||
[[Category:Abilene, Texas]] |
[[Category:Abilene, Texas]] |
||
[[Category:Incidents of violence against girls]] |
[[Category:Incidents of violence against girls]] |
Revision as of 08:43, 14 June 2024
Murder of Ella Bennett | |
---|---|
Standort | Abilene, Texas, U.S. |
Date | February 4, 2007 c. 11:30 p.m. (CST) |
Attack type | Child-on-child murder by stabbing, strangulation, sororicide |
Weapon | Knife |
Victim | Ella Bennett, aged 4 |
Perpetrator | Paris Lee Bennett |
Motive | Revenge against his mother |
Verdict | Pleaded guilty |
Convictions | Capital murder |
Sentence | 40 years in prison (parole possible after 20 years) Currently being held at the Ferguson Unit - Midway Texas |
On February 4, 2007, Paris Lee Bennett, a 13-year-old American boy, murdered his 4-year-old sister, Ella Bennett, in Abilene, Texas. Paris stabbed Ella 17 times.
The motive for the murder was Paris's resentment towards his mother, Charity Bennett, as he believed the best way to emotionally damage her was to take away one of her children.
Paris pleaded guilty in juvenile court to capital murder, and was given the maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 20 years. Following the murder, Paris was diagnosed as a psychopath.[citation needed]
The murder has gained extensive attention due to its circumstances, as well as the ages of both the perpetrator and the victim.
Background
Charity Bennett, the mother of Paris and Ella Bennett, was the daughter of Kyla Claar Bennett, a woman who was charged with conspiring to murder her husband and Charity's father, James Robert Bennett Jr. She was controversially found not guilty, and Charity believes her mother was actually guilty. Kyla later joked in a documentary about "manipulat[ing]" the jury. During her childhood, Charity intentionally became addicted to drugs in an attempt to bring attention from her mother to her, but Kyla never showed any interest.[1][2][3]
Murder
Shortly before the murder, Charity had relapsed into her drug addiction, and this was believed to be Paris's breaking point to what made him decide to murder Ella. However, Paris displayed warning signs of violence before the murder and has since admitted to feeling homicidal tendencies since he was a young child.
On February 4, 2007, Charity hired a babysitter, as she had to work late at her job at the restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings as it was the night of the 2007 Super Bowl. Around 10 p.m., Paris was able to manipulate the babysitter and convinced her to leave the house. Later that night sometime before 11:30 p.m., Paris entered Ella's room, and stabbed her 17 times. Following the murder, he called a school friend for about six minutes before deciding to call 9-1-1 at 11:42 p.m. On the call, Paris appeared to fake insanity, telling the dispatcher that he thought Ella was an inflamed pumpkin-headed demon and stabbed her. Once the dispatcher instructed Paris to perform CPR, he instead pretended he was by counting with the dispatcher as he paced around the room. Paris was later arrested sometime before 12:30 a.m.[3][4][5][6]
Legal proceedings
Following his arrest, Paris was charged with the capital murder of Ella. Paris was not charged as an adult, since the minimum age a juvenile can be tried as an adult in Texas is 14.[7] He was instead charged in juvenile court and pleaded guilty to capital murder. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years, which is the maximum sentence for a defendant convicted of capital murder in juvenile court in Texas. When he was 19, Paris was transferred to adult prison.[8] During proceedings, Paris was diagnosed as a psychopath. He has said he has had homicidal ideation since he was a child.[9] Paris will first be eligible for parole in February 2027. If he is never granted parole, he will be released in February 2047.[10]
Aftermath
Charity initially maintained contact with Paris since the murder, which Paris said astounded him. Charity has been told that she and her new son are at risk once Paris is released, which she accepts and has acknowledged she will most likely need to move to a new location once Paris is released. Experts have said that it is unlikely that Paris could ever be rehabilitated.[9] In 2021, Charity stated that she had ceased all communication with Paris after learning he was involved with a woman who was on bond two hours away from where she lived for planning a mass shooting. She stated, "I finally accepted it is okay to love him as my son but really dislike the man he has become."[11]
In 2017, a documentary titled The Family I Had was released about the case; it focused on Charity's life of being the daughter of a murder suspect (Kyla), and the mother of both a murderer (Paris) and a murder victim (Ella).[3]
Paris Bennett made headlines in 2019 when he gave an interview to broadcaster Piers Morgan.[4]
References
- ^ "Kyla Bennett Freed on $100,000 Bond - May 15, 1980". The Atlanta Constitution. 1980-05-15. p. 144. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Jurors Clear Kyla Bennett in Cobb Trial". The Atlanta Constitution. 1980-07-09. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ a b c "'The Family I Had' Is One Of The Saddest, Most Unnerving Documentaries You'll Ever See". Ranker. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ a b "Boy murdered his 4yo sister just to make his mother suffer". NZ Herald. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ Clarendon, Dan (2018-01-06). "Who Is Paris Bennett? Convict Killed Sister When He Was 13 and She Was 4". In Touch Weekly. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Mum reveals moment she heard her four-year-old daughter was murdered by her son". Yahoo News. 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Age Boundaries in Juvenile Justice Systems". National Governors Association. 2021-08-12. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ Garza, Ariana (2012-09-05). "Abilene teen to serve remainder of 40-year sentence -- for killing 4-year-old sister -- in adult prison". KTXS. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ a b "Paris Bennett: The Horrific Story Of The Psychopath Who Killed His Four-Year-Old Sister". 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Texas Department of Criminal Justice Inmate Search". inmate.tdcj.texas.gov. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
- ^ "Charity Lee on Facebook". Facebook.