Friendswood murder suspect’s attorney says mom did not buy a gun for him Connor Hilton, 17, of Friendswood, is facing a murder charge after a shooting Saturday night that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old. Ethan Riley, 18, of Friendswood, was one of two shot in the head by Hilton and died on Sunday (12/24/2023). Thursday (12/28/2023) afternoon, i45NOW reached out to Hilton’s retained defense attorney, Jennifer Carpenter, who will partner with attorney Adam Brown on the case. Carpenter was also the attorney early on for A.J. Armstrong, who was found guilty of killing his parents in 2016, a case that spanned for 7 years, with 2 mistrials. Carpenter was not available Thursday for an interview, as she was out of town and wanted to meet with her client [Hilton] first. Carpenter did share a statement from the Hilton family. She said that his parents “cannot express enough their deepest condolences to the victims' families.” According to the probable cause affidavit, during questioning with Friendswood police, Hilton told investigators that he talked his mom into buying him the gun. Despite what records said, Carpenter told i45NOW that Hilton’s mom did not buy him the gun. Hilton also told investigators that he had “thought about, and wanted to commit a homicide for a long time.” Hilton said there was ‘no disturbance’ between him and the others that led to the shooting. He was showing them the gun and then shot them in their heads. After the shooting, police searched the residence and found a grey revolver on a table, according to court records. Initially, Hilton was arrested on two charges of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and booked into the Galveston County Jail with a $500,000 bond on each charge. Hilton bonded out on his $1 million bond for the two charges but was then re-arrested on Monday (12/25/2023) after Riley died. Friendswood PD arrested Hilton at his home in the 1800 block of La Salle Street at 6:40 PM. He was transported to the Friendswood City Jail and later transferred to the Galveston County Jail. Hilton was charged with murder and was not given a bond. Full statement from Connor Hilton’s family: The parents of Connor Hilton cannot express enough their deepest condolences to the victims' families who have been heavily on the Hiltons' hearts and minds as they try to navigate this devastating situation. The Hilton family wants to thank everyone who has reached out in love and support, including all who sent positive comments about Connor's character and good nature in general. The family asks for continued prayers for everyone affected, especially the victims' families. - The Hilton Family

Posted by i45NOW Joey at 2023-12-28 23:05:06 UTC