FORT WORTH, TEXAS: Three students from Texas Christian University were each sentenced to a brief period of five days in jail. Their conviction came after one of them kissed their friend and subsequently pushed him off their boat, leading to a tragic incident where he was struck by a propeller and killed.
In October 2019, Delaney Brennan and Jack Elliott, along with a few others, went on a boat ride on Lake Travis near Austin. Most of them were drinking and Brennan and Elliott were sitting at the front of the boat. According to reports, Brennan pushed Elliott overboard, leading to a tragic incident where Elliott was struck multiple times by the propeller and died. Shockingly, the group only spent five minutes searching for Elliott before deciding to return to the dock. Brennan, along with two others, fabricated a story about Elliott going overboard and deliberately provided false information regarding the events leading up to his untimely death.
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Who was Jack Elliott?
Jack Elliot was a 19-year-old freshman attending Texas Christian University. Originally from Newport Beach, California, he was killed while on a boat with a group of friends, when a girl playfully pushed him, causing him to fall overboard and tragically come into contact with the boat's propeller. Elliott's passing deeply impacted the community. The 'Remembering Jack Elliott' Facebook page is a dedicated space to honor and remember him.
'I hope that the guilt catches up with each and every one of you'
On Thursday, May 11, a judge handed down sentences of five days in prison to Brennan, along with Elle Weber, and Carson Neel. Neel's father was associated with the marina where the incident took place. During the proceedings, Elliott's younger sister, Ava, expressed her wish for the defendants to experience joyless lives, given the immense sorrow her family now endures.
"I hope that the guilt catches up with each and every one of you and takes a little bit of joy out of every happy moment, similar to what grief has done to me and my parents," she said in her victim's statement, according to The Orange County Register. "Considering that Jack is missing out on nearly 80 years of his life, the thought of each of you spending 15 to 30 days in prison sounds like the better end of the deal."
'You stood up there lying and manipulating everyone'
Elliott's father, Brett, expressed his strong disapproval of the trio, emphasizing that they demonstrated a complete lack of integrity. The group conspired to conceal the truth and fabricated a false narrative regarding the circumstances surrounding Elliott's death. "You did the wrong things over and over, and you lied over and over and your parents supported the lies," he said in court. "Now, here in this courthouse, is where you end up — a convict going to jail. And yet the sad part is you still have zero character and zero integrity."
Brett expressed his disgust towards the trio for their participation in candlelight vigils while simultaneously perpetuating falsehoods about the incident. He found their actions hypocritical and morally reprehensible. "All of you stood together arm in arm and took pictures and smiled, knowing you had killed Jack," he said. "You stood up there lying and manipulating everyone basking in the sympathy. Then, the truth was exposed."
What actually happened?
Elle Weber, who, like most of the others, had consumed alcohol, was operating the boat when she witnessed Brennan "playfully shove" Elliott, causing him to fall into the water. Neel immediately jumped in to search for him but was unable to locate him. After a brief five-minute search, they decided to turn back. Weber contacted 911 but provided a false name, claiming to be 'Elle Macpherson.' During the return journey to the dock, the group disposed of the alcohol by throwing it overboard. They assigned the only sober individual, Anthony Salazar, who was feeling unwell, to take control of the boat.
When questioned by the authorities, they initially claimed that Elliott had performed a backflip off the boat and disappeared. Later, they changed their story, asserting that he had been leaning over the side of the boat and accidentally fell overboard. Furthermore, the group contacted Elliott's parents in California and tearfully said, "We don't know how Jack fell off the boat. We don't know if Jack stood up to change his position and he lost his balance or if he was fixing his hair, we don't know what he was doing. These are the most honest answers we can give you right now."
However, shortly after the Elliotts received the call, they were contacted by the father of one of the teenagers present in the boat. He informed them that he had overheard information suggesting that Elliott did not accidentally fall off the boat but was, in fact, pushed. This revelation raised further doubts about the truthfulness of the group's initial statements.
