Why Did His Best Friend Kill Him?

In every town, there’s a pair of best friends — the ones everyone knows.

In Greenville, Ohio, that pair was Jason Carter and Eli Matthews.

They met in middle school, shared everything — first bikes, first girlfriends, first heartbreaks.

To everyone, they were brothers from another mother.

But in the summer of 2020, one of them would end up dead.

And the other? In handcuffs.

This is the real story of how friendship turned fatal — and why some betrayals cut deeper than any knife.

🧒 Brothers Since Day One

Jason and Eli met at age 11 on a dusty basketball court. They clicked instantly.

Both from broken homes

Both loved music, video games, and motorcycles

Both said they’d be “ride or die for life”

By 2020, Jason (23) had a job in construction and lived in a small rented house. Eli (22) was in and out of work but stayed close, crashing on Jason’s couch often.

They partied together, got tattoos together — even dated girls from the same group.

But money… was always a problem.

💵 The Fight That Changed Everything

In May 2020, Jason received a $9,500 settlement after a minor car accident.

It wasn’t life-changing, but in their world — it was gold.

Eli started asking for loans, favors, help with rent. Jason helped at first.

But then came rumors:

Eli had started using pills.

He owed people money.

Jason began pulling back — and Eli didn’t take it well.

They had their first serious fight in June. Neighbors heard yelling:

“You act like I’m nothing to you!”

“I ain’t your bank, bro!”

But the next day, they were seen laughing over beers again.

No one knew it would be their last time drinking together.

🔪 The Night of the Murder

On June 17, 2020, Jason was found dead in his kitchen — stabbed seven times in the chest and stomach.

His phone was smashed. His wallet and cash were gone. The front door was locked.

Police noticed there was no sign of forced entry.

Only one fingerprint stood out — on the fridge handle.

It belonged to Eli Matthews.

🕵️ The Investigation: A Trail of Regret and Lies

When police questioned Eli, he denied everything.

He said:

“I haven’t seen Jason in days.”

But his phone data told a different story:

He was at Jason’s house the night of the murder

CCTV showed him leaving around 2:13 a.m. — hoodie, backpack, and blood on his sleeve

He had tried to sell Jason’s PlayStation later that same morning

They brought him in.

In a five-hour interrogation, Eli finally broke:

“I didn’t mean to. I just lost it. He called me a leech.”

⚖️ The Trial: The Town Turns Cold

The trial shocked Greenville.

People packed the courtroom. Some cried. Others stared at Eli like a stranger.

His defense claimed self-defense — that Jason got physical first.

But forensic evidence showed Jason had no defensive wounds. He didn’t even make it out of the kitchen.

The jury took only 90 minutes.

Guilty of second-degree murder.

Eli was sentenced to 38 years in prison.

He cried in court. Jason’s mother didn’t.

She told the press:

“You can’t call someone your brother and then bury a knife in his heart.”

🕯️ Aftermath: A Town Left Wondering Why

People still visit Jason’s grave with candles and cans of Monster Energy — his favorite.

His house remains empty.

Eli, now 26, is reportedly silent in prison, rarely speaking.

No letters. No apologies. Just memories of a friendship that ended in blood.

📺 Media and Online Impact

The case was covered by:

Dateline: Friends No More

A viral TikTok clip with over 2 million views

Reddit threads discussing betrayal, addiction, and false loyalty

🎭 Final Thoughts: Who Can You Really Trust?

Jason and Eli were more than friends — they were family.

But even family can fall apart when jealousy, money, and addiction enter the picture.

They say:

Keep your friends close… but your enemies closer.

But what if they’re the same person?

This story asks:

How well do we ever really know someone?

And what happens when love and loyalty turn into rage?