A tragic incident unfolded at Sterling High School in Baytown, Texas, when an 18-year-old man allegedly killed a 16-year-old boy over a missing vape pen. The accused, Aundre Matthews, now faces murder charges after the fatal stabbing of Andrew Meismer during a confrontation inside a classroom.

This unsettling event took place around 11:15 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, casting a shadow over the school community near Houston. Details emerged during a recent probable cause hearing led by prosecutors from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. They recounted how a teacher, upon hearing a plea for help, discovered Matthews with his arm wrapped around Andrew’s neck in what appeared to be a chokehold.

Despite the teacher’s efforts to intervene, Matthews reportedly refused to release Andrew, who was visibly bleeding. The horrifying scene was compounded by surveillance footage, which captured the two students entering the classroom just moments before the altercation. Another student present recounted hearing Matthews accuse Andrew of stealing his $21 THC vape pen, which escalated into a violent dispute resulting in significant bloodshed.

Law enforcement swiftly apprehended Matthews, who later admitted during a Mirandized interview that he intended to confront Andrew about the vape pen in the bathroom. This confrontation tragically spiraled out of control, ending in the loss of a young life and leaving a community in shock.

Surveillance video showed the suspect and victim entered a classroom minutes earlier, followed by another student who said she heard Matthews accuse Andrew of stealing his $21 THC vape pen. A fight ensued and she said she saw “a lot of blood” coming from Andrew’s body.

Cops arrested Matthews. He told cops in a Mirandized interview that he went to the bathroom to confront the victim about the missing vape.

“Defendant followed the complainant to the bathroom, searched his pockets, did not find the pen, but instead found a pair of scissors on the complainant’s person,” the prosecutor testified.

Matthews took the scissors away and the two walked to a classroom where he again confronted Andrew about the vape. The suspect searched the victim’s pockets again and a pushing match ensued, according to prosecutors. Matthews then allegedly pulled out the scissors and stabbed Andrew in the neck. The defendant claimed Andrew is a lot bigger than him and that he stabbed the victim in self-defense, but prosecutors say that’s not the case.

Paramedics rushed Andrew to the hospital, where he died less than an hour later.

Matthews’ attorney said his client has no prior criminal history. But Kim Luckett, a former teacher at the school who had Matthews in class, told local ABC affiliate KTRK the teen received in-school suspension several times for altercations with numerous students.

“It’s a rap sheet that’s a mile long,” she said in an interview with the TV station.

Luckett said she was concerned about escalating discipline problems at the school.

“I went and had a meeting with [the superintendent’s] secretary and said things are out of control,” Luckett stated. “Mark my word, if we do not get a handle on it as admin, somebody is going to die.”

Matthews’ defense attorney, Gianpaolo Macerola, told Fox affiliate KRIV he wants to see the school surveillance video before jumping to conclusions.

“I need to see what happened in terms of all the claims that were read in that probable cause affidavit,” he said.

The defendant remains in the Harris County Jail on a $3 million bond. His next court hearing is set for Jan. 7, 2026.