An 18-year-old high school student in Baytown, Texas, faces murder charges after allegedly stabbing a classmate to death with scissors during a fight that began over a missing vape pen worth $21.
Aundre Matthews appeared in court on Friday, December 19, 2025, where Judge Emily Munoz Detoto set his bond at $3 million for the death of Andrew Meismer, 16, at Ross S. Sterling High School. Matthews was arrested on Wednesday afternoon following the incident and initially booked into the Baytown Municipal Jail before being transferred to the Harris County Jail.
The stabbing occurred around 10:42 a.m. in a science lab classroom on December 17, 2025. Both students had been excused from class to use the restroom when the fight began in the school bathroom over a missing THC vape pen. Matthews believed Meismer had taken the vape pen and confronted him about it.
During the bathroom confrontation, Matthews searched Meismer’s pockets for the vape pen. While he did not find it, he discovered a pair of scissors in Meismer’s pocket and placed them in his own waistband. The two students then entered the science lab classroom, where the altercation escalated.
A female student witnessed the fight inside the classroom. A teacher intervened after hearing cries for help and found Matthews holding Meismer in a chokehold. By that point, Matthews had stabbed Meismer with the scissors taken from Meismer’s own pocket.
Meismer was airlifted to a hospital, where he later died. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences ruled Meismer’s death a homicide, with the official cause of death determined to be a stab wound to the neck.
Matthews admitted to stabbing Meismer in a statement to authorities. The 18-year-old has no criminal history before this incident, according to his court-appointed defense attorney, Gianpaolo Macerola. Matthews’ 18-year-old sister is listed as his guardian.
During the bond hearing, Macerola requested a significantly lower bond of $500,000 for his client. “I need to see that surveillance video,” Macerola said. “I need to see what happened in terms of all the claims that were read in that probable cause affidavit.”
Matthews is scheduled to appear in court again on January 7, 2026, for a bond hearing.
The incident prompted students to protest outside Sterling High School in the days following the stabbing. Students reported being instructed to return to class and take finals within 15 minutes of the stabbing, with some walking past the classroom where the incident occurred. “They cleaned up the blood and then afterwards they basically told everyone to go back to class as if nothing happened,” one student told reporters. Another parent said students were told, “Just don’t look,” as they passed the scene on their way to class. The school, part of the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District (CISD), reopened Dec. 18 following the tragedy on Dec. 17.
Superintendent Randal O’Brien addressed the community in a statement posted to the district’s website late Dec. 18 afternoon. “My heart is heavy as I join the community in grieving yesterday’s tragedy at Sterling High School,” O’Brien said. “We are mourning the loss of a student, and our deepest condolences are with the student’s family, friends, and all Sterling Rangers. There are no words that can fully meet a moment like this, but please know that the District and community stand with you.”
The superintendent said the district was providing in-person support to students and staff following the incident. O’Brien also addressed concerns about student discipline in his statement, noting that the district takes student behavior seriously but operates within the constraints of state and federal law.
The case marks a rare instance of fatal violence inside a Texas school, where disputes between students typically result in suspensions or other disciplinary actions rather than criminal charges. The severity of the bond amount reflects the serious nature of the murder charge Matthews faces as an adult in the Texas criminal justice system.
Matthews remains in custody at the Harris County Jail as the legal process continues. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the ongoing case.
The fight that claimed Meismer’s life highlights growing concerns about student safety in schools and the potential for seemingly minor disputes to escalate into deadly violence. The $21 vape pen at the center of the confrontation became the catalyst for a tragedy that has left one student dead and another facing life-altering criminal charges.
School officials continue to work with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds.
