Key Takeaways
- A Harris County judge set a $3 million bond for Aundre Matthews, the 18-year-old student charged with the murder of his classmate and friend, Andrew Meismer, at Ross S. Sterling High School in Baytown.
- The fight between Matthews and Meismer started over a missing $21 THC vape pen, which Matthews accused Meismer of stealing.
- It escalated to a physical confrontation in an empty school classroom, where Matthews allegedly stabbed Meismer in the neck with scissors he’d taken from Meismer.
- Meismer died of a puncture wound to the neck.
- Witnesses, including a female student and a teacher, described Matthews choking Meismer who was bleeding badly from his neck.
- Matthews explained his actions as self-defense, claiming fear due to Meismer’s size and said Meismer punched him first.
- Surveillance video shows the two teens are about the same size.
- Matthews’ defense attorney, Gianpaolo Macerola, said Matthews has no criminal history.
BAYTOWN, Texas – A Harris County judge set bond at $3 million for an 18-year-old student charged with murder after prosecutors say he stabbed his 16-year-old classmate with scissors during a fight Wednesday morning at Ross S. Sterling High School in Baytown.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Aundre Matthews will face murder charges in connection with the death of Andrew Meismer.
OUR FIRST REPORT: Student dies after being stabbed with scissors in classroom at high school in Baytown
The incident occurred on Dec. 17, when Baytown police responded to a report of a stabbing at around 10:42 a.m. According to prosecutors, the fight stemmed from a $21 THC vape pen that Matthews believed Meismer had stolen.
Meismer was flown to the hospital by Life Flight, but he later died from his injuries. His cause of death was determined to be a stab wound to the neck.
Matthews was taken into police custody and placed in Baytown Jail shortly after the incident. On Friday, he was transferred to the Harris County Jail, where he appeared before a judge.
READ MORE: Girlfriend identifies victim in deadly stabbing at Baytown high school
The judge set Matthews’ bond at $3 million. His next court date is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026.
New Details on Stabbing Revealed in Court
During Friday’s hearing, prosecutors laid out the events leading up to, during and following the alleged attack:
At around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday: Andrew Meismer and Aundre Matthews are seen walking into a classroom together at Ross S. Sterling High School in Baytown. On the recorded footage, the two students appear to be acting casual and friendly with each other. Investigators made note of the fact that Meismer and Matthews appeared to be roughly the same size in the recording — as Matthews would later tell officers that Meismer was bigger than him
Before the incident: Meismer asked his teacher to use the restroom. A few minutes later, Matthews also asked to be excused to the restroom. In the bathroom, investigators believe Matthews confronted Meismer over a missing THC vape pen, which he believed Meismer had stolen.
After exiting the bathroom: Matthews and Meismer walk into an empty lab classroom. Moments later, an anonymous female student entered the room as well.
Inside the empty classroom: The female student overheard Matthews accusing Meismer of stealing his vape. Matthews told Meismer he owed him around $21 for the lost item. She then saw Matthews strike Meismer and the two begin fighting.
The fight escalates: The female student saw Matthews choking Meismer and noticed a large amount of blood coming from Meismer’s neck. She ran out of the classroom, screaming for help.
About 11:15 a.m.: The classroom teacher heard the student’s cries for help and entered the room. He saw Matthews holding Meismer in a chokehold, with blood visible. The teacher struggled to remove Matthews’ arm from the victim’s neck and eventually pulled him off of Meismer.
Victim collapses: Meismer was found critically injured and later pronounced dead at approximately 11:53 a.m. Investigators learned that Meismer died from a puncture wound to the neck, consistent with being stabbed by scissors.
Matthews speaks: Matthews is arrested at the school. He initially invokes his right to remain silent but later gives a statement after speaking with his legal guardian, his 18-year-old sister.
Here’s what prosecutors say they learned from Aundre:
- Matthews said he and Meismer were friends.
- Matthews admitted that he first followed Meismer into a bathroom to confront him about the missing vape pen.
- He said he searched Meismer’s pockets for the vape in the bathroom.
- After failing to find the pen, Matthews took some scissors he found in Meismer’s pocket and placed them in his waistband.
- After the two walked into the empty classroom, another confrontation started.
- Matthews said he tried to search Meismer again, but Meismer pushed him away, which started another fight.
- Matthews said Meismer punched him in the head twice with a closed fist as he was crouching down.
- Matthews said he was afraid of getting beat up, because Meismer was much bigger than him.
- Matthews said he wanted to defend himself, so he retrieved the scissors, swung them, and stabbed the victim, believing he had hit Meismer in the eye.
- He then said he put Meismer in a chokehold. After the teacher came in and tried to separate the two, Matthews admitted that he fought back but eventually let Meismer go.
- Matthews denied “stomping on [Meismer]’s head” after the two were separated
Matthews’ Attorney Speaks
Gianpaolo Macerola was appointed as Matthews’ defense attorney.
Macerola requested a bond of $500,000 for Matthews, citing that his client had no criminal history and cooperated with police in the hours following the incident. However, this request was not met.
Macerola also said he does not yet have information about Matthews’ parents, school discipline history, mental health background, or whether or not he has learning disabilities that require special needs.
The attorney said Matthews is an 18-year-old high school senior and described the situation as extremely jarring for someone his age. He declined to comment on Matthews’ demeanor or whether he showed remorse, saying it would be inappropriate to share conclusions without having a baseline for Matthews’ behavior.
Macerola said his next steps include meeting with Matthews at the jail, contacting his sister, reviewing surveillance video, and investigating the claims laid out by prosecutors.
He closed by calling the case tragic and expressing sympathy for families affected by the loss.