An 18-year-old from Texas is currently in custody after allegedly fatally stabbing a 16-year-old student over a missing vape worth $21. The tragic event unfolded inside a classroom at a high school.

Aundre Matthews is facing murder charges in connection with the killing of Andrew Meismer at Sterling High School in Baytown, a suburb near Houston. The incident took place at approximately 11:15 a.m. on Wednesday.

During a probable cause hearing last week, Harris County District Attorney’s Office prosecutors reported that a teacher witnessed Andrew asking to leave for the restroom, with Matthews trailing shortly behind. Moments later, the teacher heard a plea for assistance. Upon investigation, the teacher discovered Matthews holding Andrew in a chokehold.

The prosecutor further detailed, “The teacher tried to release the arm from Andrew’s neck, but Matthews refused. Blood was visibly coming from Andrew’s neck and body.”

Security footage revealed that the suspect and the victim had entered the classroom a few minutes earlier, accompanied by another student. This student recounted hearing Matthews accuse Andrew of taking his $21 THC vape pen. A confrontation broke out, and she described witnessing “a significant amount of blood” on Andrew.

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.