NEW BOSTON, Texas -- A Bowie County jury has found a 19-year-old guilty of murder in the 2021 death of a fellow Texas High School student.
Kamorion Lamar Meachem, 19, was convicted Friday afternoon in 5th District Court after testifying on his own behalf Friday morning. The jury deliberated about an hour before finding Meachem guilty.
Deliberations in the punishment phase of the trial began a few minutes after 4 p.m. Jurors were still deliberating at press time Friday.
Meachem faces five to 99 years or life in a Texas prison.
Meachem was charged with murder in the Oct. 25, 2021, shooting death of Ulises Martinez, 17. The two were students at Texas High School and had argued earlier that day in the school cafeteria.
Jurors heard three days of testimony from the prosecution's witnesses, including testimony from Martinez's younger brother.
The argument at school started when a female student took a juice cup off the table where Martinez and his friends were sitting and gave it to Meachem. Martinez became angry, took the juice cup from Meachem and threw it away, according to testimony.
The teens continued to argue and threaten each other through text messages that afternoon after they were sent home, according to testimony.
Meachem sent his address to Martinez to continue the fight in person, according to evidence from Texarkana Texas Police investigators that the jury heard Thursday.
Martinez was shot during the confrontation at Meachem's home on Sidney Drive and pronounced dead at the scene.
Meachem's 20-year-old brother Kieran Markel Meachem was also charged with murder, but the charge was dropped.
Kamorion Meachem was represented by Heath Hyde of Sulphur Springs, Texas.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Bowie County District Attorney Katie Cater.