Royce Witchet, 15, died after a shooting along a sidewalk near Westfield High School following Tuesday afternoon’s dismissal.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 14-year-old has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Westfield High School student Royce Witchet near the Spring ISD campus, authorities said, a day after the younger teenager was taken into custody.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the murder charge Thursday in the Sept. 22 shooting. Authorities have not publicly identified the 14-year-old because he is a juvenile. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has said the suspect is also believed to be a Spring Independent School District student. Investigators have not announced a motive or explained in detail what happened before the gunfire. The murder charge is an allegation, and the teenager has not been found guilty.
The shooting was reported shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday along a sidewalk near Westfield High School and the Spring ISD administration building on Ella Boulevard. Gonzalez said investigators believe there was some type of encounter involving Witchet and the other teenager before the shooting. Authorities have not publicly said whether the two knew each other before that encounter.
Witchet was critically wounded and taken to a hospital, where he later died. Authorities stressed that the shooting occurred outside the school rather than inside the campus. The shooting happened shortly after dismissal, and officials said relatively few students remained at the school at the time.
The person believed responsible left the area on foot, prompting a search involving Spring ISD police and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities announced Wednesday that a 14-year-old had been taken into custody in connection with Witchet’s death. The sheriff’s office announced the murder charge the following day.
Investigators have not publicly detailed the evidence that led them to identify the teenager as the suspect. They have sought information from students and other potential witnesses who may have video, messages or other material connected to the shooting. Those requests indicate investigators are continuing to reconstruct what happened before and during the deadly encounter.
The case is being handled through the juvenile justice system because of the accused teenager’s age. The Houston Chronicle reported that Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Thomas Gilliland confirmed the teenager was charged with murder as a juvenile. Any further decisions about how the case will proceed would require action through the juvenile court process.
Witchet’s family and school community began mourning him as the investigation continued. His mother, Rhonda Churchwell, described her son in local media reports as loving and funny and said he cared deeply about his siblings. She also said he enjoyed sports and music. The family planned a balloon release in his memory at Westfield High School, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Spring ISD confirmed Witchet was a Westfield High School student and expressed condolences to his family, friends, classmates, teachers and staff. The district said the death followed an act of violence that occurred off campus. Officials also said additional support would be available to members of the school community affected by his death.
Law enforcement also increased its presence around Westfield High School following the shooting. Gonzalez said additional deputies would be at the school in the days after Witchet’s death, while the district said there would be an increased law enforcement presence across Spring ISD as students and employees returned to their normal schedules.
Several central questions remain unanswered. Investigators have not publicly identified a motive, described the full circumstances of the encounter or said whether Witchet and the accused teenager had a previous relationship or dispute. The investigation remains active while the 14-year-old faces the murder allegation in juvenile court.
Author note: Last updated September 24, 2026.