A recent decision by a Potter County grand jury has brought formal charges in connection with the tragic shooting death of a 15-year-old Brynlee Hampton earlier this year — a case that continues to raise questions about firearm safety, responsibility, and the consequences of split-second actions.
According to officials in Potter County, the grand jury determined there is enough evidence to indict two men following the incident that occurred shortly after midnight on January 1 at 6001 Westwind Avenue.
Jeremiah Luke Lajuan Matthews has been indicted for manslaughter after jurors found he “recklessly” caused the Hampton’s death. The indictment includes a deadly weapon enhancement — a legal distinction that significantly increases the seriousness of the charge. While manslaughter is typically a second-degree felony in Texas, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, the enhancement raises the potential punishment to that of a first-degree felony.
In Texas, a first-degree felony carries a sentence ranging from 5 to 99 years in prison.
The use of the enhancement reflects what officials describe as a strategic decision by the Potter County District Attorney’s Office to pursue a more severe punishment while maintaining a charge that aligns with how the grand jury interpreted the circumstances.
A second defendant, Landrey Korde Matthews, has been indicted for tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony. Investigators allege Landrey removed the firearm from the scene in an effort to hide it from law enforcement. In Texas, a third-degree felony carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Arrest documents paint a troubling picture of what occurred inside the vehicle that night. Authorities say Jeremiah Matthews was handling a firearm while inside a car occupied by eight teenagers. Witnesses reported that he waved the gun around and pointed it toward other passengers.
The driver later told police she heard a sound she initially believed to be a firework. Moments later, a front-seat passenger said she thought she had been shot.
Hampton was transported to a local hospital but later died from her injuries.
Officers who examined the vehicle found a single bullet hole in the rear of the front passenger seat, along with blood on the front passenger seat, according to arrest records.
Both men were booked into the Potter County Detention Center the same day as the shooting.
As of now, Jeremiah Matthews remains in custody in lieu of a $500,000 bond. Landrey Matthews also remains jailed, with bond set at $250,000.
While the legal process is still in its early stages, the case underscores broader concerns about firearm handling — particularly among young people and in confined environments like vehicles. Authorities have not suggested intent to kill, but the allegations highlight how quickly unsafe behavior involving a weapon can lead to irreversible consequences.
