On July 8, 2025, George Osbron Merrill, III, W/M, DOB: 05/29/2007, pleaded guilty to Criminal Mischief, F3.
Defendant Merrill received a prison term of 10 years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
On January 25, 2025, Upshur County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the Union Grove High School involving a potential Criminal Mischief matter. Upon their arrival, they discovered considerable damage, including, broken glass panels of doors and windows, shattered trophy cases that held the achievements of prior students which were completely damaged, shattered hallway televisions, damaged ceiling tiles, broken water fountains, computer screens, copy machines, computer monitors, furniture, cameras, and bathrooms that were also destroyed.
Once Investigator Guthrie reviewed the videos, he saw where the Defendant vandalized the school with a bat, continuously looked up at the cameras which gave the investigator a clearer view of his face, and threw up the “Duces” sign several times in an apparent gesture that he knew the cameras were recording his actions.
The Defendant was identified as George Osbron Merrill, III.
After being arrested, Merrill confessed to the crime and admitted to vandalizing the school because he was “bored.”
Under the plea agreement, the Defendant was ordered to pay the out-of-pocket insurance deductible of $25,000.00.
The State was represented by Elected Criminal District Attorney, Billy W. Byrd, and the case was presided over by the 115th District Judge, Dean Fowler.