HOUSTON -- Five teenagers accused of killing another teenager appeared in court on Thursday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Marcus Jason, 18, Joshua Rider, 19, Joshua Ashford, 17, Cedrick Fears, 17, and Charles Merritt, 18, have been charged with murder in the death of 18-year-old Kevin Powell.

The teens were shackled together and wearing orange jumpsuits when they went before the judge for their probable cause hearing.

Baytown police said Powell's body was found Monday outside the Tompkins Green Apartments.

Detectives said four of the students arrested are in high school. All confessed to beating Powell to death, according to authorities. Investigators said they believe the teens confessed because they did not intend to kill Powell.

Assistant District Attorney Katie Warren told the judge that the teens took turns beating Powell.

Ashford told investigators that he chased down Powell and used a barbecue pit lid to hit him. Rider admitted to using a pistol to beat Powell before handing it to Fears, who hit Powell with the pistol and his shoes, detectives said. Merritt and Jason told police they hit Powell multiple times.

The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office said Powell's skull was fractured and a bone penetrated his brain.

Police said the five beat Powell to death over an argument that escalated out of control. Investigators said the violence started after one of the suspects had his windows busted out and gunshots fired at his car in what police called an ongoing feud.

Relatives of the accused said the teens were defending themselves. Ashford's grandmother said her grandson insisted that Powell came at them with a gun.

"I cannot say that I would not defend myself with a barbecue lid against a gun if it was me," said Caroline Jones. "The other alternative would be I would be here crying to you (KPRC Local 2) because my grandson's been shot and dead, and the other boys."

Jones said Duke University and Texas A&M University had been scouting Ashford to potentially play on their basketball teams. A representative for La Porte High School said Ashford had played on the school's basketball team until mid-December, but did not comment on why he has not played since then.

Each teen's bond has been set at $100,000. They have been ordered to not have any contact with each other.

If convicted, each teen faces five years to life in prison.