Judge Allows Suspect In Murder Case To Be Granted House Arrest
In a decision that left much of the public stunned, a Texas judge drastically reduced bond on Monday for 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony—the teen charged with murder in the brutal stabbing death of Austin Metcalf, also 17, during a high school track meet. What began as a simple dispute over a seat spiraled into tragedy. Now, the suspect could soon be walking free, albeit under house arrest.
Originally held on $1 million bond, Anthony saw that amount slashed to $250,000 following a hearing in Collin County. If the family posts the bond, the accused killer will return home under ankle monitoring and restrictions requiring him to remain inside. That’s a sharp departure from the severity of the charge: murder, which carries lifelong implications not just for the accused, but for the family whose son won’t be coming home at all.
Karmelo Anthony has been released on bond after a judge lowered it from $1 million to $250,000 in the killing of Austin Metcalf.
Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/UKMKp2UL8p
— AF Post (@AFpost) April 14, 2025
The fatal stabbing took place on April 2. According to police, Anthony confessed on the scene: “I did it.” But despite the confession and the clear-cut nature of the incident, the judge cited Anthony’s “lack of criminal history” in justifying the bond reduction—raising serious questions about what now qualifies as a flight or safety risk in violent crime cases.
Adding fuel to the fire, prosecutors brought up a separate assault involving Anthony that occurred just two months prior. That case, however, did not appear to sway the court’s ruling.
Meanwhile, both families are surrounded by dueling GoFundMe campaigns. One, launched for the Anthony family, has raised nearly $500,000, yet defense attorneys insist it is not intended for bond but to support the family while Anthony’s father is on leave from work. “The narrative being spread is false, unjust, and harmful,” the campaign reads, casting the accused as the true victim of a rush to judgment.
Why aren’t Karmelo’s new lawyers demanding videos be released?
They could be holding press conferences on the courthouse steps
Ask why they aren’t
— Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) April 15, 2025
Contrast that with the campaign for the victim, Austin Metcalf, whose father wrote a heartfelt tribute that paints a stark picture of what was lost. Austin was a scholar-athlete with a 4.0 GPA, team MVP honors, and dreams of playing football at the next level. His father, Jeff Metcalf, described how his son died in his twin brother’s arms—a sentence that doesn’t just land emotionally, it stops the breath. This was a life with promise, stolen in seconds.
Austin’s fundraiser has raised over $340,000, a testament to the community’s grief and support. But no amount of money can cover the loss of a young man whose leadership, work ethic, and radiant smile were just beginning to shape the world around him.