Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - TRACK STAR STABBED DEAD, SUSPECT WALKS FREE, VICTIM’S ATTACKED, HOME “SWATTED”

Episode Date: April 15, 2025

Karmelo Anthony's bond hearing allowed him to walk free after the judge lowered his bond from $1,000,000 to $250,000. This occurred after the family hired new counsel, Mike Howard, a Dallas criminal defense attorney. The defense used the hearing to discuss the character of the accused killer, Karmelo Anthony, highlighting his role as captain of both his high school football and track teams. Described as the oldest of three children, Anthony had never been arrested prior to the murder. His father testified that he worked at Foot Locker, as well as a second job at an H-E-B supermarket, before the stabbing. Prosecutors questioned Andrew Anthony, father of the accused, about why Karmelo Anthony's bond should be reduced, given that the family had already raised over $400,000 from a crowdfunding site. Anthony stated that he has no access to the donated funds and cannot afford to pay the million-dollar bond. Anthony's lawyers argued that the money is not intended for bail but should be used for his legal defense. As the defendant walks free, we learn that the family of Austin Metcalf is dealing with threats and swatting incidents. Metcalf's mother's home was targeted with a false report claiming someone had been shot in the mouth. She was not home when police arrived. Joining Nancy Grace today: Lisa Herrick - Board-certified Juvenile Attorney, Partner at Varghese Summersett, and Former Juvenile Prosecutor; Instagram & Twitter: versustexas, TikTok: lisa_herrick_attorney, Facebook and Youtube: Varghese Summersett Dr. John Delatorre - Licensed Psychologist and Mediator (specializing in forensic psychology); Psychological Consultant to Project Absentis: a nonprofit organization that searches for missing persons; Twitter, IG, and TikTok - @drjohndelatorre Douglas Griffin - Senior Police Officer and President of the Houston Police Officer’s Union, Served 29 years Specializing in the Gang Task Force and Divisional Gang Unit  Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County NEW Podcast, May projected launch date, Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)   Katy Barber - Senior Digital Content Producer at My San Antonio Dave Mack - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. The Texas track star stabber walks free, walks free after a brutal stabbing of a football star. This as the victim's family is attacked. The victim's mother's home swatted. This as we learn the killer's family is set to buy a new house with donations. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us. Accused teen killer Anthony Carmelo pleads with a Texas judge for a lower bond on the basis of his age and lack of criminal record. Despite allegedly stabbing to death a fellow student at a track meet, the judge meets his demands. What? Okay. If we have the facts correct, the suspect stabbed an unarmed teen boy,

but yet I'm hearing that the suspect has walked free. I am also learning that it was urged in court that the suspect has no criminal history. He's a juvenile. Listen to this. Anthony's father was questioned about an incident involving his son that happened at Carmelo's High School in February. The Daily Mail refers to the incident as an altercation assault, but as the situation was handled internally by the Frisco Independent School District, it is unclear if Anthony was the aggressor or merely a witness to the incident or even what type of incident occurred. And his brother was holding him, trying to hold the blood in, and he passed. My son watched his brother die in his arms.

That from our friends at Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth News. Okay, let me understand this. Straight out to trial lawyer Lisa Herrick, partner at Vargie, Somerset, and former juvenile prosecutor. Lisa, thank you for being with us. When I can't get a straight answer, that makes me think that there is subterfuge. So if the suspect who is the admitted stabber of an unarmed teen at a high school track meet, when the stabbers camp is asked about an incident involving an assault at the school and I can't get a straight answer, it tells me that somebody is covering because if the suspect was just a witness to an assault or

a good Samaritan or the champion that's, you know, stopped the whole thing, we would have heard that, wouldn't we? I mean, they're trying to get Bond. They did get Bond. So what is this prior incident? And does it concern you that when the suspect's father is questioned about this, as he's urging his son's good character, we don't get a straight answer? Well, what I would want to know is, were any criminal charges brought because of it

and or was Carmelo suspended or expelled or did he have any sort of school disciplinary action as a result of it? Because if neither of those things are true, it does make me believe that he probably wasn't the aggressor. Criminal

charges don't necessarily have to be brought due to a fight at school, but schools are very likely to have some sort of disciplinary action because of a fight at school, especially if it was one-sided, especially for a person who was an aggressor. I mean, it disturbs me that someone is asking for a reduced bond to walk free after stabbing an unarmed teen dead and then not coming clean about what happened at a prior school incident. I mean, the father, Carmelo Anthony's father was questioned about the incident involving his son at Anthony's high school.

So why am I not getting a straight answer. Dave Mack, that changes everything. If there was a prior assault by Carmelo Anthony on another, think it, think it through Dave Mack for Pete's sake. This would be a similar transaction if it's true, because Anthony would be attacking another high schooler. I'd like to find out if that victim was armed or unarmed. I'd like to find out if Anthony was armed or unarmed. The extent of the attack, did it rise to an aggravated assault with fists or feet? I don't know. Do we know anything or was that completely glossed over in the bond hearing? We don't have an answer, right? It was completely glossed over in the hearing, Nancy. The question was what happened? And the answer was nothing. It was like a tap dance. We cannot

find out any information because it was handled by the school district, by their own investigation. And that's the only thing we know happened at school. They, I didn't want to say covered up. They said they dealt with it. And that was the end of it. I didn't want to say covered up, they said they dealt with it and that was the end of it. Dad didn't volunteer any information whatsoever about his son. I'll be honest, as a dad, if my son was accused of doing something and in this particular case he hadn't, I would have been screaming, absolutely, here's what happened. And I would tell you the whole story right then. I wouldn't just walk away like I needed an umbrella to get out of the sun. Take a look at the suspect. Actually, not really a suspect because he has admitted that he stabbed Austin Metcalf unarmed at a track meet. Here is Carmelo Anthony as he is leaving the courthouse.

Take a listen. Carmelo, why were you armed at school? Explain yourself to them. Explain yourself to them. bond at school. It's going to start with that. That is from our friends at Fox 4 Dallas Fort Worth News. To Katie Barber joining me, mysanantonio.com. What happened at the bond hearing? His attorney was asked about the knife and he refused to answer a question about it. He said, he just said for unknown reasons, Carmelo brought the knife to the school. But and the district attorney also acknowledged that it was for unknown reasons. So they're not prepared to go into that conversation. But it seems to be the most pressing comment or most pressing detail about the case right now.

OK, who asked who about why the knife was brought to the trackmate? Howard's attorney was asked by the media after the hearing about this. And he just said it would be irresponsible for me or them to say why he brought the knife. And they're asking the public to withhold justice. Okay. So hold on, Katie Barber. Let me understand. I asked you what happened at the bond hearing and you told me something that happened outside the bond hearing. But I want to follow up on that. You're telling me that Carmelo Anthony's lawyer was asked why Anthony brought a knife to the track meet. Do I have it right so far, Katie Barber? Yeah, he was asked why he brought the knife. Right, got it.

Yes, got it. I got it the first time. So hold on right there. Lisa Herrick, veteran trial lawyer who has handled cases in juvie, juvenile justice. So the lawyer wouldn't answer why Anthony brought a knife to a track meet. Here's my question. I'm sure you're familiar with implicit intent to commit a crime. Are you not? Yes. For instance, if I say, okay, Lisa Herrick, I've got a gun, it's loaded, and now I'm going to kill you. Bam. That's explicit. It's stated.

And the law recognizes that, but there is also implicit intent. For instance, if I reach into my gym bag and take out a knife and shove it into your heart, I don't have to say, Lisa, now I'm going to stab you dead. It's implicitly proven by my actions. I don't have to announce them. This is the problem Carmelo Anthony's lawyers are going to have. Implicit and explicit intent are equal in the eyes of lady justice. Under the law, they carry equal weight. Him bringing a knife and then using it to stab someone dead is implicit intent to commit a crime. That's why the lawyer wouldn't answer that question, Lisa Herrick. I think that's possibly why he wouldn't answer. I also would like to know what kind of knife it was. If we're talking about a large hunting knife, there's

probably no reason why he should be carrying that. Maybe there is, and his attorneys just don't feel like disclosing that at this point. But if it's a small pocket knife or like a Swiss army knife, maybe he carries that for other reasons. Maybe he just happened to have it in his backpack and used it for self-defense. We don't know what kind of knife it was at this point, or at least I don't know. And I think that that makes a difference. I think that matters. You know what? I think you're right, Lisa Herrick.

I think you're absolutely right. If it's a pen knife or a folding knife, yeah, a lot of guys might carry those around. You're absolutely right. So the type of knife is going to be very important. It's my understanding. It's a fixed blade. I don't know that. In other words, not a knife that you fold out. It's a knife with the blade attached and it's not foldable, but we'll find out. That's a really good point. You know, isn't it interesting, Lisa Herrick, how one small fact can change the terrain, the topography of a case.

Because if he shows up like a knife, for instance, out of the Brian Koberger case, a fixed blade army knife, right? A military style knife with a sheath. That's much more menacing and much more of an implicit threat to commit a crime as opposed to a foldable penknife. You're absolutely right. I want to get back to the bond hearing. I want to find out why the known, the admitted stabber of an unarmed boy at a track meet for Pete's sake, a high school track meet, has walked free. Listen to this.

Just before his bond hearing, Carmelo Anthony's family retains Mike Howard, a Dallas criminal defense attorney. The change of attorney is announced by the Next Generation Action Network, a nonprofit that is supporting Carmelo Anthony. Howard represents Anthony in court as the defense seeks to have bond for Anthony lowered from $1 million to $150,000. Prosecutors question Andrew Anthony, the father of the accused, why Carmelo Anthony should have his bond reduced when the family has already raised over $400,000 from a crowdfunding site. Dave Mack, let me understand what was happening in the bond hearing. There was a huge bond set because this is a murder case.

That's how it's being prosecuted. The defense wants a bond hearing at which a lot of questions are not answered, but it's their motion. They're the ones that file for a lowered bond. Now we find out at this hour, the family, Carmelo Anthony, established family has raised nearly $450,000. So why do they need the bond reduced? I don't get it because if the bond is a million dollars, what a defendant puts up is 10%. That's a hundred thousand dollars. They've gotten nearly a half a million dollars raised by the public for the defense, not for the funeral, not for the dead victim's family, but for the defense. So why, Dave, did they need a bond lowered if they've raised more than enough money to pay their own bond? Actually, that was a question that came up during the bond hearing and was asked of Carmelo Anthony's father, Andrew.

And Andrew Anthony said he does not have access to those funds. It's a very fine line here, Nancy, between what is truth and what is exact words. And technically, he does not have access to those funds himself. But according to what we've seen. Wait, what are you saying? The family is give, send, go, right? GSG. Yes.

So it's in their name. Why don't they have access to it? His mother, Carmelo Anthony's mother is on that account. And she would have direct access to that money. But what are you saying that with a straight face? You're saying I am the dad and the son are in court saying we can't access the nearly half a million dollars. But my mom can, but she's not doing it. So lower my bond. Are you serious?

In the bond hearing, Carmelo Anthony's father is on the stand and is asked about the over four hundred thousand dollars that in this Give, Send, Go account. And he said, with a straight face, he does not have direct access to those funds. That's why the defense could put him up on the stand for the bond hearing. And he could actually say that. It's like the Brady Bunch exact words episode. Now, Carmelo Anthony's mother, she is on the Give, Send, Go account and does have access. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. As law enforcement and paramedics arrive on scene, the rain is falling harder. One officer moves the memorial tent over the victim and medics trying to save his life. And finding the bloody knife in the stands quickly takes photos of it before the rain can wash away all the blood.

A blue tarp is used to cover the knife in an effort to preserve the evidence. And because it was so windy, the officer uses a nearby backpack to weigh down the tarp. He doesn't realize at the time the backpack belongs to suspect Carmelo Anthony. Centennial High School's Carmelo Anthony reaches inside his bag, grabs a knife and stabs Austin Metcalf in the chest underneath the Memorial High School pop-up tent. And then he runs away as Metcalf's twin brother, Hunter, comes to his brother's aid. Witnesses point out Anthony to a nearby middle school resource officer who chases the suspect down. First, I froze for half a second.

I didn't know what to do. And then I saw him about to fall. I went to go over there. I grabbed him. I see him. Just go. You're just seeing Austin's twin brother and his mother with our friend at the will kane show over on fox joining me an all-star panel making sense of the fact that a stabber

killed an unarmed high school track star and has walked free i've heard from the bond hearing about how the Stabbers family needs to survive, how they need more money in addition to the nearly half a million dollars they have raised online. But Dave Mack, I've heard very little about what the victim's family has endured on top of their son being murdered with his twin brother trying to stop the flow of blood. In addition to that, we now know there have been attacks on the victim's family and the victim, Austin Metcalf's mother's home, was swatted. What happened? Nancy, it's almost like a media blackout when it comes to the victim's family. At eight o'clock at night, SWAT, they get a 911 phone call giving the address of Austin Metcalf's mother and saying somebody has been shot in the mouth. And this person stays on the phone for an extended period of time until SWAT can get out to the

residence they surround it they build up of the whole blue shield around the home they're trying to get in touch with Austin's mother Megan and they can't get her on the phone well her phone isn't working right now and so she didn't have it her. She wasn't even home at the time this was going on, Nancy. But they didn't know that. SWAT didn't know if she had been killed. They didn't know if there were people inside the house. They couldn't figure out. So they're standing outside this house for over an hour trying to figure out what's going on inside.

Finally, you know, they get to this point where Megan has made contact with them and they're able to move forward. They sent a drone inside this house that has been swatted, Nancy, to go through every little thing. And of course, they didn't find anybody in there and they were able to clear the home. This is how this family is mourning, going through police, coming in thinking they're being held against their will and being trashed. OK, let me understand, Dave Mack. You're talking about Austin Metcalf, the dead boy, his family, his mother's home was swatted. Someone calls police, an anonymous tipster, and says a victim has been shot in the mouth inside the home? You have that 100% correct. You know, maybe I'm projecting, but I recall when my fiance was murdered,

I couldn't even think straight. I could barely form words. I felt like just howling like an animal. And this is a mother, a mother whose son, a twin, has been stabbed dead, who bled out in the rain at a track meet. And someone swats her home. I don't understand. Douglas Griffin joining me, senior police officer, president of the Houston Police Officers Union. That's saying a lot. Twenty nine years on the gang task force. You've seen it all. Douglas Griffin, how is it that the victim's family has somehow become the bad guys in this scenario?

I really don't understand it. There's so many questions to this case that you sit there and look at it and go, how did this happen? You have an individual that goes to the wrong tent, not even his school. To me, it's almost like he intended to start something somewhere in there. Then on top of that, where are all the coaches and the teachers and the staff? These track events, there's people everywhere. And for this to end up the way it did is just a tragedy, and it should never have happened. And I'm still dumbfounded by the fact that he was able to get a knife into a school facility like that. And why would you have it in the first place? So there's a lot of questions here that we have to answer. We have to look at the way the school is set up, the way the tents were set up,

and why it was so easy for him to pull a knife from a bag and stab a student like that. You know, you brought up a really good point. And I haven't thought this aspect through. And that is why, Douglas Griffin, I would spend so much time with my investigator, Ernest, and go over and over all the facts. I guess I knew it, but it's staring me straight in the face. He, Carmelo Anthony, the stabber, the confessed stabber, if he hadn't confessed to it, and by the way, I believe it's been caught on video, which I'm getting to. He's not alleged. He confessed to it.

All right. He walks into the tent during a track meet, carrying his bag with a knife in it. He is very clear. I mean, we've all been to high school football games and track events. It was lightly raining. so they have a tent. It's very clear whose tent is whose. There's the colors of the school on the tent. There's all the teammates from that school under the tent. They're all wearing their uniforms from that school. It may even have the school's name on the tent. So Carmelo Anthony,

the stabber, walks into the tent with a concealed knife. Why? Just as you said, why would you go into the other side's tent with a knife if you were not looking for trouble? To Katie Barber joining me, content producer at MySanAntonio.com, was the track event still ongoing? I take it that it was since so many guys were still under the tent. At the time of the stabbing, it was a rain delay. So everybody had taken a beat and they were waiting for the rain delay to be over when the fight first began. So simply, that's a yes. The event was still ongoing. What does that mean to me? That means to me that there are going to be a lot of witnesses and everybody waiting for the rain delay to end. We're all huddled under that tent. There was no

way that Anthony did not know he was going in the wrong tent. No way. With a knife. A hundred percent. I just wanted to clarify that. It's not like the track meet was over and everybody was gone. And the only one sitting under there was Austin Metcalf and that somehow he Carmelo Anthony didn't know where he was going. No, he went into the other side's tent with a knife. OK, Dave Mack, you mentioned that Austin's mother's home was swatted with someone saying someone had been shot in the mouth in the home. So police swarm the place. What about threats on Austin's father? He has been getting threats since this first began by text messages, by phone calls. Nancy, this grieving father had a person show up at his house banging on the door and he had to call police.

He is under attack online, on everywhere you can imagine. And again, the scariest thing I can think of is somebody you don't know showing up at your address, knowing who you are. And that happened to him. I don't even know how you go to sleep at night, knowing that people can find you and they they're going to they're verbally violent towards you. And you're the victim. I just don't understand how this has gotten so bass-ackwards. Neither family is the bad guy. Carmelo Anthony's family, not the bad guy.

The victim's family, certainly not the bad guy. So how has the victim's family turned into the scapegoat here? Why is the mom's house getting swatted? Why is the dad getting threats? People showing up, bamming on his door. This, in the last 72 hours, they have put their son in the ground. They have been to his funeral. I can't even imagine anything worse than that. I want you to listen to the dad, Jeff Metcalf with Fox 4.

And his brother was holding him, trying to hold the blood in, and he passed. My son watched his brother die in his arms. The father, Jeff Metcalf, describing the moment his son Austin was stabbed dead at a high school track meet. That from our friends at Fox 4 Dallas Fort Worth News. Friends and family mourn as they gather for 17-year-old Austin Metcalf's funeral after the Texan teen is stabbed to death in the bleachers at a high school track meet. Described as a, quote, true warrior, an entire community mourning the death of a Texas high school football star, track star as well, Austin Metcalf, just 17 years old. These are shots that we've obtained from the memorial, a heartbroken community gathering

to mourn the death of a teen boy, an outspoken Christian whose life cut short during a stabbing at the high school track meet. We understand that the facility was brimming with people. The mom, Megan Mitkowff, described the day she found out she was having twins. She was scared to death her life was going to change, she said. She says it changed into such a blessing to have her boys by her side. And quote, for now, instead of you walking beside me, I will accept you being above me. I love you, my big baby. Dave Mack, what happened at the funeral? Nancy, they did the public funeral for the community, for family and friends.

And it was an outpouring of affection, of love, of peace. It was the most amazing things that were said about Austin that the family was talking about how he had impacted the lives of so many people. His father said that during the funeral, people that he didn't know, adults who had children that knew Austin from school, they came up and said, I know you don't know me, but I need you to know your son impacted my son. He changed my son's life for the better. That's the type of outpouring that was there for the family. Things they were not even aware of, of how Austin had impacted so many people through his leadership, through his passion, not just sports, Nancy. We're talking about a young man who was active in all aspects of life. He wasn't just the jock. You know, he wasn't just the hunter.

He was so many things and he seemed to just always put other people first. And that's what came out of the funeral. Joining me, psychologist, mediator, specializing in forensic psychology, Dr. John Delatore. Dr. Delatore, thank you for being with us. I have learned during the night that the father of Austin Metcalfe stated that he feels forgiveness toward the killer. And that he has actually been attacked because he felt forgiveness. He wanted to forgive, but I've learned through another source, he says

he forgives Anthony, Carmelo Anthony, the stabber, as much for Anthony, but for himself, because he doesn't want to be consumed with hate. But what I don't understand is why people are attacking him for speaking about forgiveness and attacking the victim's family. What is happening, Dr. Delatore? I think when it comes to these individuals that are willing to co-opt the hate that Mr. Metcalf is trying to move past. Now, that's a strong man. His son just died. That's a strong man to say, you know what?

I see that Carmelo Anthony is not a villain in this story. I don't want to hold hate in my heart. That's going to keep me down. My son, Austin, wouldn't want that. But there are other individuals who would say, no, you have to be angry. You have to be mad. And I'm going to show you what it means when you act mad. So they're trying to co-opt this tragedy, right? And make people understand that the only thing to feel is hate. And Mr. Metcalf doesn't want any of that, but because he doesn't want any of that, and these people expect him to feel it, they're now willing to target him for not feeling the way that they expect him to feel the way that they want to feel. With the family in mourning and trying to fight off personal attacks on the mom, the dad, the home, the job.

We are learning in a probative development tonight that there is video of the stabbing. Listen. They have collected video. So it is video of the incident? Yes, they have collected video. There is video of the actual stabbing? There is video. There are several different videos that they verified.

That is from our friends at Next Generation Action Network. Okay, straight out to Katie Barber joining us, digital content producer, MySanAntonio.com. Katie, what can you tell me about potential video of the stabbing? It's the first time that we've heard about video so far in this case. There has been nothing in any of the police reports, interviews from police in the initial incident about any of this video. This is a very new development and it'll be a really big development in the case if it can actually shed some light on the altercation itself and corroborate the details.

You were just hearing Dominique Alexander, spokesperson for the Carmelo Anthony family, stating upon questioning, the question is there is video of the actual stabbing and Alexander responds, there is video. There are several different videos that they verified. Sounds like to me, we'll find that not in the initial police report, but in a supplemental report, which details the investigation once the original police report is taken. Think about it, Lisa Herrick, in this day and age with everybody watching Law and Order and every other crime story, crime TV or TV series or movie, they want DNA. They want a video.

There may very well be video of this stabbing event. And that is very, very rare in a homicide prosecution. That may very well be state's exhibit number one. On the other hand, as you pointed out earlier with your observation regarding the knife, it could be the defense exhibit number one. What will the video show? And I imagine, Lisa, that there's tons of video of moms and dads taking videos of what was happening. Some of my favorite videos I get of my twins is when they're on the sidelines standing there and I get a great shot of them. Also, a lot of my son's friends are involved in sports broadcasting and they cover the entire event. There's a possibility that, for instance,

like play on sports or something that covers high school events. There's a very strong possibility that there is actual broadcast quality for a high school anyway. Video of this. This video could be coming from any number of sources, Lisa. You're exactly right. It could be, you know, potentially cell phone videos from parents or other kids, which, you know, I would be a little more concerned about those because they could just be clips. They may not show the entire incident from beginning to end.

But I would think if there is the kind of broadcast video that you're talking about, if that's just constantly rolling, that's going to be huge. It's going to be so valuable because it's one thing to hear from, you know, maybe from Carmelo if he does testify or if his story is made in testimony at some point. It's one thing to hear his perspective, but it's a completely different thing to see it and to see the body language and to see who puts hands on whom first and where other people are. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Lisa Herrick, Lisa Herrick, putting hands on the stabber does not justify a mortal wound. For instance, you don't bring a gun to a fistfight. That's not self-defense under the law. So when Carmelo Anthony was being escorted out after he ran following the incident,

after he threw away the murder weapon, he said, this is self-defense, right? It's self-defense. No, just because I touch you or touch you by your shoulders or put my hand on your shoulder, you are not authorized under the law to stab me dead. It's like you take out a fly swatter and I shoot you dead with an Uzi. That is not self-defense under the black and white letter of the law. So these videos may support the defense. They may support the law. So these videos may support the defense. They may support the state. Now, what Carmelo Anthony said at the time, and the defense is stuck with this. You can't get away

from statements made by the defendant at the time. He said he put his hands on me. I would like to find out what, if anything, that entailed. If it was more than just putting a hand on him, will that rise to self-defense? Probably not, because a weapon was used versus a fistfight or a touch. That is never self-defense under the law. And one other thing you mentioned that there would be a problem with clips of what happened because it won't show the whole thing. Disagree. Even clips leading up to, during or after are probative, are probative. A mom or a dad doesn't have to take the video of the whole incident for there to be a video that is contemporaneous with the stabbing. So I think all video clips or photos will come in

and it will be up to the lawyers to argue completion. Yes, absolutely. I agree with you that any video or like even you mentioned photos will be valuable. I think they'll be probative. And I do agree that they will most likely be admitted if this does go to trial. I think the most valuable videos that exist would show everything from beginning to end, just so there's nothing that's left out. There's nothing that would be misinterpreted. So nobody can say there's something that happened prior to the video rolling. We would know we'd be able to see. While talking to the community about spreading false information online, Dominique Alexander, president and founder of the NGAN,

tells Those Assembled that the police have videos of the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf and that they have verified the videos. There has been no description of what the videos may show or how many different videos they have or if they will be released to the public. 17-year-old football star is brutally stabbed to death at a high school track meet and his accused killer has now been granted a lower bond. The disinformation that is going online is hurting this case, and it has to stop. Austin Metcalf and Carmela Anthony did not know each other. That from our friends at Next Generation Action Network. You are hearing the Anthony family spokesperson speaking, Dominique Alexander.

But it's my understanding that it was from the Anthony camp originally that the stabbing was a result of bullying or some prior incident. Is that right, Dave Mack? That is exactly what has been leaked out in the media, on social media in particular, Nancy. This was a spinning story from the very beginning because people were trying to justify why would anyone get stabbed at a track field and field event. And that's what they came up with. It has no basis in fact. It was just out there in the Internet, you know, and people ran with it. So let's be clear. Katie Barber joining me from my San Antonio dot com. There was no bullying by the victim to the defendant.

In fact, they never even met each other. There is a photo online allegedly purporting to depict them together. That's a lie. That is misinformation. That's not true. Where did all of that come from? Who said that the victim was bullying the defendant? I haven't seen an exact source for it, but it has definitely, it's proliferated on social media. We don't know the origin of bullying claims, but we hear the spokesperson for the Anthony family walking that back. There was no bullying leading up to the victim being stabbed dead.

Joining you right now, Dr. Kendall Crowns, chief medical examiner, Tarrant County, launching a brand new podcast, Mayhem in the Morgue. He is an esteemed lecturer at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. Dr. Kendall Crowns, while the autopsy, the formal autopsy has not been released, we are getting reports of the COD, cause of death. What have you learned? From my understanding, it's a cause of death is a stab wound to the chest that involves the heart. And that, of course, will cause massive bleeding out after the heart is hit by a knife. Is there any way his brother could have saved him? Because we know the twin brother raced over to Austin, held him in his arms as he was dying and tried to stem the flow of blood. No, there's nothing he could have done with the heart being involved by a stab wound.

It's going to bleed out quite quickly within a matter of minutes uh even with his brother putting pressure on the chest trying to stop the bleeding he's still bleeding internally uh the sac surrounding the heart called the pericardium is filling up with blood blood spilling into the chest cavity his brother is not going to be able to be saved. Even if he had been stabbed in the hospital, it would have been difficult for them to have saved him. And his brother was holding him, trying to hold the blood in, and he passed. My son watched his brother die in his arms.

From our friends at Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth News. As Austin Metcalf's family endure a public memorial service and burying their teen boy, law enforcement warning the public about disseminating false information. Dr. Kendall Crowns joining me, Chief Medical Examiner, Tarrant County, and esteemed lecturer. Dr. Kendall Crowns, how would Austin's body have been preserved in a sense so there could be a viewing or an open casket funeral? Well, the incisions made at autopsy, the Y-shaped incision on the chest is covered up by the clothing. And that would also be wound to his chest from the stabbing would be sutured closed by the embalmers or the funeral

home. And that would be covered up as well. So that's covered up with the clothing. The brain is removed during autopsies. So there's an incision made right behind the ear and the hairline, and it goes across the top of your head to your other ear. And that way, since it's in the hairline and it goes across the top of your head to your other ear. And that way, since it's in the hairline, it's covered up when the funeral home puts it back together. And also when the head's laid in the pillow, the incision line is covered up as well. So they can have an open casket without much problems. As the victim's family is enduring unimaginable pain with the brutal stab death of their son. L.E. warning the public about misinformation. For instance, a fake account online alleging the stabbing was because of mutual combat and that Austin, quote, sucker punched Carmelo Anthony.

We also understand claims that Metcalf smashed Anthony's phone into a bleacher. None of that has been proven. None of that. Also claims that the victim was high on drugs. That's absolutely not true. To Katie Barber, MySanAntonio.com, what is the misinformation, the intentional propaganda being spread? It's twofold. Most prominently is we have a fake post from the police chief of the Frisco Police Department, like you said, saying it was mutual combat that

Austin Sucker punched him. But also this fake autopsy report about Austin circulating that says that his primary cause of death was actually a drug overdose and secondary cause of death being the stab wound to the chest. And it's not just drugs. It's not just one drug. They're saying it's molly laced with fentanyl, which is unfortunately a really big problem. We've seen in Texas, a number of students die of unintentional fentanyl overdose. So to have something like this circulate when we know that the autopsy report hasn't been released is not just harmful to the case itself, but also for the family. MDMA, false reports that that was in Austin's system. What more do you know, Dave Mack? Well, Nancy, what we were able to infer from the press conference with Dominique Alexander is that there were stories, and these continue to circulate, that the two knew one another and were at a party together, and there was an altercation at said party. Didn't happen.

There was another thing that they decided to meet up at the track meet to settle some score, but they were both actually on the roster of the track and field team for their respective schools. These are the types of things that are being floated out there irresponsibly by a number of people. There was actually another accusation that Austin Metcalf was a white supremacist who was attacking, you know, willfully attacking Carmelo Anthony with no basis in fact, just put out there for all the world to see via social media. And until we start holding people responsible for this type of post, they're going to keep doing it, Nancy. If you know or think you know anything about the stabbing death of this young man, Austin Metcalf, be it for the state or the defense, it doesn't matter.

This is a procedure to seek the truth, regardless of what that truth is. If you know, or think you know, if you know a video or if you have video or photos, please call the tip line 972-292-6000. We wait as justice unfolds. Nancy Grace signing off. Goodbye, friend. This is an iHeart Podcast.