The Texas teen accused of fatally stabbing a high school football star at a track meet allegedly lives in a $900K home inside a luxurious gated community — despite requesting a judge lower his $1 million bond because of financial difficulties, according to a report.
Karmelo Anthony, 17, is shacked up with his family at the pricey home inside the gated community of Richwoods in Frisco, Texas, after he was released from jail Monday on a reduced $250,000 bond for allegedly killing Austin Metcalf earlier this month, the Daily Mail reported.
The home — where rent is estimated to be $3,500 a month — had a white Suburban, a black Acura, and a third sedan in the driveway on Tuesday, according to the outlet.
A neighbor said that the family had just bought a new ride.
“He got a new car,” the resident told the outlet. “If you look at the license plate, it’s got a paper tag and it says it expires June 4.”
Richwoods is about a mile away from Centennial High School, where Anthony went to school and ran track.
Residents in the gated community were allegedly unaware the family was living at the home until Anthony was released Monday, and have voiced their concerns about having the accused killer in their exclusive neighborhood.
“Not good. Not good. I don’t think he should be out,” an anonymous mother in the neighborhood told the Daily Mail.
Another neighbor also told the outlet that Anthony’s family is “not poor” if they live in the gated community.
“They’re not poor people. That’s for sure,” he said.
The home has also been getting flooded with deliveries, allegedly for Anthony, with Amazon trucks being seen making multiple drop-offs at his home, the outlet reported.
“The best thing they can do is move,” said another neighbor. “I think that would be best for everyone.”
It’s unclear how long Anthony and his family have lived at the home.
Anthony had been locked in Collin County Jail and charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing Metcalf, also 17, in the heart during a fight over a seat at a track meet on April 2.
Anthony allegedly told police he was acting in self-defense, and his family claimed “the narrative being spread is false, unjust, and harmful” on a GiveSendGo.com fundraiser for their legal fees — which has raised more than $440,000 as of Wednesday.
Initially, he was being held on a $1 million bond until a Collin County judge slashed the $250k and ruled that he may await trial at home with an ankle monitor under 24-hour supervision from his parents or an “adult designee.”
The lowered bond came one week after Anthony’s attorney said they would ask the court to reduce the “excessive” $1 million bond and asked the local district attorney to make “a better determination” of the charges.
The fund, set up to help the teen’s family with legal fees, is also being used to move and hire additional security for him and his family amid the backlash over Metcalf’s death, his defense attorney, Mike Howard, said.
“Given that Karmelo has no prior criminal history and given that this young man has not been in any sort of trouble before, $1 million is not necessary,” Howard said.
“This family needs to be able to survive,” he went on. “There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure. I think at this point, living in a gated community, given everything, the safety of their younger children is very warranted. Security details and criminal defense are not cheap.”
However, Collin County First Assistant Bill Wirsky cross-examined the family and asked why they hadn’t used the money raised to pay Anthony’s bond.
“It isn’t as simple as giving a phone call to access it,” Anthony’s parents said, as reported by Fox 4.
They explained that getting the money was difficult, and a chunk of it had gone toward Anthony’s legal defense.
