A Texas judge is now under increased security after receiving death threats following her decision to reduce bond in the high-profile murder case involving 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony.
Judge Angela Tucker of Collin County faced intense backlash after she lowered Anthony’s bond from $1 million to $250,000 on Monday. In response to reported threats, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it has added protective measures for Judge Tucker. Both its own investigators and the FBI are now looking into the situation.
According to authorities, both court staff and concerned citizens alerted officials to threatening messages aimed at the judge. The sheriff’s office also stated it is investigating whether anyone illegally shared Judge Tucker’s private information online.
“If the individual responsible is identified,” the CCSO said in a statement, “potential charges could include Unlawful Disclosure of a Residence Address or Telephone Number and Obstruction or Retaliation.”
While the exact nature of the threats remains unclear, Judge Tucker reportedly made her X (formerly Twitter) account private shortly after the hearing, suggesting the online backlash may have played a role.
Karmelo Anthony, a high school student, is facing a charge of first-degree felony murder in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf during a dispute over a seat at a track meet on April 2. During the hearing, Anthony’s attorney argued for a bond reduction, citing the teen’s clean criminal record. Prosecutors opposed the request, stating that the original $1 million bond was standard for murder cases in the county.
Despite the controversy, Judge Tucker granted the reduction but placed strict conditions on Anthony’s release, including GPS monitoring and house arrest. He did not comment after being granted the new bail terms, and a future court date has not yet been announced.