Missouri Woman Federally Indicted After Alleged Death Threats Toward Austin Metcalf’s Family

A Missouri woman has been federally indicted in Texas after allegedly sending multiple death threats to the family of Austin Metcalf in the days following the conviction of Karmelo Anthony in Metcalf’s killing.

Federal prosecutors say 34-year-old Sharifa Nicole Henderson was arrested in Kansas City on Sept. 11, two days after a federal grand jury in the U.S. Eastern District of Texas returned a three-count indictment charging her with interstate threatening communications.

According to the indictment, Henderson allegedly made three distinct threats in the immediate aftermath of Anthony’s conviction on June 9. Prosecutors say the threats were transmitted via Facebook Messenger and by phone to Collin County offices that handled the underlying prosecution.

File photo of Jeff Metcalf with his son, Austin Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, who was stabbed in the chest by then 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, a student-athlete from Frisco Centennial High School.

Alleged Threats Detailed in Indictment

The indictment lays out the alleged timeline and language of the communications. On June 10, prosecutors say Henderson sent a message through Facebook Messenger to a Metcalf family member stating she would "kill them and put them in a body bag," adding, "now this is a threat take me to court [expletive]."

Later that day, she reportedly called the Collin County office that prosecuted the case and said she would "demolish" the Metcalf family and "strangle" a family member, according to the filing. On June 11, prosecutors say Henderson sent another Messenger message that read, "Don't worry I'll kill you next. I will hunt you forever until I kill you...I will be there. You will always have to look over your [expletive] shoulder."

Legal Exposure and Case Context

If convicted on each count of interstate threatening communications, Henderson faces up to five years in federal prison per count. Federal prosecutors allege the use of social media and an interstate phone call put the matter within federal jurisdiction.

Supporters of Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony clash outside the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, before a verdict is announced in Anthony's murder trial on June 9, 2026. The jury found Anthony guilty of murdering 17-year-old Metcalf in a stabbing at a Frisco track meet last April.

The threats follow the June 9 verdict that found 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony guilty in the fatal April 2, 2025, stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a regional high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. Authorities say the two teenagers had not known each other previously; prosecutors say the confrontation escalated after Anthony approached the Memorial High School team tent.

A Collin County jury convicted Anthony; he was subsequently sentenced to 35 years in prison. A judge recently denied his motion for a new trial, and his legal team has indicated it will pursue an appeal.

Jeff Metcalf, Austin’s father, told FOX 4 Dallas–Fort Worth the family has received more than 100 threats since the trial concluded. The case has drawn national attention and prompted racially charged debate, including criticism from some supporters of Anthony about the jury’s composition.

The federal investigation and prosecution are ongoing. Authorities have not alleged any personal connection between Henderson and the families involved beyond the communications specified in the indictment.