Missouri Woman Indicted for Threatening Slain Teen's Father

A Missouri woman has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly sending death threats to the father of a slain Texas teenager. Sharifa Nicole Henderson, 34, is accused of sending violent and vulgar threats to Jeff Metcalf, the father of Austin Metcalf, as Karmelo Anthony, the teen’s killer, was facing the end of his murder trial.

Henderson allegedly contacted Jeff Metcalf through Facebook Messenger around June 9, threatening to kill him and put him in a body bag, according to an indictment obtained by CBS Texas. The messages were sent around the time Anthony was found guilty of murder on June 9.

Anthony, who was 17 at the time of the stabbing, was sentenced to 35 years in prison. He has appealed the conviction and sought a new trial, but a judge denied the request.

According to prosecutors, Henderson sent a follow-up message to Jeff Metcalf the next day, vowing to "demolish" the family and "strangle" a relative. On or around June 11, she allegedly sent another message stating, "Don't worry I'll kill you next," and added that she would "hunt you forever until I kill you."

Investigators identified Henderson through phone records and social media accounts. She also goes by the name Riffa Henderson. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas Jay R. Combs stated that the messages included threats to stalk and kill members of the Metcalf family.

Henderson was indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of interstate threatening communications. She was arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, and is being transferred to the Eastern District of Texas. If convicted, she faces up to five years in federal prison for each charge.