BOSTON, Feb. 21, 2014—The Mattapan man charged in last month’s stabbing death of 19-year-old Samuel Constant has been indicted for first-degree murder and will remain held without bail pending trial, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

WILLIAM EARL (D.O.B. 8/9/93) was arraigned yesterday on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the Jan. 9 fatal stabbing in West Roxbury.  Constant’s murder marked Boston’s first homicide of 2014.

At the request of Assistant District Attorney Tara Burdman, Clerk Magistrate Gary Wilson ordered that Earl continue to be held without bail, as he has since his arraignment last month in West Roxbury District Court.  Yesterday’s arraignment moves the case from the district court to Suffolk Superior Court, where it will be adjudicated.

Burdman told the court that, on the day of the killing, Constant’s girlfriend arrived at her apartment to find the victim and the defendant, whom she did not know.  Constant and Earl became involved in a physical struggle after Earl allegedly pulled out a knife and repeatedly stabbed at Constant, who attempted to dodge the knife, prosecutors said.  Earl then ran from the apartment and Constant chased after him onto Margaretta Drive.

During the altercation, Burdman said, Constant suffered multiple stab wounds that perforated his lung and an artery.  He collapsed in parking lot and died of his injuries.

Earl was apprehended by a Longwood Security officer patrolling the area and was transported to Brigham and Women’s Hospital for treatment of injuries to his left ear and head.

Jen Sears is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Earl is represented by Anthony Fugate.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.