Witnesses say a large brawl involving students from different high schools ended with last weekend's stabbing death of Fairfield Prep student James McGrath, 17, of Shelton.
16-year-old Raul Valle of Milford is charged with murder and will be tried as an adult. After a Thursday morning appearance in a Derby courtroom, he remains held on $2 million bond. Valle will be back in court June 7.
Valle attends St. Joseph High School in Trumbull. A warrant released publicly Thursday says that students from St. Joseph and Shelton High School held separate house parties in Shelton on Saturday night (McGrath was with the Shelton students).
Words were first exchanged when Shelton students visited the St. Joseph party on Lazy Brook Rd. Later, several St. Joseph students, including Valle, appeared at the Shelton High party on Laurel Glen Dr., and a brawl broke out.
Four teens were stabbed, including McGrath, who died at Bridgeport Hospital about an hour later. Police say witnesses identified Valle as the attacker. In addition to the murder charge, Valle faces 3 counts of first degree assault.
According to the warrant, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy and ruled McGrath's death a homicide. He was stabbed once in the left side of his chest, puncturing his heart.
A funeral for McGrath will be held at St. Theresa Church in Trumbull at 11 am Friday.
