Man charged with murder in knife slaying of friend’s foe

Published 11:02 pm Sunday, December 30, 2007

A 20-year-old Everett man was charged Friday with second-degree murder for allegedly attacking a teen with a knife and killing him on Dec. 6.

Dustin Robert Powell was being held on $500,000 bail.

He’s accused in the death of James Carlberg, 18, who was involved in a long-standing argument with a 15-year-old friend of Powell, deputy prosecutor Craig Matheson said in charging papers.

After an argument, Carlberg and two others started walking away. Powell ran up behind him and punched him the back of the head near the intersection of 156th Street SW and Admiralty Way, documents said. The 15-year-old struck Powell with a club, Matheson said.

Then Powell thrust the knife at Carlberg, stabbing him in the chest. The wound penetrated his heart.

Powell told detectives he has “some anger and impulses control issues,” problems that led to the death, Matheson said.

Prosecutors plan to go to Snohomish County Juvenile Court seeking to have the 15-year-old boy tried in adult court, Matheson said.