A jury found karmelo anthony guilty of first degree murder after a brief deliberation in Collin County court, concluding he fatally stabbed 17 year old Austin Metcalf during an April 2025 high school track meet.
The confrontation occurred at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas, when witnesses said Metcalf confronted Anthony over seating under his team tent, leading to a physical exchange and a single chest stab wound, according to trial testimony.
Anthony, who was 17 at the time and 19 at trial, was taken into custody immediately and charged with felony first degree murder, the arresting agency said, and his bond was initially set at $1 million before being reduced to $250,000.
A grand jury indictment followed on June 24, 2025, announced by Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, who said the case required steady application of the justice system, as reported in a news release.
At trial prosecutors presented 21 witnesses and the Collin County chief medical examiner Elizabeth Ventura testified that Metcalf was stabbed through the heart and the two and a half inch wound was not survivable, the court heard.
The defense maintained Anthony acted in self defense and pointed to what they said was a chaotic, split second decision, while prosecutors argued he provoked the encounter and pulled a knife after being shoved, according to AP reporting.
Trial Aftermath And Community Reactions
The jury declined a lesser manslaughter charge and will decide Anthony’s sentence, which as an adult convicted of first degree murder carries a term ranging from five to 99 years or life, the court record shows.
Anthony did not testify. During the sentencing phase his mother, Kala Hayes, was the only witness to plead for mercy, and she also previously said the family believed in the legal process, as reported by Biography.com.
The case drew intense attention on social media and in the community because the teenagers had different racial identities, with Anthony identified as Black and Metcalf identified as white, though lawyers told jurors race was not the case’s focus, AP reported.
Authorities and courts imposed restrictions to limit outside influence, including a gag order issued by Judge John Roach Jr. and additional courtroom measures barring photography and live streaming, as reported in pretrial orders cited at the trial.
