A Texas jury delivers a 35-year sentence in the stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf
Jury delivers 35-year sentence in Frisco track meet murder
A Collin County jury sentenced 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison on Tuesday for the first-degree murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, ending a trial that drew national attention and sparked intense debate about race, self-defense and accountability at school events.
Anthony was 17 at the time of the stabbing, which took place on April 2, 2025, at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas, during a Frisco Independent School District high school track meet. The death penalty was not an option because Anthony was a minor at the time of the crime. He will be eligible for parole after serving 17.5 years.
What happened at the track meet
Metcalf was a junior at Frisco Memorial High School, a student-athlete with a 3.97 GPA who served as MVP linebacker on the football team and also competed in track and field. Anthony, a student at nearby Frisco Centennial High School, was present under the Memorial High School team tent during the meet.
Witnesses told investigators that Metcalf had asked Anthony to leave the tent. According to testimony, Anthony warned those present that they should not touch him, then pulled a black knife from his bag and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest. Metcalf was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. He died in the arms of his twin brother, Hunter.
A 16-year-old witness testified that Metcalf’s last words after being stabbed were an expression of shock. Another witness recalled Metcalf saying “Oh my God.” Collin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Ventura testified that the stab wound pierced Metcalf’s heart and was not survivable.
The defense and the verdict
Anthony pleaded not guilty throughout the trial, maintaining that he had acted in self-defense. His defense team argued that Metcalf had used physical force to try to remove Anthony from the tent and that Anthony acted out of fear during a fast-moving confrontation. Defense attorney Mike Howard told jurors Anthony had gone under the tent to get out of the rain and responded after Metcalf pushed him. Witnesses gave differing accounts of the physical contact, ranging from a smaller shove to a two-handed push.
Body camera footage from arresting officers reportedly showed Anthony tearfully claiming Metcalf put his hands on him and asking whether Metcalf was okay. However, Metcalf’s teammates testified that Anthony already had his hand inside his backpack gripping the knife before any physical contact occurred.
The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning a guilty verdict, then took another two and a half hours to determine the sentence. Jurors also rejected Anthony’s sudden passion defense argument, which would have capped his sentencing exposure at 20 years. Without that reduction, he faced a range of five to 99 years or life in prison.
A mother’s plea and a son’s tears
During the sentencing phase, both sides waived opening statements and the prosecution called no witnesses. The defense called one witness: Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, who wept as she addressed the jury and begged for mercy on behalf of her son. She told the court he is her oldest child, that she loves him and that he is very sorry for what he did.
When prosecutors asked whether Anthony would still be part of her life regardless of the outcome, she confirmed he would. Moments before the sentence was delivered, Anthony sat in the courtroom with his head down and appeared to be sobbing.
Race, justice and a community divided
The case drew sustained national attention not only because of its circumstances but because of the racial dynamics surrounding it. No Black jurors were seated during Anthony’s trial, an absence that drew a formal objection from his defense team and prompted demonstrations outside the courthouse. Defense attorneys challenged the prosecution’s removal of two Black prospective jurors, but Judge John Roach allowed the dismissals, ruling they were based on race-neutral reasons related to the jurors’ occupations as educators.
The jury that convicted Anthony comprised white, Asian and Hispanic members. Outside the courthouse on sentencing day, approximately 200 protesters gathered, with demonstrators on both sides of the case raising concerns about fairness, race and the justice system.
Anthony’s defense team is expected to file an appeal. Meanwhile, Austin Metcalf’s twin brother, Hunter, recently accepted both brothers’ diplomas at their high school graduation in an emotional ceremony.
Frisco ISD released a statement after the verdict saying it respected the judicial process and would continue supporting students with compassion and care, asking the community to respond with sensitivity as the outcome settles into a broader conversation about student safety and accountability.