A Texas jury in Collin County convicted 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony of murder on Tuesday in the April 2025 fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. The unanimous verdict was delivered following less than three hours of deliberation. The sentencing phase is now underway, with Anthony facing a possible sentence ranging from five to 99 years, or life in prison, according to a Court TV report.
Because Anthony was 17 years old at the time of the altercation, Texas law precludes a sentence of life without parole or the death penalty. During closing arguments, the presiding judge allowed the 12-person jury to consider a lesser charge of manslaughter, but jurors ultimately convicted Anthony on the first-degree murder charge.
The fatal encounter occurred on April 2, 2025, during a high school track meet at David Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco. Anthony, a Centennial High School student, sought shelter from the rain under a pop-up tent belonging to Memorial High School. Witnesses testified that Metcalf and other Memorial students repeatedly asked Anthony to leave the tent before a physical altercation began. When Metcalf shoved Anthony, the 17-year-old pulled a folding pocketknife from his bag and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest. A Wikipedia article details the timeline of the April 2025 confrontation.
Prosecutors characterized the incident as an unjustified sneak attack. Collin County District Attorney Bill Wirskye argued that the stabbing was not immediately necessary for self-defense, telling jurors that a person does not get to meet a shove with a stab. Conversely, defense attorney Mike Howard maintained that his client acted in a split second of fear and chaos against unwanted physical force. The defense team also highlighted that Metcalf and his twin brother were significantly larger than Anthony.
The trial has drawn national attention and prompted intense online discourse surrounding race and self-defense. Following the guilty verdict, the trial immediately transitioned into the punishment phase. Kala Hayes, Anthony’s mother, testified as the sole defense witness during this phase on Tuesday, asking the jury to have mercy on her son. The same jury will determine Anthony’s exact sentence.