A Collin County jury found Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder in the stabbing that killed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco Independent School District (Frisco ISD) track meet. The decision put an end to a process that closely followed national public opinion and sparked discussions about self-defense, racial issues and security measures in schools.
Anthony, who is now 19 years old, is responsible for Metcalf’s murder on April 2, 2025, at Kuykendall Stadium, in Frisco. The prosecution maintained that he intentionally stabbed the teenager in the middle of a fight, while the defense maintained that the defendant resorted to self-defense.
The jury reached its verdict after hearing testimony from dozens of witnesses over several days. Among them were students who saw the confrontation, police investigators, medical experts and witnesses called by the prosecution.
Anthony was arrested shortly after the stabbing and charged with murder. On Tuesday, in closing arguments, Judge John Roach authorized the jury to also evaluate the possibility of manslaughter.
Prosecutors reported that Metcalf and Anthony studied at different schools and did not previously know each other. Authorities reported that the argument began near the teams’ tents, culminating in Anthony allegedly stabbing Metcalf a single time in the chest.
Metcalf was rescued and taken to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and died.
The trial now moves to the sentence definition phase.
If convicted of murder, Anthony could receive a sentence of five to 99 years in prison or life in prison. A conviction for manslaughter carries a sentence of two to 20 years.
How prosecutors presented their case
Prosecutors called 21 witnesses before ending evidence. The focus was on reports and evidence that, according to the prosecution, showed that Anthony was not acting in self-defense when he stabbed Metcalf.
One of the most impactful testimonies came from Dr. Elizabeth Ventura, head of the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office. She told jurors that the stab wound pierced the victim’s heart. Ventura characterized the injury as a large, open lesion, incompatible with life. Prosecutors also showed photos of the autopsy during their testimony.
Witnesses who were students at the athletics competition described the moments before and after the stabbing. Eddie Parra, a student at Memorial High School, reported that Anthony was inside another team’s tent before the conflict and later became emotional when talking about the blood and wound on Metcalf’s chest.
Another witness, also a student, said he did not consider the stabbing to be self-defense. She classified the action as “lethal force against non-lethal force”.
How Anthony’s defense presented its case
Defense lawyers maintained that Anthony acted in self-defense in the confrontation and tried to question the narrative constructed by the prosecution about the sequence of events that led to the stabbing.
The defense interviewed several witnesses, including Centennial High School track coach Adam Linwood. He stated that it was common for athletes to socialize in other schools’ tents during competitions. Linwood also reported that Anthony’s colleagues had chosen him as team captain, but admitted that there was no justification for an athlete to bring a knife to an athletics event.
Additional witnesses, students named by the defense, spoke about what they observed in the confusing moments of the confrontation. A Frisco Independent School District (Frisco ISD) student reported seeing someone being pushed or punched, although he acknowledged in cross-examination that his vision was restricted and that some recollections did not completely match the videos shown in court. The defense also called a Frisco police detective before ending its evidentiary phase.
The case provoked strong public commotion in North Texas and other parts of the country, which led to increased security at judicial proceedings in the face of threats and controversy.
The trial began with jury selection on June 1.