A Collin County jury has found 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco on April 2, 2025.
The verdict was returned after roughly three hours of deliberation Tuesday afternoon. Jurors were instructed by Judge John Roach Jr. that they could consider both murder and the lesser charge of manslaughter before reaching a decision. Anthony now faces sentencing under Texas law, where a murder conviction carries a penalty ranging from five years to 99 years or life in prison.
The case centered on a confrontation that occurred at David Kuykendall Stadium during a rain-delayed Frisco ISD track meet. Anthony, a student at Centennial High School, was sitting under the Memorial High School team tent when the dispute began.
According to testimony presented during the trial, Metcalf and other students repeatedly asked Anthony to leave the tent area. Multiple witnesses testified that Anthony refused and allegedly taunted the group.
“Yes, Karmelo put his hand in the bag and said five times, ‘Touch me and see what happens,’” one witness testified, according to Courthouse News Service. “Austin said he was not going to touch the guy; he was calm.”
The confrontation escalated when Anthony stabbed Metcalf once in the chest. The wound pierced Metcalf’s heart and was determined by the medical examiner to be unsurvivable. Despite efforts by Metcalf’s twin brother, Hunter, and others at the scene, the teenager died shortly afterward.
Prosecutors argued throughout the trial that Anthony provoked the encounter and was not justified in using deadly force after being shoved. The defense maintained that Anthony reasonably feared for his safety and acted in self-defense, citing differences in size between Anthony and the students confronting him.
In closing arguments Tuesday morning, veteran Texas prosecutor Bill Wirskye summarized the state’s position, telling jurors, “This is one of those rare cases where every important fact can be boiled down to one sentence, you do not get to meet a shove with a stab, especially if you provoke the shove,” according to CBS News Texas.
The prosecution called more than 20 witnesses, including students, coaches, first responders, and the medical examiner. Testimony and video evidence presented during the trial portrayed Anthony as the initial aggressor in the confrontation. The defense rested Monday without Anthony taking the stand.
Jury selection also drew attention during the proceedings. The defense raised a Batson challenge after prosecutors struck three Black prospective jurors, all of whom were educators. Prosecutors cited their professional backgrounds as race-neutral reasons for the strikes, and Judge Roach allowed them to stand.
Beyond the courtroom, the case generated widespread public debate and substantial fundraising activity. Anthony’s family raised more than $625,000 through a GiveSendGo campaign for legal fees, security, and related expenses.
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