A Collin County jury has sentenced Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison for the 2025 murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. Anthony was accused of stabbing Metcalf to death during a rain delay at a high school track meet. Before the stabbing, which took place at Memorial High School in Frisco, Metcalf had reportedly asked Anthony, who is black, to leave the event since he did not attend that school. Matcalf was white.
Anthony had pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the April 2, 2025, killing of Metcalf. He claimed he stabbed Metcalf to death in self-defense.
It took jurors two-and-a-half hours to reach the sentence. Both the prosecution and defense waived their right to opening statements in the sentencing phase.
The state pressed jurors to focus on Metcalf, the life cut short too soon, during its closing argument.
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“Austin Metcalf was a son. Austin Metcalf was a brother,” the prosecutor said. “… I’m going to ask you to consider the age of the victim in this case… Nothing you do with your verdict, nothing you do, will take more from Karmelo Anthony than it did from the Metcalfs… Austin Metcalf didn’t have the opportunity to meet the love of his life, hold a plaque at graduation.”
Anthony, 19, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Metcalf, sobbed Tuesday, June 9, as he was convicted of murder.
What’s next for Karmelo Anthony?
Anthony will now reportedly be transferred from county holding to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to serve out his 35-year term. His defense team, who argued that the murder was carried out in self-defense, will likely file an appeal to challenge the guilty verdict or seek to overturn the conviction.
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Anthony is not subject to the reduced 20-year cap as the jury rejected the “sudden passion” defense. He will become eligible for parole after serving 17.5 years.
