A Collin County jury deliberated for just under three hours Tuesday (June 9) before finding Karmelo Anthony, 19, guilty of murder in the April 2025 stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, according to CBS News Texas.
The case — which sparked a national debate over self-defense, race, and justice — has now moved to the sentencing phase, with the same jury deciding Anthony's punishment.
Prosecutors argued throughout the three-week trial that Anthony was the aggressor — that he provoked the confrontation, brought a concealed knife to the track meet, and launched what District Attorney Bill Wirskye called a "sneak, surprise attack" on an unarmed victim. The defense countered that Anthony acted out of fear in a split second of chaos after Metcalf initiated physical contact.
The confrontation began when Anthony, who attended a different school, was seated under a tent belonging to Metcalf's Memorial High School team during a rainy multi-school meet at Kuykendall Stadium. Multiple students reportedly asked him to leave. When Metcalf told him to move, Anthony reportedly reached into a bag and said, "Touch me and see what happens." Seconds later, Metcalf was stabbed once in the chest. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died.
Anthony broke down in tears as the verdict was read. His mother, seated in the courtroom, was also seen sobbing. Outside the courthouse, a crowd had gathered — some chanting "Free Karmelo" as the verdict came in.
The case carried racial dimensions that never left the background. Anthony is Black. Metcalf was white. During jury selection, every Black prospective juror was struck from the pool by the prosecution — a detail that drew national attention and criticism from the start of the trial.
Under Texas law, a murder conviction carries a sentence of five to 99 years or life in prison. Because Anthony was 17 at the time of the stabbing, the death penalty was not on the table.
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