Karmelo Anthony Sentenced to 35 Years in Texas Teen's Death

A Collin County jury found 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder in the April 2025 stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. Jurors rejected Anthony's claim that he acted in self-defense during a confrontation that began under a team tent while students sheltered from rain. Prosecutors argued that the stabbing was an unjustified act of violence, while defense attorneys maintained that Anthony feared for his safety during the encounter. After deliberating for less than three hours, the jury returned a guilty verdict and later imposed a 35-year prison sentence.

The case centered on a brief altercation between two students who did not know each other before the event. Trial testimony included eyewitness accounts, surveillance footage and statements made by Anthony following the incident. Prosecutors said Metcalf was unarmed when he was stabbed, while the defense argued Anthony believed he faced an imminent threat. Because Anthony was 17 at the time of the stabbing, he was prosecuted as an adult under Texas law. The conviction carries the possibility of parole after a portion of the sentence is served.

The trial attracted widespread attention across the United States, fueled by extensive social media discussion and debates surrounding self-defense claims, youth violence and the handling of high-profile criminal cases. Questions about jury selection also emerged after no Black jurors were seated on the panel, an issue raised by civil rights advocates during the proceedings. The verdict brings the criminal trial to a close, though the case is expected to remain part of broader discussions about violence among young people and the influence of social media on major criminal investigations.

Sources: ABC News, Associated Press, BBC News, Houston Public Media and The Guardian.