Karmelo Anthony found guilty of murder in fatal stabbing of Frisco student Austin Metcalf

A Collin County jury found Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a Frisco ISD track meet, bringing an end to a closely watched trial that drew national attention and sparked debate over self-defense, race and school safety.

Anthony, now 19, had been charged in the April 2, 2025, killing of Metcalf at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco. Prosecutors argued Anthony intentionally stabbed Metcalf during an altercation between the two teenagers, while defense attorneys contended Anthony acted in self-defense.

The jury reached its verdict after hearing testimony from dozens of witnesses over several days, including students who witnessed the confrontation, law enforcement investigators, medical experts and character witnesses called by the defense.

Anthony was arrested shortly after the stabbing and charged with murder. On Tuesday, during closing arguments, Judge John Roach allowed the jury to consider a lesser manslaughter charge.

Prosecutors said Metcalf and Anthony attended different schools and did not know each other before the encounter. Authorities said the confrontation began near a team tent area before Anthony allegedly stabbed Metcalf once in the chest.

Metcalf was transported to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries. 

Under a murder guilty verdict, Anthony faces a punishment range of five to 99 years or life in prison. A manslaughter conviction would have carried a sentence of two to 20 years in prison.

How prosecutors presented their case

Prosecutors called 21 witnesses before resting their case, focusing on testimony and evidence they said showed Anthony was not acting in self-defense when he stabbed Metcalf.

Among the most emotional testimony came from Collin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Ventura, who told jurors the stab wound pierced Metcalf’s heart. Ventura described the injury as a large, gaping wound that was not survivable. Prosecutors also showed jurors autopsy photographs during her testimony.

Student witnesses who were at the track meet recounted the moments leading up to and immediately after the stabbing. Memorial High School student Eddie Parra testified that Anthony was inside another school’s team tent before the confrontation and later became emotional while describing seeing blood and a wound in Metcalf’s chest. 

Another student witness testified he did not believe the stabbing was an act of self-defense, characterizing it as “lethal force against non-lethal force.“

How Anthony’s defense presented its case

Defense attorneys argued Anthony acted to protect himself during the confrontation and sought to challenge the prosecution’s portrayal of the events leading up to the stabbing.

The defense called several witnesses, including Centennial High School track coach Adam Linwood, who testified that athletes commonly socialized in other schools’ tents during track meets. Linwood also told jurors Anthony’s teammates had nominated him for a team captain role, though he acknowledged there was no reason for an athlete to have a knife at a track meet.

Additional student witnesses called by the defense testified about what they observed during the chaotic moments surrounding the confrontation. One Frisco ISD student said he saw what appeared to be someone being pushed or punched, though he acknowledged on cross-examination that he had only a limited view and that some of his recollections did not fully match video evidence presented during the trial. The defense also called a Frisco police detective as part of its case before resting.

The case generated widespread public attention throughout North Texas and beyond, with heightened security surrounding court proceedings amid threats and public controversy. 

The trial began with jury selection on June 1.

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