A Texas jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding 18-year-old Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder Tuesday in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf, a fellow high school student, at a track meet in the Dallas area in April 2025. Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Both young men were 17 at the time of the incident, which occurred on April 2, 2025, during a secondary school track meet. The two attended rival schools and had no prior connection, prosecutors said. The dispute between them escalated into a fight that ended with Metcalf's death from a stab wound to the chest.
The case drew national attention and sparked debate about self-defense and school safety, according to BBC News. Prosecutors argued Anthony had threatened Metcalf before intentionally killing him. The defense argued Anthony acted in self-defense and called multiple witnesses, including students and track coach Adam Linwood, who said Anthony had been nominated as team captain. Anthony had near-perfect grades and a 4.0 grade point average, according to a Dallas-area NBC News affiliate.
The prosecution called nearly two dozen witnesses, relying heavily on eyewitness testimony. One of the most emotional moments came from Collin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Ventura, who described a large, gaping wound in Metcalf's chest and said the knife had pierced his heart. Student witnesses described Anthony as the aggressor.
Because Anthony was a minor at the time of the killing, the death penalty was not considered. Under Texas law, he was charged as an adult. Judge Roach had also allowed jurors to consider a lesser manslaughter charge, which would have carried a sentence of up to 20 years.
The civil rights organization Next Generation Action Network, which had advocated for Anthony throughout the trial, noted that not one juror was Black. The racial dimensions of the case added tension both inside and outside the courtroom.
After the verdict, the Frisco School District released a statement. "Our community has carried the weight of this tragedy for more than a year, and our thoughts remain with the impacted families, friends and classmates," the district said. "We respect the judicial process and will continue to support our students with compassion and care. We know this trial has brought strong emotions and deep grief, and we ask that our community continue to support each other with respect, sensitivity and understanding."
