Inside Karmelo Anthony case: See full details about key motive, trial timeline, final verdict

The murder trial of Karmelo Anthony has gained nationwide attention, raising concerns about self-defence, race, and accountability.

The Texas teenager was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday, June 09, for fatally stabbing a fellow track athlete amid a high school meet in suburban Dallas.

When did Karmelo Anthony stab Austin Metcalf?

The incident took place on April 2, 2025, when Anthony , who was then 17-year-old, attended a high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

Just as the rain started pouring down, Anthony took shelter under the canopy allocated to the competing Memorial High School, where Austin Metcalf was a student too.

It emerged from testimony that Metcalf and his gang urged Anthony to get out of the area. According to the police accounts, Anthony went through his bag and said, “Come touch me and see what happens.” On touching him, Anthony brought out a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the heart. The two young men were not acquainted.

Why did Karmelo Anthony stab a fellow athlete?

Both sides present very different explanations of why Anthony stabbed Austin Metcalf. Prosecutors argued that Anthony was the aggressor. They said he provoked Metcalf and then used deadly force in response to a simple push. This indicates a disproportionate reaction that amounted to murder. Throughout the trial, prosecutors maintained that Anthony intentionally killed Metcalf without any legal justification.

The defence, however, argued that Anthony’s reaction was self-defence. Anthony’s lawyer referred to Texas law that does not require to wait until get hit. The defence stood to the claim that Anthony felt threatened and reacted to protect himself.

Trial timeline

• June 4, 2026: Trial starts in Collin County, the prosecutor called around two dozen witnesses, including students who stated Anthony as an aggressor.
  
• June 8, 2026: Defence rests without Anthony taking the stand. His mother, Kayla Hayes, testifies, saying his son is “very sorry.”
  
• June 9, 2026: The jury found Anthony guilty within three hours. The same day during sentencing, his mother pleads for mercy, stating, “he’s my firstborn. Please have mercy on my son.”
  
• June 10, 2026: Judge sentences Anthony to 35 years in prison.
  

Key evidence

The prosecutors supported their argument with the medical examiner's testimony, which described a larger gaping wound to Metcalf’s chest, with the knife piercing his heart.

Final verdict

The jury rejected both claims of self-defence and the request for a lesser manslaughter charge. Metcalf’s father, Jeff, told Anthony after sentencing: “You failed yourself, you failed your parents, and you failed society.”