A Collin County jury has sentenced Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison for the murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, bringing one of Texas’s most closely watched criminal trials in recent years to a close.
Anthony, who was convicted of murder in the fatal stabbing of Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, faced the possibility of life behind bars. Under Texas law, he will become eligible for parole after serving half of his sentence.
The courtroom grew emotional Tuesday afternoon as the sentence was announced. Anthony reportedly broke down in tears and appeared visibly shaken as the jury’s decision was read. He was immediately taken into custody.
The sentencing phase concluded after jurors rejected the defense’s argument that Anthony acted under “sudden passion,” a finding that would have significantly reduced his potential punishment and capped his sentence at 20 years. Instead, jurors determined the circumstances did not warrant leniency, leaving the full range of penalties available.
Following the sentencing, members of Austin Metcalf’s family delivered emotional victim impact statements, describing the devastating toll the killing has taken on their lives.
Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, directly addressed Anthony from the courtroom.
“We were robbed,” he said, criticizing public narratives that he believed had distorted the facts of the case. He emphasized that the tragedy was “never about race or politics” and that his son was neither a bully nor a racist.
“You are free to make choices all of your life, but are not free to not face consequences,” Metcalf said. “You failed your parents, you failed yourself and you failed society.”
Though he said he forgave Anthony personally, he made clear he could never forgive the act itself.
“I forgive you, but I do not forgive what you did. You can’t even look me in the eye, but you can stab my son in the heart.”
Austin’s twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, also addressed the court. Appearing in the courtroom for the first time during the proceedings, he asked Anthony to look him in the eyes as he described the pain of losing his brother.
“I want you to realize how much pain you caused me and my family,” Hunter said. “You let the devil take over you in the moment.”
His remarks culminated in a heartbreaking reflection on life after Austin’s death.
“You took everything from me. I wake up every morning and his door is still shut.”
Austin’s mother, Megan Metcalf, described the ordinary moments she shared with her son on the day of the track meet, never imagining it would be the last time she would see him alive.
“You may have been sentenced to 35 years behind bars. You should feel lucky,” she told Anthony. “I’ve been sentenced to a lifetime without my son.”
Anthony’s mother, Kayla Hays, had earlier pleaded with jurors for mercy during the sentencing phase.
“Please have mercy on my son,” she said through tears. “He’s my oldest, my first born, my baby.”
Asked whether Anthony regretted what happened, she replied simply: “Yes, he’s very sorry for what he did.”
The case followed a confrontation that unfolded beneath a Memorial High School team tent during a rainy track meet on April 2, 2025.
According to testimony, Anthony, a student from another school, was sitting under the tent when several Memorial students repeatedly asked him to leave. Witnesses testified that Austin Metcalf eventually approached Anthony and told him to move. Multiple students recalled Anthony responding with warnings such as “Touch me and you’ll find out” and “If you want me to move, you have to move me.”
Prosecutors argued that Anthony escalated what should have been a routine disagreement into a deadly encounter by producing a knife from his backpack and stabbing an unarmed teenager.
Several student witnesses testified that Anthony appeared aggressive throughout the confrontation and did not seem to be acting in self-defense. One witness told jurors that no group attack occurred and that the physical contact preceding the stabbing amounted to little more than minor pushing.
The defense countered that Anthony feared for his safety after being confronted by a larger student and maintained that he acted in self-defense. Attorneys pointed to differing witness accounts regarding the exact nature of the physical contact and emphasized the size difference between the two teenagers.
Jurors ultimately rejected that argument, returning a guilty verdict before quickly determining Anthony’s sentence.
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said the outcome reflected the community’s commitment to accountability.
“This verdict sends a clear message,” Willis said. “Violence like this won’t be tolerated in our Collin County community. And we remain committed to protecting our schools and standing with victims and their families.”
Outside the courthouse, the case continued to draw strong reactions. More than 100 demonstrators gathered, split between supporters of Anthony and supporters of the Metcalf family. At least one person was reportedly taken into custody after a confrontation broke out following news of the verdict.
The trial became a national flashpoint over issues of self-defense, race, public activism and criminal justice. Throughout the proceedings, Austin Metcalf’s family repeatedly urged the public to focus on the life that was lost rather than the political debates surrounding the case.
As Jeff Metcalf has said repeatedly since his son’s death, both families will live with the consequences of what happened that day forever.
“This person made a bad choice and affected both his family and my family forever,” he previously said. “His life is destroyed. My life is destroyed.”
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