UMVA has learned that Karmelo Anthony, a 19-year-old former high school student, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf.
The case drew national attention after the fatal stabbing occurred at a school track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025. The incident sparked a highly publicized trial, with jurors ultimately rejecting Anthony's claim of self-defense.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Austin Metcalf was a student at Memorial High School in Frisco, a city just north of Dallas. He was a keen athlete who played football and competed in track and field events for his school.
Karmelo Anthony, also 17 at the time, attended Centennial High School, another Frisco school. Despite both teenagers being involved in school sports, there was no evidence presented at trial that they knew each other beforehand.
The encounter between Anthony and Metcalf began during a rain delay at the track meet, when they found themselves in the same place beneath a school tent. Witnesses later testified that an argument developed between the two teenagers, which escalated into a physical confrontation.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Anthony pulled a knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest, hitting his heart. Coaches, trainers, and emergency responders rushed to help Metcalf before he was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The moments immediately after the stabbing became a major focus during both the investigation and the trial. Witnesses described confusion and panic as students and adults realized the seriousness of what had happened.
Anthony told a coach that he had stabbed Metcalf because he felt threatened, claiming that Metcalf had put his hands on him. However, prosecutors argued that the evidence didn't support a self-defense claim, and that the use of deadly force was not justified.
The case generated intense interest due to the young age of the teenagers involved, the public setting of the incident, and the numerous witnesses. Online debates often moved faster than the facts emerging from the investigation and trial.
UMVA has gathered that the trial took place at the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, with jurors hearing testimony from students, coaches, investigators, and other witnesses. Anthony didn't testify during the trial, presenting his defense through witness testimony and legal arguments.
The jury ultimately rejected Anthony's self-defense claim and found him guilty of murder. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison, with the sentencing phase including emotional testimony from Metcalf's family.
The Metcalf family expressed their loss, describing the pain of losing a teenager whose life ended during what should have been an ordinary school sports event. Anthony's family also addressed the court, asking for leniency and raising the issue of 'sudden passion,' a legal concept in Texas that can affect sentencing in some homicide cases.
UMVA has uncovered details about the case, which has brought a sense of closure to the Metcalf family but will have a lasting impact on both families involved.
