A Collin County jury has sentenced Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison after finding him guilty of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.
The sentence was handed down after jurors convicted Anthony of murder in the fatal stabbing that shocked the community and drew national attention throughout the trial.
Anthony, who admitted stabbing Metcalf but claimed he acted in self-defense, broke down in tears as the guilty verdict was announced. Witnesses in the courtroom reported that he was visibly shaking before being taken into custody.
The trial then immediately entered the sentencing phase, where Anthony's mother, Kayla Hays, became the defense's sole witness in a plea for leniency.
Fighting back tears, Hays begged jurors to show compassion toward her son.
“Please have mercy on my son,” she said from the witness stand.
“He’s my oldest, my first born, my baby. I love him very much.”
Despite the emotional appeal, jurors ultimately sentenced Anthony to 35 years behind bars for the killing of Metcalf.
The case centered on a confrontation that occurred during a high school track meet on April 2, 2025. Testimony throughout the trial indicated that a dispute erupted after Metcalf and other students repeatedly asked Anthony to leave an area associated with Memorial High School's team tent.
Witnesses testified that tensions escalated during the encounter, culminating in Anthony pulling a knife and stabbing Metcalf in the chest. The wound proved fatal, and efforts by coaches, students, and first responders were unable to save the teenager's life.
Prosecutors argued that Anthony escalated the confrontation and unlawfully used deadly force. The defense maintained that he feared for his safety and acted in self-defense after being physically confronted.
Jurors ultimately rejected the self-defense argument and returned a murder conviction after only a few hours of deliberation.
The 35-year sentence reflects the jury's conclusion that Anthony should be held accountable for taking the life of another teenager while also stopping short of imposing the maximum punishment available under Texas law.
For the Metcalf family, the sentence brings a measure of justice after more than a year of grief and legal proceedings. Throughout the trial, family members listened to testimony describing Austin's final moments and viewed evidence from the scene that highlighted the devastating consequences of the attack.
For Anthony's family, the sentencing marked the end of a difficult legal battle and the beginning of a lengthy prison term that will shape the remainder of his adult life.
The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of how quickly a seemingly minor dispute can spiral into irreversible violence. What began as an argument between teenagers at a school sporting event ended with one young man losing his life and another spending decades behind bars.
As the courtroom proceedings conclude, the sentence closes one chapter of the case. But for the families affected by that tragic day in Frisco, the impact will endure far longer than any prison term ever could.
