Collin County jury on Tuesday sentenced 19-year-old Carmelo Anthony Sentenced to 35 years in prison for first-degree murder of 17-year-old Austin MetcalfLast year, he was stabbed to death at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.
The jury deliberated for two and a half hours before reaching its verdict, rejecting Anthony’s self-defense claims and legal arguments that could have significantly reduced his exposure.
What happened at the track meet?
Metcalf is a junior at American Memorial High School frisco — A student-athlete with a 3.97 GPA who was an MVP linebacker on the football team and competed in track and field. On April 2, 2025, he was stabbed in the chest and died in the arms of his twin brother Hunter.
Anthony, a student at nearby Centennial High School, was in the Memorial High School team’s tent during high school track meets. Witnesses told investigators that Metcalf, a white American, asked Anthony to leave the sporting event.
Learn more | What’s next for Carmelo Anthony? Austin Metcalf’s killer sentenced to 35 years in prison for Frisco track meet murder
“Touch me, see what happens,” Anthony allegedly warned, while reaching into his bag before pulling out a black knife and stabbing Metcalf in the chest, NBC DFW reported.
Witness testimony at the trial reconstructed Metcalf’s final moments in detail. A witness said Anthony challenged the students in the tent to a fight; Metcalf refused, telling him he would not fight at the track meet.
A 16-year-old Memorial High School Class of 2027 student testified that Metcalf’s last words immediately after being stabbed were: “He f*cking stabbed me.” Another witness recalled Metcalf saying: “Oh my God.”
What’s Anthony’s defense?
Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Anthony was the oldest of four children and captain of the Centennial High School football and track teams. He has pleaded not guilty and maintained throughout the trial that he acted in self-defense. He has no previous criminal record.
US media reported that body camera footage from the arresting police officer showed Anthony tearfully saying “he put his hands on me” and asking “is he okay?” after the stabbing. But Metcalf’s teammates testified that before Metcalf could make any physical contact, Anthony had reached into his backpack and grasped the knife.
one give send After the killings, a fundraiser was launched to support Anthony. His mother, Carla Hayes, expressed concerns about safety and public scrutiny before the trial. “I don’t know why we are being targeted and discriminated against before we have a fair trial,” she told NBC DFW.
What happened at the trial?
No black jurors were seated during Anthony’s trial — an absence that prompted formal objections from his defense team and demonstrations outside the courthouse. Defense attorneys have challenged prosecutors’ removal of two black prospective jurors from the jury pool. Judge John Roach allowed the dismissals, ruling they were based on race-neutral reasons related to the jurors’ careers as educators, the Michigan Chronicle reported.
The jury that ultimately convicted Anthony was made up of white, Asian and Hispanic members.
During sentencing, both sides waived their right to opening statements. The prosecution called no witnesses. The defense called Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, who cried as she addressed jurors.
“He’s my oldest child. He’ll always be my child. I love him very much,” Hayes told the court.
The defense asked: “Does your son regret what he did?” She replied: “Yes, he is very sorry for what he did.”
Anthony cried in the courtroom on Tuesday as he was convicted. Outside, about 200 protesters – supporters and opponents of Anthony – gathered in front of the courthouse.
“This whole thing is racist. We didn’t let it be racist!” one demonstrator said, according to the New York Post.
Another protested the makeup of the jury, saying: “Tell those white people, why is a black boy in front of an all-white jury? When has a white boy ever been in front of an all-black jury? Never!”
What is this sentence and what happens next?
The jury sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison and rejected the “sudden passion” defense – a legal argument that, if successful, would have limited his sentence to 20 years. With that argument failing, Anthony faces a full term. He will be eligible for parole after serving 17.5 years.
Anthony will be transferred from the county jail to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to begin serving his sentence. His defense team is expected to file an appeal to challenge the conviction or seek to overturn it, according to US media reports.
Austin Metcalf’s twin brother, Hunter, recently accepted the brothers’ diplomas at an emotional high school graduation ceremony.
