A Collin County grand jury had previously indicted Karmelo Anthony on a charge of first-degree murder arising from a stabbing at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025 [1]. Anthony was 18 at the time of trial and faced a single count, with self-defense as the central theory for the defense [1][3]. The case proceeded before Judge John Roach Jr. in the Collin County District Court in McKinney [3].
The jury deliberated approximately two hours and 20 minutes before returning a guilty verdict on June 9, 2026 [1][3]. Prosecutors, led by Collin County District Attorney Bill Wirskye, presented evidence that Anthony stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, a competitor from a rival team, during the meet [1]. The defense argued that Anthony acted in self-defense, but the jury rejected that claim [1][3]. Wirskye, speaking publicly after the verdict, defended both the outcome and the jury-selection process, which had drawn scrutiny during the proceedings [2].
Sentencing followed the verdict on the same day. The court imposed a 35-year prison term [3]. Under Texas law, first-degree murder carries a sentencing range of five to 99 years or life, and the jury's rejection of the self-defense claim left Anthony exposed to that full range.
No immediate post-trial motions or notice of appeal had been reported as of the day after the verdict [2]. Defense counsel Mike Howard did not make public statements in the sources reviewed here. Given the national attention the case attracted, concerning questions of race, self-defense doctrine, and youth violence, further appellate or post-conviction proceedings are a reasonable prospect, though no filing has yet been confirmed [1][2].