High school student Karmelo Anthony has been officially charged with first-degree murder for the fatal stabbing of fellow teenager Austin Metcalf during a track meet in April.
The case began after police arrested Anthony on Apr. 2, 2025, after the fatal stabbing of the victim while the two teenagers were at a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium. Authorities released the then-17-year-old two weeks later on a $250,000 bond, which was reduced from $1 million, and kept him under house arrest.
Karmelo Anthony Charged With Murder
Police reports showed that Anthony and Metcalf got into a fight during the track meet after the Black teenager tried to get shelter from the rain under a tent. Witnesses claimed that Metcalf asked Anthony to move, but he supposedly refused to. The white teen then allegedly assaulted his fellow athlete.
During the altercation, Anthony was seen pulling a knife from his backpack that he used to stab Metcalf in the chest once. An affidavit noted that the Black teenager admitted to stabbing Metcalf as a form of self-defense, according to the USA Herald.
When police officers confronted Anthony, he said that he was just protecting himself from Metcalf. Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis also talked about the case, which garnered national attention as it highlighted racial biases in the country's criminal justice system.
During a press conference on June 25, Willis said the fatal stabbing case "struck a deep nerve" in Collin County and beyond. However, he noted that the justice system works best when it is conducted with steadiness and principle.
Mike Howard, the defendant's attorney, said after the indictment that Anthony and his family are confident the teenager will receive a fair trial. In his video statement, he believes the prosecution will not be able to rule out the reasonable doubt that Anthony was acting in self-defense after the full story is heard, Black Enterprise reported.
Acting in Self-Defense
In Texas, the law considers 17-year-olds to be adults within the criminal justice system, and if convicted, Anthony could face up to 99 years in prison. Video footage of the altercation was also shared, showing sudden movement inside a tent, presumably Anthony and Metcalf.
When the Black teenager was arrested, one police officer said, "I have the alleged suspect [in custody]." Anthony responded by saying that it was not alleged, confessing that he actually did stab his fellow teenager.
The police report that came after the arrest noted that Anthony told law enforcement he told Metcalf not to touch him, but did so anyway. The defendant also asked if what he did could be considered self-defense, as per MSN.
