Karmelo Anthony, 19, found guilty of murder of Austin Metcalf in one-week trial

Texas trial drew national attention due to race, as Karmelo Anthony is Black and Austin Metcalf was white

Following a trial that lasted just one week from jury selection to verdict, a Collin county, Texas, jury found Karmelo Anthony, now 19, guilty of murder in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf last year. The closely watched trial drew national attention, with viral social media posts that highlighted the racial composition of the case: Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white. Attorneys selected 12 jurors and six alternates for the trial; none of the jurors was Black.

Anthony, of Centennial high school, and Metcalf, of Memorial high school, were both 17 when they met during a Frisco Independent School District track meet in April 2025. A rain shower started and led to confusion – some athletes stayed on the field, while others ran for cover under team tents. Centennial did not have a tent that day, and when Anthony sought shelter under Memorial’s tent, a confrontation occurred resulting in Anthony stabbing Metcalf, who was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital.