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A Texas jury has reached a decision on whether teenage killer Karmelo Anthony will spend the rest of his life in jail for fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, 17, in the heart last year.
The 19-year-old was found guilty of first-degree murder in Metcalf’s death on Tuesday. The jury was then tasked with determining how long Anthony will be imprisoned for.
His attorneys had argued he killed Metcalf in the heat of the moment.
If the jury agrees that Texas’ ‘sudden passion’ statute applies, Anthony’s charge will be reduced to a second degree felony, which will lower the punishment range from two to 20 years in prison.
He is also facing the possibility of life behind bars if the jury does not support the ‘sudden passion’ argument.
Anthony, who was 17 at the time, killed Metcalf with a folding knife following a dispute over seating at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025.
The teen has admitted to stabbing the high school football star, but insisted it was in self-defense after Metcalf had provoked him. The teenager opted not to take the stand in his trial before defense lawyers rested their case.
The 12-member jury has reached a verdict in Karmelo Anthony’s sentencing.
Anthony was found guilty of murder earlier on Tuesday. Texas state law says a murder conviction is punishable by five to 99 years in state prison.
Yet his defense team argues Anthony killed Austin Metcalf in the heat of the moment, arguing it was committed in ‘sudden passion.’
If the jury agrees to the sudden passion argument, Anthony’s charge will be reduced to a second degree felony, which will lower the punishment range from two to 20 years in prison.
Anthony and his mother began to sob after the verdict was read to the courtroom. Judge John R. Roach asked if the court needed to take a break.
Anthony’s lawyer asked if he could take him somewhere before the judge reminded him that he is now guilty and in the custody of the sheriff’s office.
Austin Metcalf’s parents smiled while their family and friends cried happy tears.
It was just after 10am on April 2, 2025, during what should have been a typical high school track meet at David Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
Students were warming up and stretching, patiently waiting for the competition to resume after a paused due to heavy rain.
Spectators and some students took cover under a tent in the bleachers of Memorial High School.
The atmosphere was calm and uneventful – until it suddenly turned to bloodshed.
In a matter of seconds, then-17-year-old Karmelo Anthony fatally stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, transforming a rain delay into a crime scene.
The Daily Mail was one of only two news organizations granted access to surveillance footage of the deadly incident – a killing that shocked the nation and ignited debates about race, privilege and the criminal justice system.
The 12 members of the jury have asked for dinner to be delivered as they continue deliberating on how long Karmelo Anthony should be sentenced for.
The jury left the courtroom just before 4.40pm local time to begin deliberations in the sentencing phase of the Karmelo Anthony murder trial.
Anthony was found guilty of murder earlier on Tuesday. Texas state law says a murder conviction is punishable by five to 99 years in state prison.
Yet his defense team argues Anthony killed Austin Metcalf in the heat of the moment, arguing it was committed in ‘sudden passion.’
If the jury agrees to the sudden passion argument, Anthony’s charge will be reduced to a second degree felony, which will lower the punishment range from two to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutor Bill Wirskye asked the jury to remember the victim when they debate how long Karmelo Anthony should be imprisoned.
‘What I would beg you to do, what I would beseech you to do is when you talk about Karmelo Anthony, talk about Austin Metcalf,’ he said.
Wirskye then went on to argue that Metcalf’s parents and twin brother have already received a life sentence without him.
‘You are the 12 that represent the community in this case. It’s up to you to determine how we, in Collin County, respond to senseless violence and respond to senseless murdered. How do we respond, do we tolerate it?’
He then concluded by saying ‘only a lenghty, lengthy prison sentence is appropriate here.’
Prosector Bill Wirskye had the last word before the jury begins deliberations on how long to sentence Karmelo Anthony for, arguing that the ‘sudden passion’ clause is ‘inapplicable’ in this situation.
‘Sudden passion doesn’t fit here. They’ve got it wrong,’ he claimed. ‘Sudden passion is when the victim, the dead person provokes. Who caused this? Not Austin Metcalf, Karemlo Anthony did.’
Wirskye went on to note that the law says that ‘sudden passion’ applies to a person of ‘ordinary temper.’
‘Do you think a person of ordinary temper would have plunged a knife if Austin’s chest?’ he asked, rhetorically.
Defense attorney Mike Howard pushed for the jury to consider the ‘sudden passion’ argument.
‘He didn’t have time for cool reflection. He acted in that moment and sudden passion applies,’ Howard told the jury of Anthony’s reaction.
‘For all this talk about what happened…at the end of the day, at the end of the day, that video was mere seconds.’
‘I’m not asking you to do what I want, what they want, or what anybody else wants. You have to follow your heart. I ask you to consider both sides.’
‘There are innocent people on both sides that have lost significantly. You absolutely should consider that on both sides,’ Howard advised.
Sudden passion, as explained by prosecutor Dewey Mitchell during voir dire, ‘is a situation when someone is in such a state of emotion, based on something that just happened, that they don’t have time to cool off.’
If the jury agrees to the sudden passion argument, Anthony’s charge will be reduced to a second degree felony, which will lower the punishment range from two to 20 years in prison.
If sudden passion is agreed, Anthony would also be required to pay a $10,000 fine.
In his closing arguments, defense attorney Mike Howard told the jury his client would respect the verdict as the jury now considers how long of a sentence Karmelo Anthony should receive.
‘I’ve stood here in front of many juries throughout my career, some big, some small and I’ve had this conversation many times. I know it’s the least amount easy for y’all.
‘We respect your verdict. That’s what living in our society is. We respect your role.’
Prosecutor Bill Wirskye began closing arguments in Karmelo Anthony’s punishment phase after the court handed him a guilty verdict.
‘Austin Metcalf was a son. Austin Metcalf was a brother. Austin Metcalf was the type of kid…do you remember when that one kid who lost a father said, “Austin was the one person who believed in me,”‘ the prosecutor said.
‘Nothing you do will take more from Karmelo and his family than he took from the Metcalfs,’ he continued.
‘Karmelo Anthony will continue to be a son. Maybe meet the love of his life and have children. Remember that Austin never got to hold a plaque of graduation and meet the love of his life, and Karmelo Anthony will still have that,’ he said.
Friends of the Metcalf family were seen putting their arms around Hunter as he listened on. The court showed a picture of people praying the day Austin died.
‘This is not about vengeance,’ said the lawyer, ‘and it’s not about leniency either.’