Published 10:07 11 Jun 2026 GMT
Karmelo Anthony has filed an appeal against his murder conviction less than a day after being sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Texas teenager Austin Metcalf.
Court records obtained by TMZ show that Anthony's legal team submitted a notice of appeal shortly after a jury delivered its verdict. The move marks the next phase in a case that has drawn national attention since the deadly confrontation at a high school track and field event in Frisco, Texas, on April 2, 2025.
Metcalf, 17, died after suffering a single stab wound to the chest during an altercation with Anthony under a tent at Kuykendall Stadium. The Frisco Memorial High School junior died in the arms of his twin brother. Anthony, who was 17 at the time of the incident, maintained that he acted in self-defense.
Anthony's attorney, Mike Howard, confirmed that the defense had formally notified the court of its intention to challenge the conviction.
“After the conclusion of the trial yesterday, we gave the court our official notice that Karmelo Anthony is filing an appeal,” Howard told TMZ.
“We believe there are several important issues for the appellate courts to consider.
“An appeal is the next part of the legal process and a right afforded every American.”
The appeal announcement came after Dominique Alexander of the Next Generation Action Network revealed that his organization had provided the first $10,000 toward securing appellate representation.
Speaking to reporters after sentencing, Alexander said: “I respected this process. I allowed and called for peace in this process.
“But Black America should be very upset about what went on today.
“I’m only an advocacy leader. I’m not an attorney. I can only help families navigate these processes when they find themselves in these types of situations.
“I can only allow lawyers to be what they are – lawyers. I can’t instruct them, I can’t stop them from doing anything. I have to respect the process just like anybody else.
“But what we saw today was flawed, unjust, and I can ask that the community continue to pray for the Anthony family.”
Following Anthony's transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, family members and supporters publicly voiced their support.
His girlfriend, Valeria Perez, shared an emotional TikTok post that included photos from their relationship and the message: “Hold your head high, my sweet boy.”
“You’re not alone we’re fighting for you. I love you more than words,” Perez added.
Anthony's mother, Kala Hayes, also addressed the verdict on social media, writing: “But GOD……. The fight is not over. “It has just BEGUN.”
His uncle, Andre Anthony, posted: “What ever [sic] it takes … #FREEMELO.”
Meanwhile, TMZ reported that Metcalf's family was "very happy" with both the guilty verdict and Anthony's sentence.
Outside the Collin County Courthouse, tensions remained high after the sentencing. Anthony's grandmother, Toni Hayes, was captured on video shouting, “Racist! Bias!” from a vehicle as protesters gathered nearby.
As the appeal process begins, Anthony's family is also set to receive more than $635,000 from an online fundraiser launched following his arrest.
The U.S. Sun reported that the campaign, created by Kala Hayes, surpassed $635,000 before it was closed by crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo after Anthony's conviction.
In a statement to the outlet, GiveSendGo said: “This campaign was created to support pre-trial needs, and those funds were disbursed over the past year for lawful purposes including legal defense and family relocation.
“With that stated purpose now complete, the campaign has been closed the funds will be paid out.
“Our policy is that a campaign’s stated purpose stays accurate so givers always know what they are supporting.
“Our prayer is for Austin Metcalf’s family, for all those affected, and for justice, mercy, and peace in our community.”
GiveSendGo founder Jacob Well separately confirmed that the family would receive the money in full.
According to organizers, the funds were intended to help cover legal expenses, relocation costs, basic living expenses, and security measures. Before the campaign was shut down, supporters continued contributing toward a fundraising goal of $1.39 million.
Published 16:29 04 Jun 2026 GMT
The murder trial of Karmelo Anthony has begun in Texas, with prosecutors revealing the final words spoken by 17-year-old Austin Metcalf after he was stabbed during a high school track meet.
Anthony, now 19, is charged with first-degree murder over the fatal stabbing at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco on April 2 last year. He has pleaded not guilty and claims he acted in self-defense following a dispute over seating at the event.
Per The Daily Mail, during opening statements on Thursday, Collin County First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye told jurors that Metcalf realized he had been stabbed before lifting his shirt and saying: "I've been stabbed."
Prosecutors said the teenager then tumbled down several rows of bleachers as his twin brother, Hunter, rushed to help him.
Wirskye told the court that Anthony used a folding knife during the confrontation and later discarded the weapon before leaving the scene.
According to prosecutors, Anthony attempted to blend into groups of students fleeing the stadium after the incident.
"If you're scared and running away in self-defense, why toss the knife?" the prosecutor said.
"That knife wasn't used to protect him from harm. That knife was used to harm another. Find this man guilty of first-degree murder," he continued, pointing at Anthony.
The prosecution also argued that race should not be considered when evaluating the evidence.
"This case has nothing to do with race," Collin County First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye said.
Anthony had his knife ready to stab Austin Metcalf in a "surprise attack," the prosecutor claimed.
"That's why we are here, no other reason," Wirskye said. "This killing, this murder is just senseless."
Anthony's attorney Mike Howard presented a different version of events, arguing that his client acted after being confronted by Metcalf and his brother.
"'What's important to know is Melo is 5'8" and 140 pounds. Hunter and Austin Metcalf are 6'1' about 80 pounds heavier than Melo," defense attorney Mike Howard said, referring to Anthony by his nickname.
"What you will hear is that Melo remained seated, even when Austin and Hunter stood up," Howard continued.
"It is uncontroverted that Austin makes the first physical contact. Austin grabs, punches, pushes. In that split second, Melo has a decision to make, how and when to act."
Howard also described Anthony as a strong student with a 3.7 GPA who played multiple sports and held two jobs, while telling jurors there had been "a lot of noise" and "a lot of completely false information" surrounding the case.
The trial is expected to last around two weeks, with prosecutors planning to present surveillance footage that allegedly captured the incident.
"The video will tell the story," Wirskye said. "The facts of this case are as simple as this act was senseless."
More than 35 witnesses are expected to testify, including student athletes, coaches and Austin Metcalf's twin brother Hunter, who was with him in his final moments.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Anthony faces a sentence ranging from five years to 99 years in prison.
Published 15:50 04 Jun 2026 GMT
An update has been provided in the murder case of Austin Metcalf, a teenager who was stabbed and killed at a high school athletic event.
The then-17-year-old tragically died in his twin brother's arms during the track meet on April 2, 2025, in Frisco, Texas.
Police initially described the incident as an "altercation between two students" at the David Kuykendall Stadium.
Austin was a 4.0 GPA student, and would sadly be pronounced dead at the hospital soon after being wounded.
In the aftermath, it was reported by CNN that Karmelo Anthony, 17, had been arrested in connection to the stabbing, and he was subsequently charged with murder.
The court case officially began on Thursday (June 4).
The Metcalfs' legal team will argue that the stabbing of Austin was not an act of self-defence, despite Anthony's claims.
Opening statements in the long-awaited trial began on Thursday, after a group of 500 prospective jurors was trimmed down to 12 and six alternates.
Anthony, now 19, was openly criticized on social media after being charged, with the racial background of the suspect and the victim playing a part.
A confrontation took place when witnesses claimed Austin told Anthony to move from his team's tent at the event, which is when tensions flared up.
Austin's twin brother, Hunter, recalled: “We asked him to move. He started getting aggressive and talking reckless.”
Anthony allegedly warned the teen: “Touch me and see what happens,” as he reached into his backpack.
An arrest affidavit revealed that Anthony admitted that "he put his hands on me," adding: “I was protecting myself.”
However, the suspect went as far as reportedly claiming: “I’m not alleged, I did it.”
“Just doesn’t make any sense... just because the kid was mad, my son is not here anymore, and I don’t understand it,” their mother, Meghan Metcalf, said.
It is said that Metcalf grabbed Anthony, who pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest once, and Metcalf would die at the scene in his brother's arms.
Speaking to The US Sun, Eric Faddis, a Colorado-based trial attorney who is not involved in the case, said that eyewitnesses will be key in the case's conclusion.
He explained: “I think it’s going to be critical what other people who were around this incident heard and what they saw because those witnesses are probably disinterested,
“They don’t have an interest in this. They’re not the victim. They’re not the defendant. They are just, hopefully neutral, impartial witnesses.
“So did they hear any threats? What did they see in terms of the body positioning and in terms of physical contact, those kinds of things."
He said that the person who was seen as the "primary aggressor" would be important, adding: “Those are things that are hard to reconstruct a year after the fact. You do so via witnesses. And I think that witness testimony is going to be critical here.”
Following Anthony's alleged claim that he stabbed Metcalf, Faddis believes that this may hurt him in court.
“I think what it does is it forecloses on the possibility of other potential defenses,” he highlighted.
The attorney added: “When you have sort of a chaotic circumstance and something physical happens, you got to prove that it’s the defendant who did it here.
“The defendant gave [prosecutors] that proof that he confessed that he was the one engaged in this activity.
“But on the flip side, perhaps the jury’s going to see that and say, hey, Karmelo Anthony was being straight with police from the beginning.
“He admitted that it was him, and he asserted multiple times that he was doing this to protect himself.”
Anthony has been charged with first-degree murder, and investigators say that the pair did not know each other.
Anthony's defense attorney claimed that his client was defending himself and faced a threat when he was confronted, as they will heavily lean on Texas' self-defence laws.
This removes the duty to retreat if someone reasonably believes that they face a threat of bodily harm.
us5 min(s) read
Published 10:04 06 Apr 2025 GMT
The attorney representing Karmelo Anthony - the 17-year-old charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of high school football standout Austin Metcalf - has issued a request for the teen following this week's tragedy.
Anthony has been held at the Collin County Jail on a $1,000,000 bond since his arrest on April 2.
The stabbing occurred during a track and field event at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco and reportedly began with a dispute over seating arrangements under a pop-up tent during a weather delay.
Both teens attended different high schools within the Frisco Independent School District: Metcalf was a junior at Frisco Memorial High School, while Anthony was a senior at Frisco Centennial High School.
According to police and witness statements detailed in the arrest affidavit obtained by NBC DFW, Metcalf and his twin brother Hunter asked Anthony to move from under their team’s tent.
Anthony allegedly refused and warned: “Touch me and see what happens.”
When Metcalf then placed his hands on Anthony to get him to move, the affidavit says Anthony unzipped a bag, pulled out a black knife, and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest.
Metcalf collapsed, and despite CPR and a blood transfusion, he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. His twin brother Hunter held him in his arms as he died.
“I put my hand on [his chest], tried to make [the bleeding] stop, and I grabbed his head and I looked in his eyes. I just saw his soul leave. And it took my soul, too,” Hunter told Fox News.
READ MORE: Final Social Media Post Of Austin Metcalf
In an emotional statement, Hunter added: “He didn't deserve it. I know people that lose their family members all the time, but I just didn't know it would be mine so soon. My best friend, my brother, my whole life.”
However, as reported by the New York Post, Anthony's lawyer, Deric Walpole, has told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth that he has no immediate reason to believe the act wasn't in self-defense — echoing the suspect's own claims.
Anthony was taken into custody at the scene. According to the arrest report, he confessed, telling officers: “I’m not alleged, I did it.” He also told police: “I was protecting myself. He put his hands on me.”
“I know that my client said it was self defense. I don’t have any reason to disbelieve that, but I need to develop facts, talk to people, and figure out what’s going on before I make any statements about what I think happened,” Walpole told the outlet outside of the prison. “I don’t have any reason to think it wasn’t self defense at this time.”
Walpole added that he has filed a motion to lower Anthony’s $1 million bond in hopes of securing pretrial release.
Austin’s parents, Jeff and Meghan Metcalf, have publicly grieved the sudden loss of their son.
Meghan recalled to WFAA that Hunter “was trying to save his brother” and “saw when he took his last breath before the CPR came back in.”
"Just doesn't make any sense," the grieving mom added. "Just because the kid was mad, my son is not here anymore, and I don't understand it."
Jeff Metcalf, speaking to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, described the aftermath: “I could see all the blood, and I saw where the wound was, and I was very concerned, so I had to find his brother, and we rushed to the hospital. And we prayed, and it’s God’s plan, I don’t understand it, but they weren’t able to save him. This is murder.”
Austin was remembered as a gifted athlete and bright student. “His smile would light up the room. His passion for football was unbelievable,” said Jeff. A GoFundMe campaign launched in his honor has since raised over $240,000.
Meanwhile, Karmelo's father, Andrew Anthony, has defended his son, saying the teen was “provoked” and “not the aggressor.”
Speaking to the New York Post, he said: “Everyone has already made their assumptions about my son, but he’s not what they’re making him out to be. He’s a good kid. He works two jobs. He’s an A student, has a 3.7 GPA.”
Attorney Deric Walpole, who met with Anthony for the first time on Friday, told NBC DFW, “I know that my client said it was self defense. I don’t have any reason to disbelieve that, but I need to develop facts, talk to people, and figure out what’s going on before I make any statements about what I think happened.”
The case continues to stir fierce emotions from both families and the community, with questions mounting about school safety and how a weapon could be brought to a school-sanctioned event. Frisco Independent School District, as noted by former Dallas ISD Chief of Police Craig Miller, does not typically use metal detectors at schools or athletic venues.
Published 12:52 10 Jun 2026 GMT
The father of murdered teenager Austin Metcalf made a heartbreaking five-word demand to his son's convicted killer.
Karmelo Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted of murdering high school athlete Austin Metcalf.
The 19-year-old broke down in tears as the sentence was handed down in a Texas courtroom on Tuesday (June 9), where Austin's family delivered emotional victim impact statements directly to him.
One of the most powerful moments in the courtroom came when Austin's father, Jeff Metcalf, demanded that Anthony look at him as he described the devastation caused by his son's death.
"You're going to prison," Jeff told Anthony, per Daily Mail. "You can't even look me in the eyes right now, but you can stab my f**king son in the heart."
Anthony kept his head down as Austin's loved ones continued to speak about the impact of losing the 17-year-old, who was fatally stabbed during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025.
"If you ask me what my son's death did to me, I would tell you it destroyed the person I used to be. Not changed me, destroyed me," Jeff told the courtroom.
The grieving father said he forgave Anthony "the day it happened" but would never forgive "what you did."
He also spoke about missing out on seeing his son grow up and admitted he wished he had been there to protect him.
"People think that grief is sadness but it's not. It's rage! Pure unfiltered rage," Jeff shouted. "My son's death didn't just break my heart... It destroyed my sense of safety, my faith in people."
The father also rejected suggestions that the case was about race, telling the court it was instead about accountability.
"We're all humans. We all bleed the same color," he said, before turning back to Anthony, and adding: "You're free to make choices all you want, but you're not free from those consequences. You will face those consequences starting today.
"You failed your parents, you failed yourself and you failed society. You don't belong in this community," he added.
Austin's identical twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, also asked Anthony to make eye contact with him.
"If you could just look me in the eye while I speak, I would really respect that," he said.
Anthony continued looking down as Hunter described the future that had been stolen from his family.
"You took a son, a brother, a friend, and my best friend, from this world," he said. "You took someone from me who was supposed to be an uncle, godfather to my kids. Now I want everything taken from you."
Hunter said Anthony had let "the devil" take over during the confrontation.
"Eventually your name will be forgotten, but my brother's memory will live on," he continued. "I always say 'An eye for an eye,' but you still have air to breathe while my brother is six feet under."
He also shared how his mother cries herself to sleep and how he wakes up every day to find Austin's bedroom door still shut.
Austin's mother, Meghan Metcalf, told the court she had been left "crushed" by her son's death.
"Seeing my loving son, his identical twin, lose the most important person in his life, it crushes you as a mother," she said.
She described Austin as a teenager who brought people together. "He was the peacemaker, the protector," she added.
Addressing Anthony directly, she said: "There is a part of him you can never take away from me or anyone who loves Austin. What it meant to be loved by him. It's the love that I can continue to have in my heart.
"He was taken from us just as he was starting to really live," she continued. "You may have just been given a sentence of 35 years behind bars, but you can consider yourself lucky because I've been sentenced to a lifetime without my son."
Anthony faced between five and 99 years in prison after being found guilty of murder.
His lawyers argued that he acted under "sudden passion," a legal defense in Texas that can reduce the severity of a sentence.
Defense attorney Mike Howard claimed Anthony "didn't have time for cool reflection," arguing: "He acted in that moment and sudden passion applies."
But prosecutor Bill Wirskye disagreed. "Sudden passion doesn't fit here. They've got it wrong," he said. "Sudden passion is when the victim, the dead person provokes. Who caused this? Not Austin Metcalf, Karmelo Anthony did."
Jurors ultimately rejected the argument before sentencing Anthony to 35 years behind bars.
Prosecutors said the late teenager was stabbed during an argument under a tent at a high school track meet in Frisco.
Anthony claimed he acted in self-defense, but witnesses testified that he was the aggressor and told Austin: "Touch me and see what happens."
According to testimony, Austin pushed Anthony before Anthony pulled out a folding knife and stabbed him once in the chest.
A medical examiner testified that the knife pierced Austin's chest bone and punctured the right side of his heart.
Jurors were also shown police body camera footage of Hunter desperately trying to save his brother.
Anthony will have to serve at least half of his 35 year sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Published 16:28 10 Jun 2026 GMT
The mother of the late Austin Metcalf spoke directly to the man who fatally stabbed her son before he was sentenced.
Karmelo Anthony, 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday (June 9) after being convicted of murdering Metcalf at a high school athletics event.
The teenager broke down in tears after the sentence was handed down in a Texas courtroom, as Metcalf's family delivered emotional statements about their son, directly to him.
His father, Jeff, delivered a powerful message, stating that "you can't even look me in the eyes right now, but you can stab my f**king son in the heart."
Meghan, the mother of the victim, also delivered an emotional statement in court following the sentencing, speaking about how she feels now that her son is gone.
Speaking directly to the murderer, she said, as per CBS News: "Now my conversations with him are one-sided, sitting at his grave...
"I have to accept that instead of walking beside me, he's walking above me."
She added: “Going into an empty room, empty bed, and once again remembering Austin is dead.”
Meghan said that her son was a "morning kid" and a "hugger," and said the teen "always had a way of bringing people together. He was a peacemaker."
"My son was murdered. He didn't just die," she said about the events leading to his death, admitting that the biggest challenge has been dealing with the loss daily.
Speaking directly to Anthony, she added as per WFAA: "You should feel lucky you got 35 because I’ve been given a life sentence," Meghan added of the sorrow she feels over Metcalf's death.
The statement was made after the jury delivered the sentence, with Metcalf's twin brother and father also making victim impact statements.
One of the most emotional moments in the courtroom came when Austin's father, Jeff Metcalf, demanded that Anthony look at him as he described the devastation caused by his son's death.
"You're going to prison," Jeff told Anthony, per the Daily Mail. "You can't even look me in the eyes right now, but you can stab my f**king son in the heart."
Anthony kept his head down as Austin's loved ones spoke about the impact of losing the 17-year-old, who was stabbed to death in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025.
"If you ask me what my son's death did to me, I would tell you it destroyed the person I used to be. Not changed me, destroyed me," Jeff told the courtroom.
The grieving father said that while he forgave Anthony "the day it happened," he would never forgive "what you did."
He also spoke about missing out on seeing his son grow up and admitted he wished he had been there to protect him.
"People think that grief is sadness, but it's not. It's rage! Pure unfiltered rage," Jeff shouted.
"My son's death didn't just break my heart... It destroyed my sense of safety, my faith in people."
"We're all humans. We all bleed the same color," he said about the case being about race, before turning back to Anthony and adding: "You're free to make choices all you want, but you're not free from those consequences. You will face those consequences starting today.
"You failed your parents, you failed yourself, and you failed society. You don't belong in this community," he also stated.
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