19-year-old Karmelo Anthony has been found guilty of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, who was fatally stabbed at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025. As the sentence was read, Anthony and his family broke down in tears, shortly after his mother made a desperate 4-word plea to the judge.
He was later sentenced to 35 years in prison for the killing, a case that shocked the community and left two families devastated.
Prosecutors called the attack “senseless” and avoidable. “What is important is not motive. It’s mindset,” said prosecutor Bill Wirskye. “He took a knife to a track meet,” adding that Anthony had several chances to walk away. “The video tells the story,” he said, referencing surveillance footage and witnesses.
The defense claimed Anthony acted in self-defense during a split-second moment of fear. “Texas law does not require that you wait until you get hit,” said lawyer Mike Howard. “In that split second of chaos, you must put yourself in his shoes.”
Before sentencing, Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, pleaded for mercy, saying, “Please have mercy on my son.”
After less than three hours of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict and sentenced him to 35 years.
Following the verdict, Austin Metcalf’s mother spoke about the pain of losing her son, describing a life now filled with silence and grief. She called Austin a kind “peacemaker” who brought people together.
“My son was murdered. He didn’t just die,” she said.
The case closes a long legal battle, but both families continue to live with the loss.
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