Karmelo Anthony has been sentenced to 35 years in prison hours after the jury found him guilty for the murder of then-17-year-old Austin Metcalf.
MaryAnn Martinez, Texas Bureau Chief for the Daily Mail, announced on X that the jury sentenced Karmelo Anthony after rejecting the “sudden passion” claims from his defense team.
“Karmelo Anthony has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf in 2025 after the same jury found him guilty of murder earlier today. They rejected the sudden passion claim,” she announced.
Martinez noted that audible gasps were heard upon the sentencing’s announcement, adding that Karmelo Anthony could be heard weeping as his lawyers comforted him.
There was an audible gasp from several people in the courtroom after the 35 years were announced.
After a brief break, we will hear victim impact statements from Austin Metcalf’s family.
Karmelo Anthony is crying again with sniffles heard from the defense table. He is flanked by his lawyers who are comforting him.
Two black women have been escorted out of the courtroom after they said “We love you Karmelo,” after the sentencing. The judge had already instructed earlier today that anyone having an emotional outburst would be kicked out.
Reports later indicated that Anthony will have to serve half his sentence before he can be eligible for parole.
Karmelo Anthony was found guilty for the 2025 murder of Austin Metcalf during a track meet in Frisco, Texas; Anthony maintained that he stabbed Metcalf in self-defense following an altercation over a seating dispute. As Fox News reported in 2025:
An arrest report obtained by Fox News sheds new light on the pre-stabbing clash after Metcalf reportedly told Anthony that he needed to move out of the Memorial team’s tent, a witness told Frisco police. The report noted that Anthony “grabbed his bag, opened it and reached inside it” and said, “Touch me and see what happens.”
“Austin stood up and pushed the male to get him out of the tent,” the arrest report said.
In the next moment, the witness told police that Anthony “reached into his bag and the male took a knife out of the bag and stabbed Austin.”
Anthony immediately fled the scene after stabbing the 17-year-old Metcalf once in the chest. Metcalf died in his twin brother, Hunter’s, arms.
“I was protecting myself,” Anthony said. “He put his hands on me.”
Anthony immediately confessed to the stabbing when confronted by police – “I’m not alleged, I did it,” he reportedly said – and asked officers if Metcalf was “going to be OK.”
Throughout the trial, witnesses repeatedly said that Anthony had been asked to leave the tent up to 15 times, adding that he instigated the deadly conflict with Metcalf.