The murder trial of 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony is underway in Collin County, Texas, more than a year after the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco. Opening statements began on Thursday, June 4, 2026, and the case entered its second day on Friday, June 5. Prosecutors told jurors that the killing was not self-defense but a deliberate and “senseless” attack. They argued that Anthony provoked Metcalf after a confrontation in the bleachers and then stabbed him in the chest in front of other students.
Anthony has pleaded not guilty. His defense says he acted in self-defense after Metcalf made the first physical contact. Defense attorney Mike Howard told the jury that Anthony reacted in a split second out of fear and chaos, and that waiting longer to respond could have left him unable to protect himself. The trial is being heard by an all-white jury, which was finalized and seated on Wednesday, June 3.
According to an arrest report cited in court coverage, the confrontation began when Anthony sat under a tent belonging to Metcalf’s team during the rainy April 2025 track meet. Witnesses told police that Metcalf told Anthony to move. Anthony allegedly warned, “Touch me and see what happens,” before Metcalf grabbed him and Anthony pulled out a knife. Prosecutors say Anthony escalated the situation; the defense says the opposite.
Several coaches testified during the packed proceedings. Memorial High School track coach Robert Starr told jurors that team tents are treated like a designated space and should not be entered uninvited. Starr said he rushed to the tent after seeing commotion and found Austin Metcalf on the ground with a serious chest wound. Another coach, Vincent Hooper, testified that Anthony told him he stabbed someone who had put hands on him.
The courtroom has been under heightened security, and a Collin County judge has imposed strict rules, including limits on public discussion by attorneys. Dozens of spectators lined up for seats as interest in the case remained intense.
The fatal stabbing drew widespread attention last year, partly because online discussion quickly framed it in racial terms. Anthony is Black and Metcalf was white, though Austin Metcalf’s father has said the case should not be viewed as a racial or political issue. Jeff Metcalf said his son’s death was the result of a personal decision, not a broader social conflict, and urged the public not to comment without knowing the facts.
Frisco police also warned against misinformation and online posts that spread hate, fear, and division after the killing. Both families have said their sons were good students who had planned to attend college. If convicted of murder, Anthony faces the possibility of life in prison.
