Karmelo Anthony murder trial continues in Frisco track meet stabbing case

Jurors kept hearing testimony in Collin County as Karmelo Anthony’s murder trial moved deeper into the fatal Frisco track-meet stabbing case that has gripped the community and drawn national scrutiny. The courtroom remains tightly controlled, with a gag order in place and cameras and electronics barred as the judge tries to limit the swirl of attention surrounding the case.

The prosecution says Anthony, now 19, fatally stabbed Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old junior at Frisco Memorial High School, on April 2, 2025, at Kuykendall Stadium during a Frisco Independent School District track-and-field championship. Witness accounts described a confrontation that began over seating or space under a school tent and escalated into a chest stabbing with a pocketknife. Anthony was 17 at the time and was indicted in June 2025 on a first-degree murder charge.

Anthony has pleaded not guilty and says he acted in self-defense. His attorney, Mike Howard, has argued that his client reacted to “fear and chaos.” If convicted, Anthony faces 5 to 99 years or life in prison. Court coverage says the trial began June 1, 2026, in Collin County and is expected to last about two weeks.

The case has taken on wider significance because of the schools involved and the racial tensions that have shadowed the proceedings. Metcalf was a student at Frisco Memorial High School; Anthony attended Frisco Centennial High School. Defense lawyers challenged jury selection on racial grounds after no Black jurors were seated, raising a Batson challenge in a trial already described by reporters as racially charged.

Beyond the legal stakes, the stabbing has forced Frisco institutions to absorb the fallout from a tragedy that spread far beyond one stadium. Frisco ISD received subpoenas seeking student records tied to the case, underscoring how the criminal proceedings have reached into school systems, student privacy, and district administration.

Public reaction has remained deeply polarized. Some community members have rallied around Metcalf’s family, while others have shown support for Anthony. Demonstrations outside the courthouse and misinformation online have helped turn a local criminal case into a national spectacle, sharpening questions about juvenile justice, self-defense claims, and how quickly a school-sports tragedy can become a flashpoint for race, security, and trust in local institutions.