Karmelo Anthony Receives 35-year Sentence for Murder Conviction

WHO:

CBS News - Kayla Hayes, Karmelo Anthony's mother, testified, "He's my oldest, he's my firstborn. He will always be my baby. I love him very much."

CBS News - Kayla Hayes stated, "Yes, he's very sorry for what he did," when asked if her son regrets his actions.

CBS News - Karmelo Anthony, 19 years old, was convicted of murder.

CBS News - Austin Metcalf, 17 years old, was the victim of the stabbing.

CBS News - Kayla Hayes is Karmelo Anthony's mother.

CBS News - Hunter Metcalf is Austin Metcalf's brother.

CBS News - Judge John Roach presided over the case.

WHAT:

TMZ - Karmelo Anthony's crowdfunding page that raised more than $630,000 has been removed a day after his conviction.

NY Post - Online donations to Karmelo Anthony’s official fund have surpassed $630,000 shortly after his murder conviction.

TMZ - Karmelo Anthony's crowdfunding page that raised more than $630,000 has been removed a day after his conviction.

NY Post - Online donations to Karmelo Anthony’s official fund have surpassed $629,000 shortly after his murder conviction.

CBS News - Karmelo Anthony was transported to the Collin County Jail following his sentencing.

CBS News - Prosecutors chose not to call any witnesses during the sentencing phase.

CBS News - The defense concluded its case after presenting only one witness, Karmelo Anthony's mother, Kayla Hayes.

CBS News - The jury took two-and-a-half hours to reach the sentencing decision.

NY Post - Online donations to Karmelo Anthony’s official fund have surpassed $629,000 shortly after his murder conviction.

CBS News - Prosecutors projected an image from last year's Frisco ISD track meet, where coaches could be seen praying over Austin Metcalf as they pleaded for his recovery.

CBS News - The defense presented a single witness, Anthony's mother, who testified about her son's remorse.

CBS News - The defense argued that if jurors believe Anthony felt genuine terror and had no chance for calm reflection, then sudden passion applies, pointing to the video as evidence.

CBS News - The jury was instructed by Judge John Roach that they could also consider a lesser charge of manslaughter.

CBS News - According to prosecutors, the two teenagers attended different schools and had no prior connection.

CBS News - Authorities said the dispute began near a team tent area before Anthony allegedly stabbed Metcalf once in the chest.

CBS News - Metcalf was rushed to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

CBS News - Prosecutors stated that the case drew national attention and intensified conversations about self-defense, race, and safety at school events.

CBS News - The defense argued that if jurors believed Anthony felt genuine terror and had no chance for calm reflection, then sudden passion applies, pointing to video evidence.

CBS News - The jury returned their verdict after several days of testimony from dozens of witnesses, including students who saw the altercation, investigators, medical experts, and character witnesses.

NY Post - Online donations to Karmelo Anthony’s official fund have surpassed $627,000 shortly after a Texas jury convicted him of first-degree murder.

CBS News - Prosecutors projected an image from last year's Frisco ISD track meet, where coaches could be seen praying over Austin Metcalf as they pleaded for his recovery.

CBS News - The defense argued that if jurors believe Anthony felt genuine terror and had no chance for calm reflection, then sudden passion applies, pointing to video evidence.

NY Post - Online donations to Karmelo Anthony’s official fund have surpassed $627,000 shortly after a Texas jury convicted him of first-degree murder.

CBS News - Anthony faced a punishment range of five to 99 years or life in prison.

CBS News - The jury was instructed by Judge John Roach that they could also consider a lesser charge of manslaughter.

CBS News - Karmelo Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf.

CBS News - The jury took two-and-a-half hours to reach the sentencing decision.

CBS News - The prosecution and defense waived their right to opening statements in the sentencing phase.

CBS News - The jury convicted Anthony of murder after several days of testimony from dozens of witnesses.

CBS News - Prosecutors stated that Anthony deliberately stabbed Metcalf during a confrontation.

CBS News - If jurors had found that sudden passion applied, the conviction could have been reduced to a second-degree felony, carrying a possible sentence of 2 to 20 years.

WHERE:

CBS News - The incident occurred at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

CBS News - The trial took place in Collin County, Texas.

WHEN:

CBS News - The stabbing incident occurred on April 2, 2025.

CBS News - The jury convicted Anthony earlier on the same day as the sentencing.

WHY:

TMZ - Austin Metcalf's father expressed his anger during victim impact statements, stating, "You can't look me in the eyes, but you can stab my fing son?"

TMZ - Austin Metcalf's father expressed his anger during victim impact statements, stating, "We were robbed!" and demanded Anthony to look him in the eye.

CBS News - The defense claimed that the stabbing resulted from "sudden passion," saying the defendant reacted in terror without time to think.

CBS News - The prosecution urged jurors to focus on the victim's young life cut short, stating, "Austin Metcalf was a son. Austin Metcalf was a brother."

CBS News - The prosecution urged jurors to focus on the victim's young life cut short, stating, "Nothing you do with your verdict, nothing you do, will take more from Karmelo Anthony than it did from the Metcalfs."

CBS News - The prosecution urged jurors to focus on the victim's young life cut short, emphasizing that Metcalf did not have the opportunity to experience significant life events.

CBS News - The defense argued that Anthony acted in self-defense and claimed the stabbing resulted from "sudden passion."

HOW:

CBS News - The defense presented a single witness, Anthony's mother, who testified about her son's remorse.

CBS News - The defense argued that if jurors believe Anthony felt genuine terror and had no chance for calm reflection, then sudden passion applies, pointing to video evidence.

CBS News - The defense presented a single witness, Anthony's mother, who testified about her son's remorse.

CBS News - The prosecution projected an image from a previous track meet to underscore the impact of the incident on the victim's family.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 23:24 UTC)

Karmelo Anthony's crowdfunding page, which raised over $630,000, has been removed just one day after his murder conviction. Following the conviction, online donations to Anthony's official fund surged past that same amount, highlighting the public's response. During victim impact statements, Austin Metcalf's father expressed his anger, saying, "You can't look me in the eyes, but you can stab my fing son?"

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 21:43 UTC)

Online donations to Karmelo Anthony's official fund exceeded $630,000 shortly after his murder conviction, but that crowdfunding page has since been removed just a day later. During victim impact statements, Austin Metcalf's father expressed his anger, saying, "You can't look me in the eyes, but you can stab my fing son?" The swift removal of the fundraising page follows the intense emotions surrounding the case and the statements made by the victim's family.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 19:48 UTC)

Online donations to Karmelo Anthony’s official fund have exceeded $629,000 shortly after his murder conviction. Following his sentencing, Anthony was transported to the Collin County Jail, where he will serve his time. During victim impact statements, Austin Metcalf's father expressed his anger, demanding that Anthony look him in the eye while stating, "We were robbed!"

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 17:54 UTC)

In a significant development, prosecutors opted not to call any witnesses during the sentencing phase of Karmelo Anthony's case, while the defense wrapped up its presentation after hearing from just one witness, Anthony's mother, Kayla Hayes. The jury deliberated for two-and-a-half hours before reaching a sentencing decision. Meanwhile, online donations to Karmelo Anthony’s official fund have exceeded $629,000 shortly after his murder conviction.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 12:03 UTC)

In a dramatic courtroom scene, prosecutors displayed an image from last year's Frisco ISD track meet, showing coaches praying over Austin Metcalf as they sought his recovery after he was stabbed. The defense called only one witness, Anthony's mother, who spoke about her son's remorse, while also arguing that if jurors believed Anthony experienced genuine terror and had no chance for calm reflection, then sudden passion should apply, referencing the video as supporting evidence. Judge John Roach instructed the jury that they could consider a lesser charge of manslaughter, as authorities revealed that the dispute began near a team tent area before Anthony allegedly stabbed Metcalf, who later died from his injuries at the hospital.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 10:18 UTC)

Prosecutors have stated that a high-profile case has sparked national discussions around self-defense, race, and safety at school events. The defense argued that if jurors believed the defendant, Anthony, felt genuine terror without the chance for calm reflection, then the concept of sudden passion should apply, citing video evidence to support their claim. After several days of testimony from numerous witnesses, including students, investigators, and medical experts, the jury has reached a verdict in this intense trial.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 08:17 UTC)

Online donations to Karmelo Anthony’s official fund have surpassed $627,000 following his conviction for first-degree murder by a Texas jury. During the trial, prosecutors highlighted the emotional impact of the case, showing an image from last year's Frisco ISD track meet where coaches were seen praying for the recovery of Austin Metcalf, the victim. The defense argued that if jurors believed Anthony experienced genuine terror and lacked the opportunity for calm reflection, then the concept of sudden passion should apply, referencing video evidence to support their claim.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 06:21 UTC)

Online donations to Carmelo Anthony's official fund have exceeded $627,000 following his conviction for first-degree murder by a Texas jury. This significant financial support has come in shortly after the verdict was announced. The case has drawn considerable attention, prompting many to contribute to the fund.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 04:21 UTC)

In a recent court hearing, Kayla Hayes, Karmelo Anthony's mother, expressed her deep love for her son, stating, "He's my oldest, he's my firstborn. He will always be my baby." As the jury considers the case, they have been instructed by Judge John Roach on the potential punishment range for Anthony, which spans from five to 99 years or even life in prison, while also being able to consider a lesser charge of manslaughter. The prosecution emphasized the tragic loss of the victim's young life, urging jurors to remember that their verdict cannot bring back what was taken, while the defense argued that if jurors believe Anthony acted out of genuine fear, then the concept of sudden passion should apply based on video evidence presented.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 01:47 UTC)

Karmelo Anthony, just 19 years old, has been convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The jury reached their decision after two-and-a-half hours of deliberation, following several days of testimony, and the prosecution argued that Anthony deliberately attacked Metcalf during a confrontation. While the defense claimed Anthony acted in self-defense and presented his mother as a witness to express his remorse, the jury ultimately did not find sufficient grounds for a lesser conviction.