A Texas teenager, Karmelo Anthony, reportedly appeared “distressed” shortly after allegedly stabbing Austin Metcalf to death, according to a fellow student’s testimony on Monday during Anthony’s murder trial.
The events unfolded on April 2, 2025, at a track meet in Frisco, where a 17-year-old teammate recounted the “pandemonium” that followed a seating dispute between Anthony and Metcalf. This altercation allegedly led to Metcalf’s fatal stabbing.
The witness, who remains unnamed due to his age, described seeing Anthony, a student from Frisco Centennial High School, in the rival team’s tent from Frisco Memorial High School. It was there, he noted, that “everything began to unravel,” as reported by NBC 5 DFW.
Called as the first witness by Anthony’s defense team, the student mentioned hearing unusually “raised voices” and was about to check on Anthony when he witnessed a “shove.”
Suddenly, the situation escalated into “pandemonium,” with Metcalf lifting his shirt to reveal a stab wound and Anthony fleeing the scene at a “quick pace,” the student testified.
The witness then described seeing a “distressed” and tearful Anthony being consoled by a coach, reflecting the turmoil of the moment.
Anthony told the coach, “I told him not to touch me,” the witness recounted to the jury.
The student said he didn’t know if Metcalf was justified in shoving Anthony and also didn’t know if Anthony was justified in knifing Metcalf.
Anthony’s lawyers have claimed Anthony stabbed Metcalf in self-defense and that Metcalf started the confrontation.
Jurors have heard from witnesses that Metcalf asked Anthony to move out from under his team’s tent that was set up on the bleachers of the Kuykendall Stadium, but that Anthony refused to move despite numerous requests by Metcalf and other students.
Here’s the latest on Karmelo Anthony’s murder trial following the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf
Anthony allegedly said “touch me and find out” as he had his hand inside his backpack on his lap, suggesting he might pull something out, other students previously testified.
Then at some point Metcalf shoved Anthony who pulled a semi-serrated folding knife out of the bag and plunged it once inside Metcalf’s chest, causing him to bleed out and die on April 2, 2025.
During opening statements Anthony’s lawyer, Mike Howard, portrayed Metcalf as towering over a much smaller and seated Anthony — claiming the victim provoked the fight. Anthony had merely been seeking shelter from the rain because his team didn’t have a tent, Howard claimed.
Howard said Anthony didn’t try to stab anyone else, dropped the knife and immediately admitted what he did because it was all in self-defense.
Anthony, now 19, has pleaded not guilty. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Testimony wrapped Monday and Anthony did not testify in his own defense.
