Prosecutors say convicted killer Karmelo Anthony had written about a violent fantasy involving stabbing someone and “licking the blood off the blade” only hours before he murdered Austin Metcalf.
Anthony, 19, returned to court Thursday with his defense team for an appeal hearing, months after he was found guilty of fatally stabbing 17-year-old athlete Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet last April.
During the hearing, State Prosecutor Bill Wirskye cited what he described as deeply troubling text messages, arguing they revealed Anthony’s fixation on violence and a pattern of provoking confrontations.
“There is a text message where he fantasies about stabbing someone and licking the blood off the blade,” Wirskye told the court.
Prosecutors also said that just hours before Metcalf was killed, Anthony’s ex-girlfriend had reportedly warned an assistant principal that he was stalking her.
According to the court, one message recovered from Anthony’s phone that day showed he had sent the girl a photo of a knife, accompanied by the unsettling words: “I’m lowkey on the verge.”
Wirskye further told the court that when Anthony lived in Baton Rouge, his parents placed him in a special LSU program designed for children who had difficulty managing aggression and “keep their hands to themselves.”
The prosecutor’s claims came a day after Anthony notched a significant legal win, when the judge who oversaw his trial was removed from the case as he continues his effort to overturn his murder conviction.
Karmelo Anthony allegedly fantasized about stabbing someone and ‘licking the blood off the blade’ just hours before murdering Austin Metcalf, prosecutors told the court
Anthony’s defense team headed back to court Thursday for an appeal hearing, months after he was found guilty of killing 17-year-old athlete Austin Metcalf with a knife at a high school track meet last April
The morning of the murder, Anthony allegedly sent his ex-girlfriend a photo of a knife with the ominous message, ‘I’m lowkey on the verge.’ (pictured: knife used in deadly stabbing)
Anthony’s defense claims several issues denied him a fair trial, including pressure to waive his right to testify, improper jury instructions and restrictions on public access to the courtroom.
A secret ‘gentleman’s agreement’ between both sides initially barred Anthony’s character witnesses from discussing certain details about him and his family, keeping potentially damaging information about both teenagers out of court.
Details about Metcalf’s past also came to light Thursday during opening statements, including graffiti he had written years earlier that the prosecutor described as containing ‘vile, racist stuff.’
Wirskye said The Frisco Police Department obtained the contents of Metcalf’s phone and had access to his ‘school records and fights and bad words.’
He posed the central question to the court: ‘Why did Anthony bring a knife to a track meet?’
The prosecutor then went on to explain why he had proposed the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to Anthony’s attorneys in the first place.
‘It is gonna pour fuel on the fire. Okay?’ he told the court.
Wirskye said that despite having information about Anthony’s private text messages and remarks, he feared revealing it could further inflame tensions surrounding the case and potentially put someone’s life at risk.
State Prosecutor Bill Wirskye said disturbing text messages exposed Anthony’s obsession with violence, including a habit of starting fights
Anthony’s defense claims several issues denied him a fair trial, including pressure to waive his right to testify, improper jury instructions and restrictions on public access to the courtroom
New details about Metcalf’s past also came to light, including graffiti he had written years earlier that the prosecutor described as containing ‘vile, racist stuff’
Wirskye admitted that officials in the county were largely unprepared for a controversial case that had exploded into the national spotlight
‘Everybody, no matter where you are on the spectrum, whatever you believe, you’re going to look at this case and feel this case proves it,’ he said.
He further detailed the wave of hatred surrounding the June trial, admitting that officials in the county were largely unprepared for a case that had exploded into the national spotlight.
‘All the threats are going to go to the level, none of us have ever seen it. Quite frankly, to a level, none of us in Collin County were prepared to deal with,’ he told the court.
The prosecutor said Metcalf’s mother and others were doxxed and overwhelmed with threats online, including one frightening incident in which a shooting nearly occurred at her home.
Wirskye also accused social media influencers of ‘monetizing misinformation,’ saying attorneys on both sides were concerned about their safety as well as the safety of more than 30 minor witnesses.
He said the ‘threat environment’ was the reason Anthony was not routinely brought into the courtroom, arguing that his original defense team agreed with the decision – unlike his new lawyers, who are now challenging it.
The original plan, he said, was ‘to go old school, keep a paper file and limit the defendant’s appearance’ to ensure a safe trial.
‘And you know what, all of that stuff we did worked,’ Wirskye said.
The prosecutor said Metcalf’s mother and others were doxxed and overwhelmed with threats online
Anthony’s defense attorney plans to introduce 40 exhibits into evidence, which he claimed will show that Judge John Roach (pictured) operated a ‘shadow docket’ that was ‘not public at all’
Just hours before the killing, Anthony’s ex-girlfriend reportedly told an assistant principal that Anthony was stalking her
Russell Wilson, one of Anthony’s defense attorneys, also spoke during Thursday’s opening statements, addressing the hushed agreement reached between prosecutors and the defense.
Wilson said emails exchanged between Wirskye and defense attorney Mike Howard contained comments about Metcalf’s alleged racial animosity and aggressive behavior.
He added that he plans to introduce 40 exhibits into evidence, which he claimed will show that Judge John Roach operated a ‘shadow docket’ that was ‘not public at all.’
The first witness called to the stand was Derrick Jackson, who served as Collin County’s public information officer until May this year.
He testified that, a month before the trial, he gave the dates of the legal proceedings to a pro-Anthony social media influencer despite knowing the case was under a gag order.
Wirskye later revealed that some of the pro-Anthony influencers who applied for media credentials to cover the trial posed a serious security threat.
One of them, who was sitting inside the courtroom, had allegedly been arrested 19 times for making bomb threats, the prosecutor said.
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