Live Updates: Karmelo Anthony murder trial in fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf at Frisco ISD track meet

Lead defense attorney Mike Howard began by stating there was a lot of noise around the case that has taken away from the person that Anthony is – a son, a brother, the oldest of four, a friend and an "A" student.

Howard described Anthony's success as a student-athlete, all while being diagnosed with epilepsy.

He then shared how Anthony ended up in the section where he allegedly got into an altercation with Metcalf.

Howard said Anthony walked around to get out of the rain and recognized someone near the Memorial tent, where he entered and was told to leave by Metcalf.

He said Anthony, who is 5'8" and about 130 pounds, was confronted by both Austin and Hunter Metcalf, who are 6'1" and about 215 pounds.

Howard said the jurors will hear two different accounts of how the confrontation happened but wanted to make it clear Metcalf made "the first physical contact, in spite of the warning" to not touch Anthony.

He said Anthony "made a split-second" decision out of fear. 

Collin County Judge John Roach Jr. is presiding over the case and, during his introduction, announced that both the defense and the prosecution would have 20 minutes each for opening statements.

The jury, made up of 10 women and 8 men, was seated as Anthony's parents and Metcalf's parents sat on opposite sides of the courtroom. Anthony looked on, dressed in a suit and tie. 

The prosecution opened first with Collin County First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye, who wasted no time and dived right into the tragedy. He told the jury that Anthony plunged a knife and "buried it into the heart of another young man, causing his death and then ran away."

Wirskye said the case "has nothing to do with race" or anything to do with Anthony's claims that he was acting in self-defense. He called the killing of Metcalf unjustified and senseless.

Wirskye said the video will tell the story of Metcalf's killing and told the jury they'll hear from numerous witnesses who were there. 

Twelve jurors and six alternates have been seated in the Karmelo Anthony murder trial after two days of intense jury selection.

The pool of 589 prospective jurors was narrowed amid questions about media bias, race, and a controversial immigration question that some jurors refused to answer.

The prosecution dismissed all qualified Black jurors, arguing the case was race-neutral, a move the defense challenged and the judge ultimately allowed.

Prospective jurors also expressed concerns about fairness, with some admitting that media coverage and the defendant's background could influence their judgment.

Opening statements are scheduled for Thursday morning as the trial officially moves forward.

Read more here.

Jury selection began on Monday, June 1.

Prospective jurors arrived at the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney amid very tight security. Outside, a cluster of demonstrators held signs and waved flags on the perimeter of courthouse property. Some of the demonstrators included a small group of about a half a dozen white nationalists. Another group expressed support for Anthony.

Judge John Roach was expected to gather the prospective jurors in the Central Jury Room on the first floor. Media and members of the public were allowed inside an adjacent courtroom to watch the proceedings on a live video feed. That courtroom also saw supporters for both Anthony and Metcalf's families observing, along with social media influencers.

Read more here.

Both the families of Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony said they faced unrelenting harassment that put their safety and the safety of their neighbors at risk. 

Frisco police responded multiple times to prank 911 "swatting" calls at the Metcalf family's homes. Austin Metcalf's father said the repeated incidents have created fear that someone could be seriously injured.

Both families say personal information has been shared publicly online, leading to continued harassment and workplace impacts, with both fathers reportedly needing to take leave from their jobs.

A flyer advertising a protest in Frisco, widely circulated on social media, was allegedly organized by Jake Lang, who was charged with attacking police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. He was pardoned last year by President Donald Trump. The flyer used a picture of Metcalf with the banner reading "Protect White Americans."

Ahead of the trial, Judge John Roach imposed strict courtroom rules due to intense public and media interest in the case. 

The order bans live streaming, audio and video recording, and cell phones in the courtroom. Attendees are prohibited from disrupting proceedings, while protests are restricted to designated areas outside the courthouse. 

All visitors must pass through security screening, and the rules will be enforced by the Collin County Sheriff's Office.  

When Anthony was initially taken into custody and charged with murder, his bond was set at $1 million.

A Collin County judge later reduced Anthony's bond from $1 million to $250,000 following a hearing on April 14, 2025. 

Anthony was ordered to remain under house arrest at his parents' home and wear an ankle monitor if released on bond. Defense attorneys argued Anthony had no criminal history and posed a low flight risk, while prosecutors sought to keep the original bond amount in place.

On June 24, 2025, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis announced that a grand jury indicted Anthony for murder, a first-degree felony with a possible sentence of 5-99 years or life in prison.    

Two weeks after the indictment, Collin County District Judge John Roach scheduled Anthony's murder trial to begin on June 1, 2026.  

On April 2, 2025, during a district track meet at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Metcalf and Anthony, both 17 years old at the time, were involved in a confrontation under a tent in the bleachers. Just before 10 a.m., Anthony stabbed Metcalf during the altercation. Metcalf was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Witnesses said Metcalf and Anthony attended different schools and did not know each other. 

An April 4, 2025, police report revealed that Anthony admitted to the stabbing, claiming it was in self-defense. Witnesses reported that Anthony approached Metcalf and others sitting under the tent, and after a tense exchange where Metcalf told Anthony to leave and allegedly threatened him, Anthony pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest before fleeing. More than 30 students and coaches are listed as witnesses to Austin Metcalf's violent death, according to the Frisco police report.

When authorities arrived, Metcalf was unresponsive, and CPR was being performed by athletic trainers.