A Collin County, Texas, grand jury indicted Karmelo Anthony on Tuesday for the first-degree murder of Austin Metcalf, according to multiple news reports.
What began as a dispute over a seat at a high school track meet on April 2 at a school that neither of the boys — then 17 — attended, ended in tragedy.
Anthony, now 18, remained at the scene and told investigators with the Frisco Police Department that he acted in self-defense, multiple news outlets have reported. Since Anthony posted bail, Metcalf’s father, Jeff Metcalf, has been demanding answers from the Frisco Independent School District, questioning how Anthony was allowed to graduate while they were left to bury their son.
Anthony reportedly had a 3.7 GPA and had earned enough credits to graduate, according to multiple news outlets. Anthony received a diploma but was barred from his high school’s graduation ceremony. Meanwhile, an online petition has collected more than 17,000 signatures, calling for Austin Metcalf to be awarded an honorary diploma, as he was expected to graduate in 2026.
The viral attention of the tragedy has sparked confusion, particularly among those familiar with the career of former NBA star Carmelo Anthony, who is not connected to the case.
Karmelo Anthony is being prosecuted under Texas’ “concurrent jurisdiction” laws, often referred to as prosecutor “direct file” laws. These laws allow prosecutors to charge minors as adults without judicial oversight — a policy in 12 states and Washington, D.C., that has disproportionately affected Black and brown youth accused of serious crimes like homicide.
As of 2024, there are 56,245 people serving life without parole sentences who were under the age of 25 at the time of their offense, according to a January report from The Sentencing Project. More than half of the reported 25,254 people incarcerated with that sentence from 1995 to 2017, were Black, a separate report from The Sentencing Project revealed.
Texas ranks among the states with the highest number of life-sentenced individuals under 25, with 18,358 people currently serving life terms.
Since 2008, hundreds of efforts have been made across the country to reform direct-file laws or introduce second-chance legislation. In Texas, two related bills have been proposed — one in 2011 and another in 2023 — according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Of those, only the 2011 bill was enacted, and it focused on sentencing and probation hearings for individuals convicted of certain drug offenses, outlining the conditions of their community supervision.
Anthony, who is Black, has been charged with first-degree murder. The victim was white.
What we know so far
After a police officer arrived, Anthony allegedly asked if Metcalf was going to be OK, multiple news outlets reported. The officer saw blood on Anthony’s hands, and a knife was recovered from the stands. Investigators spoke to several witnesses, including those who were nearby when Metcalf told Anthony he needed to move.
“Anthony grabbed his bag, opened it and reached inside and proceeded to tell [Metcalf], ‘Touch me and see what happens,’” the affidavit read.
Metcalf touched Anthony after he warned him not to, and the encounter escalated, according to the affidavit. Anthony then allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest before running away.
Anthony’s bail was initially set at $1 million, but after a bond hearing on Monday, it was reduced to $250,000. As a condition of his release, he was placed on house arrest, required to wear an ankle monitor, and is prohibited from leaving home without the judge’s permission, according to The Dallas Morning News. He was released shortly after posting bond — a decision that sparked backlash and threats against Collin County Judge Angela Tucker, who approved the reduced amount and is also Black.
As Anthony’s case gained national attention, a GoFundMe page not started by his family began circulating. It falsely claimed to raise money for his legal defense, his parents said during a press conference the day after his release. The family said that they were also receiving threats and there was misinformation about the case.
Before the press conference — hosted by Next Generation Action Network — started, Metcalf’s father was spotted in the crowd. He left after police on the scene spoke to him, Fox 26 Houston captured live.
This story has been updated.