A grand jury has handed down a major decision in the case of 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, a high school student from Frisco, Texas, who is accused of fatally stabbing a fellow student during a confrontation at a track meet earlier this month.
The victim, 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, died after an altercation reportedly turned violent. Anthony allegedly admitted to stabbing Metcalf but claimed it was an act of self-defense.
This week, the Collin County grand jury officially indicted Anthony on first-degree murder charges. While he will not face the death penalty, the charges carry serious consequences: if convicted, he could be sentenced to anywhere from five years to life in prison. Under Texas law, 17-year-olds are prosecuted as adults.
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis confirmed the indictment on Tuesday.
“This case has struck a deep nerve — here in Collin County and beyond,” Willis said in a statement. “When something like this happens at a school event, it shakes people to the core. But the justice system works best when it moves with steadiness and principle, and that’s exactly what this case deserves.”
Anthony’s attorney, Mike Howard, responded to the indictment by emphasizing that it is only the beginning of the legal process.
“This was expected,” Howard said. “But it’s only at trial that the full story will be told — including key facts and context that the grand jury never heard.”
Howard added that the defense believes once the evidence is presented in court, it will raise reasonable doubt and show Anthony may have acted in self-defense.
A date for the trial has not yet been set.
