A Collin County jury has reached a verdict in the murder trial of Karmelo Anthony, the young man accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf during a Frisco high school track meet.

The decision came fast. Jurors got the case mid-morning and were done by early afternoon.

This is breaking and developing. As of the latest local reporting checked before publication, the verdict had been reached but the actual finding had not yet been printed by the reliable local outlets.

FOX 4 reported that a verdict was reached at 1:45 p.m. Central and that court would resume at 2:05 p.m. for the readout.

FOX 5 NY also pushed out the verdict-watch update as the courtroom waited:

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The timeline tells the story. CBS Texas reported that the jury began deliberating at 10:54 a.m., and that officials announced a verdict at 1:45 p.m.

That is just over two hours of deliberation in a case that drew national attention.

Here is how FOX 4 laid out the verdict timing, the jury’s choice, and the prosecution’s closing argument:

1:45 p.m. Verdict reached

A verdict has been reached. The court will resume at 2:05 p.m.

11 a.m. Jury deliberations begin

The jury headed into deliberations.

They must decide Anthony’s guilt or innocence on the charges of murder or manslaughter. Did he commit murder by acting knowingly or intentionally, or did he commit manslaughter by acting recklessly with a conscious disregard for life?

10:20 a.m. Prosecutors give closing arguments

Collin County District Attorney Bill Wirskye, in closing, told jurors that Anthony’s words were not a warning, they were a threat. Anthony could have easily yelled for a coach if his life were in danger.

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“They want to talk about motive.

What is not important is motive. What should be important is mindset.

He took a knife to a track meet, and kept it hidden,” Wirskye said. “There is a no weapon policy.

He was the only one with a knife. He was always going to come out on top.”

The DA said everything could be boiled down to one sentence.

“You don’t get to meet a shove with a stab, especially if you provoke the shove,” Wirskye said.

“That equals murder, plain and simple. Unjustified murder.”

The two paths carried very different consequences.

CBS Texas reported that a murder conviction would bring 5 to 99 years or life in prison, while manslaughter would carry 2 to 20 years.

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CBS Texas also reported on the jury-instruction fight and the lesser charge jurors were allowed to consider:

Jury has reached a verdict

At 1:45 p.m., officials announced a verdict has been reached in the case.

Jury deliberations underway

At 10:54 a.m., the jury began deliberating.

Jury can convict of lesser charge of manslaughter, but not criminally negligent homicide

Anthony’s defense attorney also objected to the jury instructions not including criminally negligent homicide as a lesser charge that the jury could consider.

Prosecutor Bill Wirskye argued that that criminally negligent homicide should not be an option for the jury because there is not “any evidence in the record that the defendant was unaware that his actions could lead to death.” Roach also overruled this objection.

In addition to the murder charge, which is a first-degree felony, the jury will be able to consider convicting Anthony of the lesser charge of manslaughter, which is a second-degree felony.

If the jury decides to convict on the murder charge, Anthony would face a prison sentence of 5-99 years or life in prison. A manslaughter conviction would bring a sentence of 2-20 years in prison.

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Fox’s television side also flagged the verdict as the readout was pending:

The defense argued the opposite of the state’s closing.

FOX 5 NY reported that defense attorney Mike Howard told the jury Anthony acted out of a split second of fear and chaos after being confronted and pushed inside a crowded team tent.

Metcalf died April 2, 2025, at a stadium in Frisco. The case has stayed in the headlines ever since.

Now the jury has spoken. The public is waiting to hear exactly what twelve people decided about the night Austin Metcalf was killed.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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