Family Clash: As Karmelo Anthony’s mother pushed forward with new appeal evidence, Austin Metcalf’s twin brother answered with bodycam footage and a firm response

Investigators say that morning, at a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium, a confrontation began under a team tent where athletes gathered during inclement weather. It ended when Metcalf was stabbed in the chest. Anthony was arrested and has claimed self-defense.

The case quickly drew intense national attention, fueled by social media debate centered on the races of the two young men, public protests, online threats and allegations of doxxing involving people connected to the proceedings.

Because Anthony was 17 at the time of the incident, Texas law allows him to be tried as an adult, and he faces a possible sentence ranging from five years to life in prison if convicted. Because the death did not meet the qualifications to be charged as a capital murder, and because of Anthony’s age, the death penalty was never an option in the case.

Trial rules

Security at the courthouse will be tight.

Judge John Roach Jr. has banned cameras, livestreams and audio recording inside the courtroom. He also designated a security perimeter around parts of the courthouse grounds barring the public — and potential demonstrators — from gathering in those areas. The judge has also issued a gag order limiting public comments about the case from attorneys, witnesses, investigators and others directly involved in the proceedings.

With public seating limited, developments in the case will come from live reporting from inside the courtroom. WFAA has a team covering the case. Collin County reporter Jobin Panicker will be inside the courtroom each day, alongside a courtroom sketch artist. Senior crime and justice reporter Rebecca Lopez will also be at the courthouse each day, both in and out of the courtroom, chronicling case developments. WFAA has also arranged for a legal expert to sit in on the proceedings each day to help provide context and analysis on the WFAA+ daily evening wrap-up.

Day Seven: June 9, 2026 – Verdict reached, sentence imposed

9 p.m.

Karmelo Anthony was booked into the Collin County jail.

8:40 p.m.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis joined the Metcalf family, the prosecutors and investigators in the case to make a public statement following the day’s events.

“Today, justice was served,” Willis began, standing beside Hunter Metcalf on one side and Jeff Metcalf on the other. Meghan Metcalf is holding Hunter’s arm.

“A year ago, when this senseless murder unfolded, I said it had struck a deep nerve in Collin County and far beyond. I asked our community to ignore all the noise, and instead be level headed and patient as the processed worked. Today, the process delivered accountability.”

“We are grateful to this jury, and we are grateful that the good citizens of Colin County had an opportunity to weigh in on this case. I’m proud of the exceptional work of Bill Wirskye, and our team of prosecutors, DA investigators, and victim advocates, and all the good and outstanding men and women of the Collin County district attorney’s office.”

“We thank all the parent and their brave kids who did the right thing. Despite the trauma of witnessing this senseless murder at a school track meet, they cooperated fully and testified truthfully. Their courage was essential to securing justice in this case.”

Willis acknowledged the Metcalf family.

“Their strength and grace throughout this unimaginable journey has been inspiring. They won’t be taking questions at this time, but their presence speaks volumes about their commitment to seeking justice for Austin.”

“This verdict sends a clear message,” Willis said. “Violence like this won’t be tolerated in our Collin County community. We remain committed to protecting our schools, and standing with victims, and their families.”

When Willis finishes speaking, Hunter Metcalf turned toward him, and shook his hand. “Take care, sir.” “You too, sir.”

8:30 p.m.

Tonight, we got details from the Collin County sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica Pond about the two arrests in the courthouse parking lot after the verdict was announced, and just before sentencing this evening:

• “At this time, we can confirm that two arrests were made outside the Collin County Courthouse. The first arrest was for public intoxication. The second arrest was a warrant arrest for unlawful carrying of a weapon. We are still gathering additional information and do not have the individuals’ identifying information available for release at this time. If additional details become available, we will provide an update.”

8:15 p.m.

Hunter Metcalf, Austin Metcalf identical twin brother, is now on the witness stand to deliver his statement.

He being by, calmly, telling Karmelo Anthony to “please give me the respect and look at me.”

“You took everything from me,” the young sibling told Anthony, looking straight at him. Anthony is not looking back. His head is down. Hunter is finished.

Court is adjourned.

8 p.m.

Jeff Metcalf, Austin Metcalf’s father, is next.

There is a slideshow video playing with sound, but the judge has muted the music. While that video plays Jeff Metcalf reads words off a paper.

“We were robbed!” he said directly to Karmelo Anthony. “Don’t look down!”

“This was never about race,” the father said. “It is about right and wrong.” He is looking and talking directly to Anthony, who still has his head down.

“My boys weren’t bullies,” he said. “I’ve been swatted six times,” referring to harassment by activists and others targeting the Metcalf family.

“My son’s death destroyed the person I used to be,” the father said. “He does not exist anymore.”

“People think grief is sadness, it is not. It is rage. Pure unfiltered rage,” he said as he slammed his fist on a table, his voice rising.

“You don’t belong in this community!” he tells the 19-year-old defendant. “A piece of me died with my son and I’m expected to keep living.”

“You’re going to prison. I forgave you the day it happened. I don’t forgive what you did,” he told Anthony. “You can’t look me in the eyes but you can stab my f—— son!” Judge Roach motioned to prosecutor Bill Wirskye about the cursing.

Jeff Metcalf is finished speaking. He stared at his son’s killer the entire time he walked by, passing two feet from Anthony.

7:45 p.m.

The Metcalf family will have the opportunity to make victim impact statements directly to Karmelo Anthony in court, if they so choose. The court has allotted 30 minutes for these statements.

According to Jobin Panicker, this is the first time the courtroom has not been full the entire trial. There are about about eight seats available.

[We’ve just been told that the sketch artist Pat Lopez is still in the courtroom, so we should have some images later tonight. With cameras banned from the courtroom, it’s the only visual record of events throughout the week-long trial.]

“Defendant please rise,” Judge Roach tells Karmelo Anthony, and then informs him – again – of the 35 year sentence.

Austin Metcalf’s aunt rises to address the defendant in the courtroom.

“It was one of the hardest days of my life,” she said. Karmelo Anthony has his down during her statements.

“There is a void that can never be filled,” she tells the 19-year-old defendant. “Our faith has sustained us. That faith does not lessen the pain of losing him.”

Meghan Metcalf, Austin Metcalf’s mother, now addresses the defendant, who has slightly raised his head from the table.

“We will never know what our future could have been,” Mrs. Metcalf said, crying. Jeff Metcalf is also crying. “For journalists, activists, this is a story. For our family, this is our reality.”

“My house is now quiet,” she said. She said she hopes to wake up one morning and this was all a nightmare.

She said that now, all her conversations with her son are at his grave. She looks at Karmelo Anthony a few times as she speaks these words.

“He didn’t just die,” she said. “He was taken from us.”

Addressing the defendant directly, her tone rising with anger, Austin Metcalf’s mother said: “You should feel lucky you got 35 years because I’ve been given a life sentence without my son.”

She then snatches her paper up, and walks right past Anthony back to her seat in the gallery.

7:30 p.m.

Jobin Panicker reports:

Austin Metcalf’s family is now in the courtroom. Karmelo Anthony’s grandmother is there, as are family friends.

“The jury has reached a verdict as it relates to punishment,” Judge John Roach Jr. announces.

The jury is walking in now.

Anthony is sentenced to 35 years. Jurors found no sudden passion existed in the case.

Judge Roach has excused the jury.

Anthony’s parents are not in the courtroom.

Austin Metcalf’s mother has her head down. She’s being comforted by the person next to her in the courtroom.

Anthony’s grandmother is wiping away tears. Anthony has his head down, but looks up briefly. According to Panicker: “his face is emotion mixed with bewilderment.”

Karmelo Anthony now has his head down on the defense table.

7 p.m.

We have received word that the jury has decided on a sentence for Karmelo Anthony. Details to come.

Jobin Panicker, who is back in the courtroom, says that reporters are being allowed back in the courtroom.

As a reminder, earlier today, these 12 jurors — the six alternates did not deliberate — found Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf. Then, their task became what sentence to give him. Lawyers and the judge determined, based on the evidence, that jurors should be able to take into account that Anthony may have acted with “sudden passion,” a legal term that means jurors could impose a lesser sentence. Murder (with no sudden passion finding) carries a sentence of five to 99 years. Sudden passion, if jurors believe that is relevant here, reduces the range from two to 20 years.

6:45 p.m.

We just got word in the WFAA newsroom that someone has been detained by police in the parking lot of the Collin County Courthouse.

We have these images of the crowd outside at the time of the incident. Details to come.

5:45 p.m.

Jurors continue to deliberate how many years Karmelo Anthony should receive in prison for murdering Austin Metcalf.

Judge John Roach has told them that if they do not determine a sentence today, they will be sequestered in a hotel and will continue their deliberations tomorrow.

4:30 p.m.

Prosecutor Bill Wirskye rose to address the jury on punishment for Karmelo Anthony.

He said that “sudden passion” does not fit this situation, and he said the burden is on the defense to prove that it is. It requires a finding that the stabbing was “directly cause by and arising out of provocation by the individual killed,” Wirskye said.

Sudden passion, the veteran prosecutor said, does not apply when the murderer is the provoker.

“Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent,” Wirskye said.

He showed the jury blown up photos of the Metcalf twins, one dead and one alive. He reiterates the point made by his prosecutor colleague that more attention needs to focus on the life lost.

He points to the Metcalf family. “There were many life sentences handed out,” he said, forcefully. “Meghan Metcalf life sentence! Jeff Metcalf life sentence! Hunter Metcalf life sentence!”

He implores the jury to “hand out a sentence that is meaningful” and lengthy. “Everyone in the nation will know how you reacted to senseless loss and murder,” he tells the jury.

The jury is now led out to begin deliberations. The families have left the courtroom.

4 p.m.

Judge Roach tells the jurors “the issue of sudden passion is raised.” He tells them that limits confinement to no more than 20 years and no less than 2 years with a fine up to $10,000. Their decision must be unanimous, he tells the jurors. If they do not believe the crime includes sudden passion, he instructs them to sentence within the regular murder range of five to 99 years, to life.

“The defendant has elected not to testify,” the judge tells the jury.

Now, with the jury present, the prosecution gives its argument regarding punishment.

“You are the product….of justice,” prosecutor Dewey Mitchell tells them. “It felt like community.”

Mitchell told them they should now be talking about Austin Metcalf — a son, and a brother. “We spent a week talking about Karmelo Anthony.”

“You are about to hear a lot about the age of this defendant,” he told the jurors. “Absolutely, talk about his age. I’m also also going to ask you to consider the age of Austin Metcalf.”

“Nothing you do will take more than he (Karmelo Anthony) took from his family,” Mitchell said. Austin Metcalf will never have time with his parents, never get his diploma, find his love, the prosecutor said.

He showed jurors a picture from April 2, 2025. In it, coaches are gathered around Metcalf, doing chest compressions, while at least four people are praying in the background.

Defense attorney Mike Howard rose to give his closing arguments on punishment.

“I cannot and will not tell you what the right verdict is,” he began. Karmelo Anthony is crying while listening to his attorney plead for mercy on his behalf. “We know what we are asking of you and I am sorry.”

 The state in their closing never recommended a range, and Howard simply tells them: “Follow your heart. Follow the law.”

Howard is now talking about the legal term, “sudden passion.” “Sudden passion doesn’t mean blaming Austin Metcalf or Hunter Metcalf or any kids,” the lawyer said. “This is not about blaming the victim.”

Sudden passion is that decision made in the heat of the moment, he told them. It’s different than a decision made in a cool and collected state of mind. Howard told jurors that the confrontation rendered Anthony’s mind incapable of making sound decisions.

“There are people on both sides whose lives have been irrevocably changed,” he tells jurors. “Thank you for doing your duty.”

The defense is done.

3:45 p.m.

Jobin Panicker has the latest:

The public is being invited back in to hear a discussion about how to instruct the jury on assessing Karmelo Anthony’s sentence.

The judge said that Anthony has waived his right to testify during the punishment phase.

The Anthony and Metcalf families are now both back in the courtroom. The Metcalf side is more talkative now. It is quiet on the left side of courtroom where Anthony’s family are sitting.

“Bring in the jury please,” Judge Roach said.

3:30 p.m.

The court is in recess while the lawyers and judge negotiate the range of punishment jurors can consider. A murder conviction carries from five to 99 years, but prosecutors have agreed to let jurors consider “sudden passion,” which shifts the punishment range to two to 20 years maximum.

2:45 p.m.

Jobin Panicker reports:

Karmelo Anthony is walking back into the courtroom with his attorneys. Anthony is crying. Defense attorney Mike Howard had his hands on both shoulders walking behind him.

The punishment phase has begun. Both the prosecutors and defense waived giving opening statements.

The defense calls its first witness, Karmelo Anthony’s mother Kala Hayes. She said Anthony is her oldest of four children. “I love him very much,” she told jurors.

Mike Howard asks her if her son regrets what what he did. Yes, she said. “Have mercy on my son,” she tells jurors.

On cross examination, prosecutor Bill Wirskye tells her Anthony is still her son and “he still gets to be a part of your life.”

The defense and state both rest. The judge announced a short break.

Judge. “Take the defendant please.” Anthony walks out shaking his head and crying. He has a deputy and his attorneys with him. As he walks out the door, he looked over at his mother and father.

2:40 p.m.

Jobin Panicker’s latest update:

The jury has left the courtroom.

Jeff Metcalf, Austin’s father, patted his son and Austin’s twin brother, Hunter, who is sitting in front of him. Several kids who went to school with Austin Metcalf are crying in the courtroom.

Karmelo Anthony’s mother and father are doubled over in their chairs, and his mother is weeping. They are hugging each other. Anthony’s grandmother is standing and wiping tears with a tissue.

Outside, a crowd is growing. Things are peaceful, however, amid a robust police presence.

2:30 p.m.

Jobin Panicker’s update:

The courtroom is now full, waiting on the judge and jury to appear. There are three bailiffs and two sheriff’s deputies present.

The judge is now in the courtroom.

Judge: “The jury has reached a verdict.” Waiting on jury. Judge says no outbursts. I will hold you in contempt, the judge tells the gallery.

Karmelo Anthony is standing waiting for the jury to walk in.

Defense attorney Mike Howard has his arm over Anthony’s shoulder.

The jury is now coming into the courtroom.

The jury has found Karmelo Anthony guilty of murder. His mother is now crying.

The judge says the punishment phase will now begin.

“He is now remanded in the custody of the Collin County Sheriffs Office,” Judge John Roach said. “Take him please.” Anthony walks out with his attorneys to a side door.

2:15 p.m.

Jobin Panicker, who is in the courtroom, filed this update:

Karmelo Anthony’s family is inside the courtroom. His mother was crying as she entered. Anthony is sitting with both his defense attorneys, Mike Howard and Toby Shook.

Austin Metcalf’s family, including his twin brother Hunter, is now also in the courtroom.

Nobody is talking to each other.

Court personnel have now let members of the public inside the courtroom.

1:45 p.m.

Jurors have reached a verdict in the Karmelo Anthony case.

Details forthcoming as we get them.

11 a.m.

Closing arguments ended. Deliberations have commenced. If jurors do not reach a verdict today, they will be sequestered at a hotel at taxpayer expense.

Here’s an update from our legal expert:

10:30 a.m.

Prosecutor Bill Wirskye next delivered his closing arguments.

“Do not let them turn a threat into a warning,” he urged jurors. “This is not some benign warning.”

 “This is ludicrous,” Wirskye said. What matters isn’t motive; it should be “mindset,” he said. Anthony “had a secret — he had a knife that day. He was always gonna come out on top that day! That is a mindset.”

 “You dont get to meet a shove with a stab — especially if you provoke a shove,” Wirskye told jurors.

“This is unjustified, provoked, murder,” he said, repeating a phrase he used in opening arguments last week.

“Why didn’t he just walk away?” Wirskye asked, noting that no witnesses offered any answers to this question.

“You can meet a shove with a shove,” the prosecutor said. “It has to be proportional.” The stabbing was not proportional, he said.

“You don’t get to kill someone just because they are bigger than you,” Wirskye told jurors.

“Any ordinary, prudent, reasonable person would not have plunged a knife into the chest of Austin Metcalf, an unarmed young man,” Wirskye said.

Wirskye took the replica knife and flicked it open. “It’s still murder at the end of the day,” he told jurors.

If Anthony wanted to get out of the rain, there were other tents.

Wirskye referred to Anthony’s “secret knife” that he had in his backpack. He reminded jurors that some witness described Metcalf giving Anthony “light pushes,” that a witness quoted Metcalf telling Anthony, “I’m not going to fight you, bro.”

There are two jurors who are shaking their heads in agreement during Wirskye’s closing argument.

“Austin didn’t deserve it,” he said. “It was murder.”

He quoted witnesses who said Anthony said under that tent, “Make me move.” “Touch me, see what happens.”

Wirskye acknowledged there were discrepancies between some of the young witnesses’ accounts. He said they’re kids, they are simply mistaken.

“It’s not self-defense. It’s murder,” he told jurors. “It is a tragedy for everyone involved.”

“This was plain and simple murder,” he said. “We don’t take weapons to school events. With his mindset, (Anthony) did.”

“What kind of county do you want to live in? What kind of society do you want to live in? Hold this young man accountable. And send a message that this won’t be tolerated in our community.”

9:45 a.m.

The prosecution waived its right to start off the closing arguments, so defense attorney Mike Howard went first.

Austin Metcalf had “no legal right to eject” Karmelo Anthony from the Memorial High School tent at the track meet on April 2, 2025, he said.

“He had no legal right to put his hands on ‘Melo,'” Howard told jurors, referring to Anthony by his nickname. “He was in a public place.”

Prosecutors content Anthony “could have just left” when confronted by Metcalf, Howard said. “I am sure he wishes he did.”

Howard referred to earlier testimony that track meets are social and open and that athletes can come and go. He said he disagrees with prosecutors that his client “slipped” into Memorial’s tent. Rather, Anthony was invited in — and “dapped up” — by “a friend.”

Howard told jurors that it was reasonable for Anthony to want to be under the tent when it began raining. Anthony’s school had not brought a tent to the event.

“‘Melo’ was seated throughout this,” Howard told jurors. “They had a right to tell him to leave, they didn’t have a right to use force to eject him.”

Howard said his client could have left but he was facing a group of “teenage boys with raging hormones” getting increasingly madder.

Anthony had the right to defend himself when “someone is so much bigger than you.”

Howard told jurors that witnesses gave “jumbled” accounts of various aspects of the incident, including the range of intensity of the shove Metcalf gave Anthony, where people were sitting in the Memorial tent, and whether Anthony ran, walked or jogged after the stabbing.

He said Howard could have left the stadium afterwards, but he decided to walk back onto the field. “Everyone who saw ‘Melo’ said he was crying,” Howard said, saying that his client was remorseful and genuinely distraught.

Howard recalled the testimony of a coach who told Anthony, “If that young man dies, your life will change.” Anthony responded, “He’s not going to die.” Howard said this speaks to Anthony’s intent.

Howard conceded Anthony bringing a multitool folding knife to the school track meet was “a violation of policy.”

“The thing about self defense, you cannot wait until it is too late,” Howard said. “The thing about a split second of chaos … you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Howard told jurors they “must put yourself in his shoes.” He said that it did not make sense for Anthony to pick a fight with someone “so much bigger than him” and a twin “so much bigger than him” and twenty other guys.

“It’s not about race,” Howard said. “There’s no evidence that ‘Melo’ did anything but think he was defending himself in that split second of chaos.”

“Maybe he mouthed off because you’re a 17-year-old dumb kid,” Howard said of his client. When Anthony said, “don’t touch me and find out… That is the ultimate warning, not provocation.”

“I don’t think we’re going to ever know what happened under that tent,” Howard said. “We’ve got 15 different stories.”

“You don’t ask the decedent’s friends (witnesses) about self defense and provocation,” Howard said. He reminded jurors it’s now their job to use the law to find Anthony not guilty.

9:30 a.m.

The judge addresses the jury, reading the instructions to them before closings start. He tells them a person is guilty of murder who “intentionally or knowingly causes death of individual” or “serious bodily injury;” a person is guilty of manslaughter is one “who acts recklessly…” The judge also reads the portion on self defense, which would require them to find a person “reasonably believes that use of deadly force was necessary.”

The judge told jurors there should be no “inference of guilt” because Karmelo Anthony was indicted, charged and held in custody. He also reminds them that they must not take into consideration the fact that he did not take the stand.

“You are the exclusive judges of the facts,” Judge Roach told jurors. “Follow the law of the court.”

He then told them they will select a foreperson, and that the verdict must be unanimous.

 9:15 a.m.

Jobin Panicker reports that both the families of Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony are in the courtroom. About 150 are outside the courtroom on the second unable to get inside, as there are only about two dozen public seats in this courtroom. The line to get in has consistently begun forming well before dawn, even before police remove the barriers blocking public access to the courthouse complex.

This morning, prior to closing arguments, the judge and lawyers discussed the legal instructions, or charge, that jurors will get before they deliberate. Defense attorney Mike Howard objected to some wording on the self-defense instructions. There is also discussion of provocation and how jurors will consider that. Prosecutor Bill Wirskye argues there absolutely was provocation in this case, and plenty of evidence with a folding knife and with Karmelo Anthony saying “Touch me and see what happens,” according to witness testimony earlier in the case.

Judge John Roach jr. rules with state and allows the use of word provocation.

The defense then asked that jurors be allowed to consider “lesser included” offenses such as criminally negligent homicide in their deliberations. That crime’s punishment range is six months to two years in prison. Roach says jurors cannot consider that, but can consider manslaughter, which carries a punishment range of two to 20 years in prison.

9 a.m.

Court resumes shortly. Today, we expect the prosecution and the defense to make their final arguments to the jury, who will then receive their instructions from Judge John Roach Jr. on the law. Jurors will also find out if they will be able to consider a lesser charge like manslaughter in addition to murder. The manslaughter punishment range is two to 20 years, while murder carries a range of five to 99 years, or life in prison.

Our reporter Jobin Panicker is making his way into the courtroom and will file an update shortly. He shot this preview of the day’s events earlier this morning: