Overview
- A Collin County jury convicted Karmelo Anthony of first‑degree murder and sentenced him to 35 years in prison for the April 2, 2025, stabbing of 17‑year‑old Austin Metcalf.
- The court on Friday released the trial exhibits shown to jurors, including police body‑cam audio in which Anthony says, “I’m not alleged. I did it,” stadium surveillance, multiple 911 calls, autopsy photographs and images of the folding Ozark Trail multitool prosecutors identified as the weapon.
- One day after the verdict Anthony filed a notice of appeal, then submitted a TDFA indigency packet saying he cannot afford counsel, and court records now show court‑appointed appellate attorney Lara Bracamonte Davila has been assigned.
- Legal teams preparing the appeal are expected to focus on procedural claims from the trial record, including jury selection challenges and the judge’s courtroom restrictions, rather than contesting the physical evidence newly made public.
- The case has produced heated public reaction, including large online donations, protests and accusations about the jury’s racial makeup that court participants have disputed, and those controversies are likely to shape both appellate filings and public debate going forward.