HS track athlete stabbed & killed at track meet; suspect found guilty of murder

Did Karmelo Anthony Commit Murder or Was It Self Defense?

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  • Self Defense

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did they ever say why he was carrying a knife?

I carry a knife on my everyday. I also keep a drill some drill bits a hammer and a a small tool set in my trunk.

I do a that for specific reason. Why did he have a knife?


When I do carry my gun I turn into a (for lack of a better term) bitch because I want to avoid shit as much as possible.
 
Dwayne said:
did they ever say why he was carrying a knife?

I carry a knife on my everyday. I also keep a drill some drill bits a hammer and a a small tool set in my trunk.

I do a that for specific reason. Why did he have a knife?


When I do carry my gun I turn into a (for lack of a better term) bitch because I want to avoid shit as much as possible.
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I'm the same, I got a knife on me 98% off the time. If I got my bookbag with me I got my knife, taser, pepper spray, a can of tear gas and either a gun in it or on me. But like you said, if I got my gun on me then I avoid confrontation like a plague because I know I usually got the upper hand
 

Coach: No rule against athletes entering other teams' tents​

Defense attorney Mike Howard called Centennial High School football and track coach Adam Linwood to the stand. Linwood testified that track is a more relaxed, player‑driven sport compared with football and that athletes from different schools routinely mingle, saying he knew of no policy preventing students from entering other teams' tent areas.

He confirmed that Karmelo "Melo" Anthony was widely known as "Melo," was a team‑elected football captain, and served as a starting defensive back in 2024. Linwood said Karmelo's football season ended early due to a significant shoulder injury requiring surgery, and he wore his arm in a sling afterward. He also confirmed Karmelo participated in track events, including the Lobo Invitational in March, and that on April 2, the team's tent was not on the morning bus, even though Karmelo needed to arrive early for his events.

During cross‑examination, prosecutor Bill Wirskye asked when Linwood last spoke with Karmelo; Linwood said the day of the event. Wirskye emphasized that weapons are prohibited at track meets, asked whether the coach would approve of an athlete stabbing another athlete, and Linwood said no. The prosecutor also pressed that athletes should not end up in another team's tent, and Linwood agreed. When shown a knife replica, Linwood said there was no reason for an athlete to have a knife at a track meet.

Witness says visiting other teams' tents normal at track meets​

A new defense witness took the stand – an 18‑year‑old Frisco Centennial High School graduate who spent four years in the football program and three years running track, alongside his fraternal twin brother.

Defense: "Did you know Karmelo Anthony? What did you know him as?"

Witness: "Yes. We called him Melo."

Defense: "How would you describe your relationship?"

Witness: "I'd say we're friends. We hung out."

Defense: "How's track different from a football game?"

Witness: "There's way more people, and you can walk around."

Defense: "A part of track is making friends. Would you agree with that? Did you have friends from other teams?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "Did you spend time under other teams' tents?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "Did you see other kids doing the same?"

Witness: "Yes, sir."

Defense: "Did you ever have a problem doing that where you were told you shouldn't be doing that?"

Witness: "No, sir."

Defense: "Would you sometimes sit down and have a conversation? Would you spend more time in the tent?"

Witness: "I'd spend some time."

Defense: "Have you ever been in the Memorial tent before?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "Was it say hi and leave or spend time and hang out?"

Witness: "We'd spend time hanging out."

Defense: "Was it just you?"

Witness: "Me and Karmelo. We both had friends at Memorial."

Defense: "How much time did you spend?"

Witness: "About 10 minutes."

Defense: "Were there any problems with that?"

Witness: "No."

Prosecutor: "There's no need for a knife at a track meet?"

Witness: "No."

Prosecutor: "As far as you know, Frisco ISD's policy of not having a knife at a track meet has never been violated."

Witness: "It hasn't."
 

Witness describes friendly interaction before confrontation escalated in Frisco Memorial tent​

A new defense witness – a 17‑year‑old male student from Frisco Memorial High School – took the stand as testimony continued.

Defense: "It was raining hard enough for people to be under tents?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "I want to talk about Melo coming to the tent. It was clear Eddie knew Melo?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "From Melo entering the tent and interacting with Eddie, it was clear they knew each other?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "Eddie called Karmelo over to the tent?"

Witness: "Yes, sir."

Defense: "The interaction between Eddie and Melo was friendly?"

Witness: "Yes, sir."

Defense: "After Eddie called him over, Melo sat down?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "For about five minutes? Friendly talk? No one expressed a problem with Melo being there?"

Witness: "No."

Defense: "Do you recall the first person to say to Melo, 'Who are you?'"

Witness: "Hunter Melcalf."

Defense: "Hunter is a big guy?"

Witness: "You could say."

Defense: "At the time of the event, Austin was a little bigger?"

Witness: "I'd say substantially bigger."

Defense: "I believe you told the detective Hunter didn't tolerate being disrespected?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "So Hunter tells Melo to leave?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "Melo said, 'No one has a problem with me being here besides you?'"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "At some point, Austin and Hunter stand up? They had been seated?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "If you put Melo and Austin next to each other, Melo is smaller?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "Hunter started with a moderate tone, and it got more aggressive?"

Witness: "Yes, sir."

Defense: "Do you remember telling the detective, 'You need to move before I beat your a--'?"

Witness: "I don't recall saying that."

The defense approaches the witness with papers. The witness agrees that Austin said something like that, or something similar, about wanting to beat his a--.

Defense: "Austin is standing up. Melo is still seated?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "That's when Melo reached into his bag, after Austin mentioned something about wanting to beat his a-?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "Austin calls his bluff and says, 'I know you don't have anything in that bag'?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "For Austin to make his way to Melo, he has to move up five rows?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "Austin takes a step or two, and then they talk, and that continues?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "All this time, as Austin is moving closer to Melo, Melo is seated with his hand in the bag, like 'don't come closer to me'?"

Witness: "Yes, sir."

Defense: "Melo says, 'As long as you don't touch me, we're cool,' or, 'Don't touch me'?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "You told the detective Austin reached up and tapped Karmelo on the shoulder? Melo is still seated?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "There's a touch, and then there's a grab?"

Witness: "Yes."

Defense: "He [Austin] grabbed with both hands?"

Witness: "Both of his hands were in motion."

Defense: "Austin is reaching for Melo, and at that point, Melo's hand comes out of the bag?"

Witness: "Yes."

Teen witness says Karmelo Anthony provoked confrontation​

After the break, the 17‑year‑old from Frisco Memorial returned to the stand and said he called 911.

The prosecutor asked him to demonstrate a stabbing motion, then pressed him on who he believed was in the right.

"I think Karmelo was in the wrong," the teen said.

When asked whether Karmelo Anthony provoked the confrontation, he answered, "Yes."
 
Nobody said:
I'm the same, I got a knife on me 98% off the time. If I got my bookbag with me I got my knife, taser, pepper spray, a can of tear gas and either a gun in it or on me. But like you said, if I got my gun on me then I avoid confrontation like a plague because I know I usually got the upper hand
Click to expand...
A can of tear gas my nigga. Are you alright?
 

Witness: Centennial track team did not have a tent​

The weather for the April 2, 2025 track meet was rainy.

The witness testified that the Centennial track team was hanging out in the dugout of the adjacent baseball field while waiting to determine if there would be a rain delay. The team had to leave the dugout but they didn't have a tent. At that point, the rain had mostly died down, and the team went out on the field to warm up, the witness said.

The rain then started to pick back up again and the team dispersed. The witness said he saw Karmelo Anthony in the bleachers under the Memorial High School tent, which looked crowded underneath.

Everything was completely normal, he said, until he heard a lot of yelling.

"I hear louder voices over there, and when I looked over there, people weren't facing the field anymore, they were looking back," he said.

The witness said that he started walking towards the tent and saw "arms go out and make contact with Karmelo."

"It got super loud and people started standing up and were like, 'what happened?,'" he said. "What I saw was Austin pulling up his shirt saying he got stabbed."

Witness: Karmelo Anthony was distraught after stabbing, "'I told him not to touch me'"​

After seeing Austin Metcalf with the stab wound, the witness said he saw Karmelo lightly jogging to another part of the bleachers.

Defense: "Did you see him when he stopped?"

Witness: "He is crying and there was a coach kind of comforting him." "I'd say distraught is the best way to describe it."

Defense: "Did it look like a put on?"

Witness: "I'd say everything going on was very, very real."

Defense: "You could hear him crying?"

Witness: "Yes sir, I heard him saying, 'I told him not to touch me.'"

Defense: "How was he, distraught?"

Witness: "Yes very distraught."

Prosecution presses witness on inconsistencies in his testimony​

On cross-examination, a prosecutor confronted the witness over how his testimony did not line up with prior statements made to police and the prosecution.

Prosecution: "You had a few things wrong when we talked, is that right?"

Witness: "Yes sir."

Prosecution: "Your initial statement to police that you saw Karmelo Anthony surrounded had to be after the stabbing?"

Witness: "Yes."

Prosecution: "You had a story in your head when we visited, correct?"

Witness: "Yes."

Prosecution: "And when you saw the video, your eyes were opened to what actually happened, is that right?"

Witness: "Yes."

Prosecution: "My impression when we first met, you thought when you saw people surrounding Karmelo Anthony it was before the stabbing?"

Witness: "Yes sir."

Prosecution: "That was actually after the stabbing?"

Witness: "I couldn't really tell."

Prosecution: "When you and I met you told me you thought it was before the stabbing?"

Witness: "I thought it was as the stabbing was happening."

Prosecution: "You know you're wrong?"

Witness: "Yes sir."

Prosecutors then played surveillance video from the stadium that showed the witness was not looking at the Memorial High School tent at the time of the stabbing.
 

Frisco PD detective briefly testifies​

After a short break for the jury, the defense called its next witness, Frisco police detective Beau Riley.

Riley is on the Crimes Against Children unit, and was called out the stadium on the day of the stabbing and interviewed some of the witnesses in the field house near the football field.

One of the witnesses was a Memorial track athlete who knew Karmelo Anthony and talked to him under the tent. He reviewed the student's cell phone to check his camera roll, text messages and Snapchat account. Riley called the search through the phone "thorough."

The defense attorney also had the officer to confirm that Anthony's knife was legal to carry in Texas and into stadiums.

Frisco High School track athlete testifies​

The next witness to testify was 17-year-old student at Frisco High School who was at the April 2, 2025 track meet.

The witness said he was standing by the gates of Kuykendall Stadium and had a limited view of the commotion in the bleachers.

"Everybody was standing up and I saw somebody get pushed or get punched, I don't know which," he told the defense attorney.

On cross-examination, the prosecution had the witness admit he does not remember all of the details from that day and that his memories did not fully line up with the video evidence.
 
The defense's next witness is Frisco PD Detective Beau Riley, of the Crimes Against Children Unit. Defense attorney Toby Shook asked him if he found any deleted photos on the phone of an earlier witness, a former Memorial HS student who was friends with both Anthony and Metcalf and who testified he pretended to make a video of the April 2, 2025, confrontation. Riley told jurors he is not sure.
Shook asked him if knives with blades under 5.5 inches or pocket knives are against the law to carry. Riley said they are generally not disallowed but he said he is not aware if it against school policy.
The next witness is a 17-year-old Frisco HS athlete. He walks in chewing gum. Judge John Roach Jr. told him, "Throw it out or swallow it."
Defense attorney Mike Howard is questioning him.
"Track meets are vey social," the witness said. He said kids from other schools would come to the tent, that wasn't unusual. He said "everybody was standing or congregating" under the Memorial tent. He told jurors it looked to him like someone got "pushed or punched" but does not really know. According to a statement he gave to a detective a year ago, he described it as a "push or hit," testimony today showed.
The witness said he recalls after the "kid" (Karmelo Anthony) got hit, he saw a "swing-type motion down." The witness said he recalled hearing someone got stabbed and he ran out of the stadium and into the bus.

(We have heard now several different recollections of Karmelo Anthony's actions with the knife that day. One witness testified he used an upward movement, and this witness said it was a downward motion.")
The withess said he he did not want to come to court today. He said he does not know Anthony and has no personal knowledge of what happened.
 

Defense rests, court dismissed until closing arguments​

After returning from an extended lunch break, the defense team announced it was resting its case, and the court was dismissed for the day.

The jury will return on Tuesday, at which time it will be sequestered.

"I'm not going to rush you, so we'll just play it by ear tomorrow," the judge said to the jury.

Again, Judge Roach instructed the jury to go home and not discuss the case, and not get on social media.

"Don't get on social media, they don't know what the heck they're talking about," said Roach.

Court will resume at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
 
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