As a murder charge proceeds, the father of a teenager killed at a school function in Texas speaks out, giving the widely followed case additional emotional weight.
Austin Metcalf was fatally stabbed at a Frisco ISD track meet two months ago by Karmelo Anthony, a teenager who has been charged with first-degree murder.
Following weeks of examining the evidence, a Collin County grand jury formally charged him on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, CBS News reported. At the time of the April 2 incident at Kuykendall Stadium, Karmelo, who is now 18 years old, was 17.
According to authorities, Austin died as a result of a fight between the two teenagers that turned violent. After being taken into custody that day, Karmelo was later placed under house arrest and freed on a reduced bond. 17-year-olds are prosecuted as adults under Texas law, and a conviction carries a maximum sentence of five years to life in prison.
Collin County District Attorney (DA) Greg Willis clarified in a statement released on April 9 that Karmelo was not eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole because of the Roper v. Simmons decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005.
“The Supreme Court has said not only can you not seek the death penalty against someone who committed a crime when they’re 17, you can’t even get them life without parole. That would not be something we could do even if we wanted to,” Greg said.
That same day, Frisco ISD Superintendent Mike Waldrip addressed the impact of the tragedy on the school community. “Now more than ever, we must lean on one another. In the face of adversity, we will continue to stand together, with compassion, strength, and unwavering support for our students and each other,” he wrote in a letter to parents.
Greg added that his office had spent weeks presenting evidence to the grand jury after the indictment for first-degree murder. “When something like this happens at a school event, it shakes people to the core,” he stated.
He stated further, “But the justice system works best when it moves with steadiness and with principle. That’s what we’re committed to. And that’s exactly what this case deserves.” In the wake of the indictment, both legal teams and the victim’s family responded publicly.
Mike Howard, Karmelo’s lawyer, expressed faith in the legal system in a video statement. “Karmelo and his family are confident in the justice system and the people of Collin County to be fair and impartial,” he stated. “Of course, Karmelo looks forward to his day in court.”
Mike continued, “Because it’s only in a trial that the full story can be heard, and that impartial justice can be done.” They expect that once the full story is heard, the prosecution will be unable to eliminate reasonable doubt that Karmelo may have acted in self-defense.
Meanwhile, Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, acknowledged the grand jury’s decision while expressing the pain of his family’s loss.
“I am pleased that we are moving forward. With the first-degree murder indictment, it now goes into the court system. I strongly believe that justice will be delivered for Austin Metcalf. I look forward to the forthcoming trial. But it will never bring my baby back,” Jeff remarked.
As the judicial process continues forward, fresh case information — including firsthand police statements and family recollections — reveal more about what happened that day and its lasting impact.
Karmelo directly admitted to police that he was responsible for the fatal stabbing of Austin, a Memorial High School student. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by NBC 5 Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW), when officers referred to him as the “alleged suspect,” Karmelo responded with, “I’m not alleged, I did it.”
The affidavit indicates that Karmelo informed a school resource officer on the scene, “I was protecting myself,” and “He put his hands on me,” saying he acted in self-defense. Authorities stated that he also asked officers if the event could be called self-defense and whether the victim would be okay.
Karmelo’s admission came shortly after the event, which occurred approximately 10 a.m. on April 3, Thursday, at Kuykendall Stadium. According to an arrest affidavit, Karmelo had taken shelter inside a pop-up tent belonging to another school as rain began to fall.
When he was asked to depart, an altercation broke out between him and Austin, 17. A witness informed police that Karmelo unzipped his bag, grabbed inside, and threatened him, “Touch me and see what happens.” Moments later, Austin allegedly seized Karmelo, who then brought out a black knife and stabbed him once in the chest.
A school resource officer from nearby Staley Middle School was the first to respond. Austin suffered a deadly wound to the heart. His father, Jeff, stated his kid died in the arms of his twin brother, Hunter.
“They were twins, identical twins, and his brother was holding on to him, trying to make it stop bleeding, and he died in his brother’s arms,” he said.
Jeff added that as soon as he heard about the stabbing, he hurried to the scene. He was informed that his son was not breathing when he came and discovered Austin on a gurney. He reported seeing a lot of blood and describing where the wound was. He looked for Hunter out of deep concern, and the two of them proceeded to the hospital together.
While medical professionals tried to save his son’s life, the family prayed there. They tried to resurrect Austin, but it was unsuccessful. Jeff said he didn’t understand the loss, but he thought it was part of “God’s plan,” and he referred to what transpired as “murder.”
Austin’s mother, Meghan, recalled rushing to the hospital as soon as Hunter called her. “My son is not here anymore, and I don’t understand it,” she said. “He was the most amazing kid. So smart. He had college football guys looking at him to play in college. His goal was to play in college.”
Hunter recalled responding right away to the incident. Quickly turning to his brother, he refrained from describing the entire scenario despite his obvious anguish. He revealed that at those crucial times, he did everything in his power to support Austin.
Hunter said Austin “did everything” for their family. “As a linebacker, he was a stud, and I always tried to fill those shoes and play with him. I had a blast my whole life playing sports with him,” he remarked.
Hunter claimed to have always admired Austin despite the fact that he was only four minutes older, saying, “He was a big brother even though we’re the same age.”
Meghan shared the emotional weight of losing her son and spoke about how she and her family intend to carry his memory forward. “We just want to make sure that everybody knows how much Austin is still going to be in our lives as far as our memories and our hearts forever. It’s going to be really hard,” she explained.
In a joint statement made on April 4, Friday, Meghan and Hunter thanked the community for their amazing support. They stated they would leave the inquiry in the hands of authorities while focusing on celebrating Austin’s life and legacy.
The family also established a GoFundMe account titled “Honoring Austin Metcalf: Help His Family Heal,” where Austin’s dad characterised him as a motivated student-athlete with a 4.0 GPA and a great passion for football.
“We will all remember him for the way he impacted others’ lives. I love you forever, son. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later. God will take care of us till we meet again. RIP. Love, Dad,” Jeff wrote. The campaign has raised $304,914 as of this writing.
As the community continued to come together in support of Austin’s distraught family, Memorial High School took a moment during second period on the day following the stabbing to pay tribute to Austin.
Karmelo was held at the Collin County Jail on a $1 million bond after being charged with murder. On Monday, April 7, his lawyers, Billy Clark and Kim T. Cole, made their first public statement, highlighting his right to due process and offering their condolences to the Metcalf family.
“Karmelo and the entire Anthony family are sincerely saddened that a life was lost,” they stated. “We are committed to ensuring that Karmelo’s rights are indeed protected throughout each phase of the criminal justice system.”
They reaffirmed their intention to collaborate with the Collin County District Attorney’s Office in order to request a bond reduction and a charge reexamination. Karmelo told police he acted in self-defence, and the lawyers pointed out that Karmelo asked if the incident could be classified as such.
“This will certainly be a long road ahead and during this challenging time, we ask for prayers for both families and we ask for your patience and respect for the legal process as we seek the truth,” the attorneys said.
Shortly after the incident, Karmelo’s family launched their own GiveSendGo campaign, titled “Help Karmelo Official Fund.” The page describes the circulating narrative as “false, unjust, and harmful,” and thanks supporters for their prayers and donations.
To date, the fundraiser has raised $537,055 out of its $1,396,725 target.
One donor, Stephanie Crutchfield, owner and CEO of multiple businesses, including Cutting Edge Tax Software and Crutchfield Taxes & Financial Solutions, contributed $1,000 and shared a public message of support, “Let’s get this baby home. I have a young black son as well, and I live in Collin County.”
She added, “This baby was bullied and was defending himself, I know it’s [sic] more to this story. I’m praying for you and your family. Please let me know how else I can help.”
If convicted of murder, Karmelo reportedly faces a potential sentence of five to 99 years in prison under Texas law.