Texas murder trial under way with 19-year-old accused of stabbing fellow high schooler

A courtroom sketch shows the district attorney pointing at defendant Karmelo Anthony (center) during opening arguments on 4 June, in McKinney, Texas. Photograph: Pat Lopez/AP View image in fullscreen A courtroom sketch shows the district attorney pointing at defendant Karmelo Anthony (center) during opening arguments on 4 June, in McKinney, Texas. Photograph: Pat Lopez/AP Texas murder trial under way with 19-year-old accused of stabbing fellow high schooler Case draws nationwide attention amid debate over racial tensions, as defendant is Black and slain student was white Testimony has been unfolding in the murder trial of a 19-year-old accused of fatally stabbing a fellow high schooler during a track meet in Texas more than a year ago. The case has drawn nationwide attention amid debate over racial tensions, as defendant Karmelo Anthony is Black and slain 17-year-old Austin Metcalf was white. Prosecutors allege Anthony stabbed Metcalf during a Frisco independent school district track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on 2 April 2025. Metcalf died while being transported to a hospital. Anthony was charged with first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. A jury with no Black members heard opening statements from both sides. Collin county first assistant district attorney Bill Wirskye told jurors the case “has nothing to do with race” – arguing that Anthony had taken a knife and “buried it into the heart of another young man, causing his death – and then ran away”. Defense attorney Mike Howard focused on the moments leading up to the stabbing, noting that Anthony is 5ft 8in and about 130lbs, while Austin, like his twin brother Hunter Metcalf, was about 6ft 1in and 215lbs. Howard argued that Metcalf had initiated a physical confrontation with Anthony, who then “made a split-second” decision out of fear. Jurors were also shown both unaltered and enhanced surveillance footage from the stadium. The recordings showed students gathered beneath a school tent with the logo of Metcalf’s high school, Memorial. There appeared to be pushing near the back of the tent shortly before the stabbing, according to CBS. The footage later showed students running out of the tent, Anthony leaving the area – and police pursuing as well as detaining him near the stadium. Several witnesses described the aftermath of the stabbing, with Memorial’s track coach Robert Starr testifying that he found Metcalf lying on the ground shortly afterward. “I come over there … and my memory is kind of shaky, but what I do see is Austin on the ground and his face is purple,” Starr said. “And he has a hole in his chest.” Starr said he was told then that Anthony “did it”. Heritage high school head football coach Vincent Hooper testified that he spoke with Anthony, a student at Centennial high, shortly after the stabbing. “He said: ‘He put his hands on me,’” Hooper told the jury. “‘I stabbed him.’” Hooper added: “I don’t think he thought he stabbed him in the spot he stabbed him in.” Jurors also h