Karmelo Anthony Sentenced Over Fatal High School Stabbing: What to Know

Multiple witnesses testified that Anthony was the aggressor in the dispute that led to the stabbing.

An Austin Metcalf supporter holds a sign as law enforcement officials walk past in front of the Collin County Courthouse following the verdict in the trial reached in McKinney, Texas, on June 9, 2026. Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo

One day after a jury convicted Karmelo Anthony for the murder of a fellow high school athlete, Austin Metcalf, his attorneys said they will appeal his case. Anthony was sentenced on June 9 to 35 years in prison for the crime; the jury rejected the lesser charge of manslaughter.

“We believe there are several important issues for the appellate courts to consider,” Mike Howard, Anthony’s attorney, told TMZ. “An appeal is the next part of the legal process and a right afforded every American.”