Karmelo Anthony was found guilty on June 9 of murdering fellow high school student Austin Metcalf at a track meet in 2025 by stabbing him in the heart after being asked 15 times to leave another school's tent. Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison. In July, Anthony's legal team asked for a new trial, claiming the judge was biased and the jury instructions were confusing. Anthony's legal team scored what they considered a major win on Wednesday when the judge was recused from retrying Anthony.
Karmelo Anthony scores huge legal victory as judge who oversaw murder conviction gets booted from case https://t.co/9ktG0N9JVX pic.twitter.com/ScSMtaJoqR
— New York Post (@nypost) August 19, 2026
Karmelo Anthony's defense team just scored a major victory in their push for a new trial -- their request for a new judge in the case has been accepted.
— TMZ (@TMZ) August 19, 2026
Details: https://t.co/h7XwdGN06x pic.twitter.com/ddFHtnsPEN
Anthony is in court on Thursday to find out if he will be granted a new trial.
Judge will consider new trial for Karmelo Anthony after teen killer's legal victory https://t.co/imUbz3QhjR pic.twitter.com/UgCuU93lkN
— New York Post (@nypost) August 20, 2026
However, a lot of information that was withheld in Anthony's trial under a "gentlemen's agreement" is coming out in his argument for a new trial, and it's disturbing.
"When I stab somebody I'm gonna lick their blood off the blade."
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 20, 2026
New evidence coming out surrounding the Karmelo Anthony case, including the disturbing text prosecutors say they found on his phone that could be fair game if he gets a new trial.
Prosecutors say the message was… pic.twitter.com/HO4cWOcEz8
… part of a documented pattern involving an obsession with knives and guns and a desire to start fights. They argue the evidence helps explain why Anthony brought a knife to the track meet where he fatally stabbed Austin Metcalf.
Jurors never heard it because both sides had an off-the-record "gentleman's agreement" to keep character evidence out of the courtroom and focus on what happened under the tent that day.
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That's gentlemen's agreement is off, and the truth is coming out.
KARMELO ANTHONY BOMBSHELL:
— MaryAnn Martinez (@MaryAnnreports) August 20, 2026
Karmelo Anthony's girlfriend, Valeria, went to the school the morning of the Austin Metcalf stabbing, April 2, 2025, and told school officials she had broken up with Anthony and he was stalking her. One hour later, Austin was dead at the track meet,…
… according to Collin County prosecutor Bill Wirskye who revealed at Karmelo Anthony's hearing for a new trial today.
"I'm low key on the verge," Anthony said in text the morning of the stabbing.
Wirskye says Anthony had a history of violence and wanted to stab someone.
"There is a text message where he fantasizes about stabbing someone and licking the blood off the blade," Wirkskye said of Anthony.
He was obsessed with starting fights, Wirskye added, sharing that Anthony had previously been taken to a special program at LSU for kids who can't keep their hands to themselves when he lived in Louisiana prior to moving to Texas
Oh, that's interesting. His ex-girlfriend had told school officials he was stalking her.
For those asking why these things were not brought up during the original Karmelo Anthony trial: there was an agreement not to bring up the history of either side.
— Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) August 20, 2026
The prosecution agreed to this because they knew they had enough evidence from under the tent to convict Karmelo.…
…Karmelo’s defense AGREED. I’m sure you understand why now.
But since defense attorney Mike Howard decided to air out the small incident involving “graffiti” from the twins, the prosecution did not hold much back today. That is why you are now hearing about Karmelo’s past behavior.
I hope you all understand that IF a retrial is granted, EVERYTHING - texts, behavior, history - all of Karmelo’s dirty laundry could potentially be aired.
And I promise you, it’s not good.
And people donated more than $600,000 to Anthony's legal fund because they thought he was some sort of Rosa Parks for refusing to leave the rival school's tent. They claimed it was self-defense. The jury didn't buy it. James Talarico would tell you that's because there weren't any black jurors.
We don't know yet if Anthony will be granted a new trial, so stay tuned. In our opinion, it's unlikely. Still, he has his fans outside the courthouse rooting for him, like the New Black Panthers.
New Black Panther Party chairwoman Krystal Muhammad: "Black Power. It's about goddamn time. Our power to the people. That's the first step. Now we need for Karmelo [Anthony] to be released." pic.twitter.com/lgGupYliTq
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 20, 2026
Why? He's a murderer who fantasized about stabbing someone and then actually did it.
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