Karmelo Anthony, who was convicted of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, possessed firearms and expressed racist and homophobic sentiments in text messages prior to the killing, according to newly revealed court documents. The 75-page dossier, obtained by the Daily Mail, was not presented to jurors during Anthony's murder trial as part of an agreement between prosecutors and the defense.
Photos within the documents show Anthony with a handgun in a video screenshot from November 2024, approximately five months before the stabbing. Another image from May 2024 depicts a then-16-year-old Anthony holding an AK-47-style rifle with three other teenagers. A separate video dated January 4, 2025, shows Anthony aiming a gun at a residence before fleeing, though the owner of the property is not identified.
In text messages sent the week before Metcalf's death, Anthony, who is Black, sent messages containing racial slurs and expressing hatred towards Black women. He also sent a homophobic message in June 2021, targeting gay people and then-President Joe Biden.
The documents also outline alleged criminal activity and escalating violent behavior. In October 2024, Anthony texted his girlfriend, Valeria Perez, about potentially going to jail after admitting to breaking into a neighbor's home and stealing a watch. The following month, he boasted about bringing a gun and knife to school.
Collin County Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye stated at Anthony's appeal hearing that Perez had confided in an assistant principal on the day of the murder, April 2, 2025, that Anthony was stalking her after a breakup and was fixated on fights, guns, and knives. Wirskye also noted that Anthony had sent Perez a picture of a knife with the message, "I’m low key on the verge," adding that Anthony "was spiraling."
Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, was stabbed to death by Anthony, then 17, on May 2, 2025, at a high school track meet. Prosecutors reportedly agreed not to use Anthony's history of violent texts and gun possession in exchange for the defense not presenting Metcalf's juvenile criminal history, which allegedly included racist graffiti.
Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison, but his appeal for a new trial was recently denied. His family is reportedly seeking $250,000 in donations to fund further appeals.