Months before Karmelo Anthony murdered a high school athlete, he made increasingly violent threats against his girlfriend, Valeria Perez, and expressed disturbing fantasies, according to newly released court documents.
Anthony, now 19, was convicted in June 2025 of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, on April 2, 2025. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison and is appealing the conviction. A bid for a retrial was rejected in August.
The newly released evidence, obtained by the Daily Mail, includes text messages exchanged between Anthony and Perez from December 2023 to the day of the killing. Prosecutors and Anthony's original defense team had agreed to keep these explosive messages from the jury during his trial, in an effort to prevent the case from being consumed by racial dynamics. However, the documents were made public after Anthony's new defense team sought a new trial.
Escalating Threats and Fantasies
In early messages, when Anthony was 16, he described episodes of rage, stating, "When I get mad i see red. When I get mad i blackout. When I get mad i cant control myself." He also claimed to have stolen a neighbor's watch and taken a gun and knife to school.
By June 2024, the threats toward Perez intensified. Anthony wrote, "how many bullets uu want coming out of ur chest," and six days later, "Imma beat ur ass." In November, he sent a chilling message stating, "U dumb bch i fing hate u i wanna fing kill u bch i swear on my fing life if u tell ny of my fing family imma get u."
He also threatened Perez and a potential male companion while he was away with the Air Force, warning, "Baby im jus lyk when im gone for the airforce if i find out uu fing with, fing, talking anythign with smb else i will take my federal issued rifle stick that rifle into ur mouth and murder you and him."
Anthony appeared to contemplate how he might explain such violence, telling Perez he would "say it was PTSD." It remains unclear if he attempted to enlist in the military prior to his conviction.
In February 2025, Anthony seemed to acknowledge a physical assault on Perez, writing, "mad cuz I wanted to talk and u was walking away from me." The following month, he threatened to murder her and her friends: "imma f***ing murder u...yo friends go die...sho them ts."
Hours before stabbing Metcalf, Anthony texted Perez that he was "lowk on the verge," repeating the message minutes later.
The 'Gentleman's Agreement'
The evidence kept from the jury also included allegations of stalking and assault against Perez, claims of weapons at school, and photographs of Anthony with firearms. According to court documents, Metcalf had been sentenced to juvenile probation for spray-painting racist graffiti and had been accused of bullying a Black classmate in elementary school.
These details about both teenagers were initially excluded under a "gentleman's agreement" between prosecutors and Anthony's original defense attorneys. The deal was intended to prevent inflammatory material from consuming the trial. However, Anthony's current legal team argues this agreement deprived him of a fair trial, contributing to a last-minute change in strategy where Anthony did not testify.
In August, Judge Michael Chitty rejected the bid for a new trial. Anthony's appellate lawyers plan to pursue the case at the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas.
Despite the revelations, Perez has remained supportive of Anthony, attending his appeal proceedings and posting on social media, "Hold your head high, my sweet boy. You’re not alone we’re fighting for you, always. I love you more than words."