A Collin County jury has sentenced Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, bringing a highly emotional and closely watched case to a dramatic conclusion.

Anthony, who admitted to stabbing the Memorial High School student but argued that he acted in self-defense, was found guilty of murder. Following the conviction, jurors deliberated on his punishment and ultimately handed down a 35-year prison sentence. Under Texas law, Anthony will be eligible for parole after serving half of that term.

The courtroom was filled with emotion as the verdict was announced Tuesday afternoon. Witnesses reported that Anthony broke down in tears and appeared visibly shaken as the jury’s decision was read. He was immediately taken into custody.

During the sentencing phase, Anthony’s mother, Kayla Hays, was the only witness called by the defense. Fighting back tears, she pleaded for leniency on behalf of her son.

“Please have mercy on my son,” Hays told the court, her emotional testimony underscoring the devastating impact the case has had on both families.

“He’s my oldest, my first born, my baby. I love him very much,” she said.

When asked whether her son regretted what happened, Hays responded that he did.

“Yes, he’s very sorry for what he did,” she testified.

The sentencing hearing also gave Austin Metcalf’s family an opportunity to address the court and confront the pain they have endured since the tragedy.

Austin’s twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, attended the proceedings for the first time. Family members and supporters were visibly emotional throughout the hearing, with Austin’s mother seen crying and embracing loved ones.

In a powerful victim impact statement, Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, spoke directly about the loss of his son and the profound grief that has followed.

“Since the day he first grabbed my finger, he had my heart with it,” Jeff Metcalf said.

He also delivered a blunt message to Anthony, expressing anger and frustration over the loss of his child.

“You failed your parents, yourself and society. You don’t belong in this community,” he said. “You can’t look me in the eyes, but you can stab my son?”

Hunter Metcalf also addressed Anthony directly during the hearing. According to reports, he asked Anthony to look him in the eye as he spoke.

“Now I want everything taken from you,” Hunter said. “You took everything from me. I wake up every morning and his door is still shut.”

Austin’s mother, Megan Metcalf, recounted the final moments before her son left home for the track meet. She told the court that she packed him a snack and sent him on his way, never imagining it would be the last time she would see him alive.

“Now I only have videos and memories of his laugh,” Megan said.

She contrasted Anthony’s prison sentence with the lifelong pain her family will continue to endure.

“You may have been given a sentence of 35 years. You should feel lucky. I’ve been sentenced to a lifetime without my son,” she said.

A key issue during sentencing was whether the jury would determine that Anthony acted in what Texas law describes as “sudden passion.” Had jurors reached that conclusion, the maximum prison sentence could have been capped at 20 years.

Instead, the jury rejected that argument, significantly increasing Anthony’s sentencing exposure and leaving open the possibility of a life sentence. Ultimately, jurors chose a 35-year term.

The case has drawn widespread attention across Texas and beyond, largely because it involved two teenagers and unfolded during what should have been a routine high school sporting event. While Anthony maintained that he acted in self-defense, the jury concluded that the evidence supported a murder conviction.

For the Metcalf family, however, no sentence can undo the loss of Austin. As the courtroom proceedings came to an end, their statements served as a reminder that while Anthony’s prison term has a defined end date, the grief of losing a son and a brother may last forever.