A Collin County jury convicted Anthony of murder in the stabbing of Austin Metcalf, 17, under a team tent at a high school track meet in Frisco, rejecting his claim of self-defense, and sentenced him to 35 years in prison. He is appealing.
Anthony's appeal is before the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas.34 On Aug. 22, 2026, Judge Michael Chitty denied his motion for a new trial, which argued that limits on public access to the courtroom and an unrecorded agreement between the lawyers about character evidence had denied him a fair trial.31 His lawyers said in September that the appeal was set to begin Oct. 7 and could stretch into 2027.54
On April 2, 2025, several Frisco Independent School District high schools were competing in a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco.410 Anthony, 17, was a student at Centennial High School; Austin Metcalf, 17, was a student at Memorial High School.11 According to an arrest report described by KERA, witnesses told police that Anthony was sitting in the Memorial team’s tent, that he said “touch me and see what happens” when Metcalf told him to leave the area, and that after Metcalf grabbed or pushed him, Anthony pulled out a knife.11 Metcalf was stabbed in the chest and died.97
A school resource officer arrested Anthony at the stadium.9 On the officer’s body-camera video, Anthony said, “I’m not alleged, I did it. He put his hands on me.”9 He told police he was protecting himself.10 Police recovered a blood-stained folding knife and his backpack from the bleachers, according to testimony.9
Anthony was 17 at the time.11 Texas law defines a “child,” for juvenile-court purposes, as a person 10 or older and under 17, so a 17-year-old charged with a crime is prosecuted as an adult.2 In April 2025 a Collin County judge lowered his bond from $1 million to $250,000 and ordered him confined at home with an ankle monitor.12 On June 24, 2025, a Collin County grand jury indicted him on a charge of murder, a first-degree felony carrying up to life in prison.1011 District Attorney Greg Willis said the case “struck a deep nerve - here in Collin County and beyond.”10
The case was tried in the 296th Judicial District Court in McKinney, beginning with jury selection on June 1, 2026; testimony began June 4.18 In his opening statement, prosecutor Bill Wirskye called it a “provoked, unjustified murder,” and Howard told jurors Anthony acted in self-defense.9
Jurors saw school district surveillance video from several angles showing Anthony entering the Memorial tent, a brief scuffle and Anthony running away.9 Memorial’s track coach testified that team tents are off-limits to other athletes without an invitation.9 Students from Memorial testified that Anthony refused repeated requests to leave, told Metcalf “Touch me and see what happens,” and kept a hand in his backpack; they said Metcalf pushed Anthony’s shoulders and Anthony stood and stabbed him in the chest.9 On cross-examination, the defense pointed to differences between the students’ testimony and their earlier statements to police, and established that Metcalf outweighed Anthony by 50 to 60 pounds.9 A paramedic testified that Metcalf had no pulse and never regained consciousness, and Collin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Elizabeth Ventura testified that a two-inch stab wound reached his heart.97
The state called 21 witnesses and rested.9 Defense witnesses, Anthony’s track coach and a teammate, testified that athletes commonly mingled under other schools’ tents; on cross-examination they agreed that a student asked to leave a tent would be expected to go, and that there was no reason to bring a knife to a track meet.9 Anthony did not testify.1 The judge instructed the jury on manslaughter as a lesser offense.1
On June 9, 2026, after deliberating about three hours, the jury found Anthony guilty of murder.76 In the punishment phase that followed, his mother was the only witness; she asked jurors to “please have mercy on my son” and said he was “very sorry.”67 Jurors were asked whether he acted out of sudden passion, a finding that would have capped the sentence at 20 years; they did not find it, and sentenced him to 35 years in prison.6 Members of Metcalf’s family gave victim impact statements.67
New lawyers filed a motion for a new trial on July 7, 2026, arguing that restrictions on public access to the courtroom violated his Sixth Amendment right to a public trial, that the state’s repudiation of an unrecorded understanding between the lawyers about evidence led him to give up his right to testify, that the jury was improperly instructed, and that the errors together required a new trial.1 At a hearing in August, his trial lawyer Toby Shook testified that Anthony’s planned testimony was limited by an informal agreement that neither side would raise the other’s background; Wirskye, the state’s only witness, testified that no agreement prevented Anthony from testifying.3 The trial judge, John Roach, was recused from the hearing, and Judge Michael Chitty denied the motion on Aug. 22, 2026.43 Willis said afterward that the “jury’s guilty verdict stands.”3
Anthony was a student and a member of the track team at Centennial High School in Frisco.119 He was 19 at his sentencing.8 No sourced account of his childhood, family history or schooling beyond this was found in the sources reviewed.
His mother testified for him at the punishment phase.6 His father has spoken publicly in support of the appeal, and the family has raised money for his legal costs.5
No testimony, finding or on-record statement about Anthony’s mental health was found in the sources reviewed.
After the verdict he was held by the Collin County Sheriff’s Office pending transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.6 He maintains that he acted in self-defense.4
Metcalf was 17 and a student at Memorial High School in Frisco.11 He had a twin brother.3 No further detail from the record is included here.
Prosecutor Bill Wirskye told jurors Anthony entered another school's team tent uninvited, refused to leave, provoked Metcalf and stabbed him with a hidden knife in a "sneak attack."96 "You don't get to meet a shove with a stab, especially if you provoke the shove," he said in closing.6 After the verdict, District Attorney Greg Willis said, "Today, justice was served."7
Anthony's trial lawyer, Mike Howard, argued that Anthony acted in a "split second of fear and chaos" after being confronted and pushed by a larger student in a crowded tent, and that he ran and dropped the knife: "He didn't stab again."67 Anthony did not testify.1 His new lawyers argue that the trial was unfair and say they will pursue "every legal remedy available."3
Austin Metcalf is stabbed under a team tent at a Frisco ISD track meet at Kuykendall Stadium and dies; a school resource officer arrests Anthony at the stadium.49
A Collin County judge lowers his bond from $1 million to $250,000, with home confinement and an ankle monitor.12
A Collin County grand jury indicts him on a charge of murder.10
Jury selection begins; testimony begins June 4.1
The jury convicts him of murder and sentences him to 35 years in prison.61
His lawyer says a notice of appeal has been filed.7
New lawyers file a motion for a new trial.1
The appeal is pending in the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas, and everything in the new-trial hearing will be part of the appellate record; an appellate lawyer not involved in the case told FOX 4 a hearing might not come until 2027.4 KTVU reported that he will be eligible for parole after serving half his sentence.6 No appellate ruling, brief or argument date was found in the sources reviewed.