A 19-year-old high school student, Karmelo Anthony, was found guilty of fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, on April 2, 2025.
Questions arose about the defense strategy, with former Dallas public defender Mike Howard representing Anthony, and the family receiving over $600,000 via a GiveSendGo campaign.
Karmelo Anthony's parents allegedly chose trial instead of a plea deal, arguing he would get 20 years in prison with a plea deal instead of a life term with the guilty verdict.
However, there's no confirmation that a plea deal was ever offered to Anthony, with discussions about a potential plea deal unclear.
The insinuations on social media that Karmelo Anthony's parents chose to go to trial to raise money on the GiveSendGo campaign are speculative.
Karmelo Anthony's mother testified before the court, asking jurors to 'show mercy' and noting that Karmelo Anthony is 'sorry for what he did.'
