Jurors deliberating the murder trial of 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony,accused of stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf to death at a regional track meet in Frisco, Texas, on April 2, 2025, have been given the option to consider the lesser charge of manslaughter, legal reports confirm. The decision follows a court hearing in which the defense unsuccessfully sought to include criminally negligent homicide as a possible verdict. The case now hinges on whether Anthony acted knowingly or recklessly, with penalties ranging from 5 to 99 years for murder versus 2 to 20 years for manslaughter.

The 5-to-99 vs. 2-to-20 sentencing divide

According to court documents, a murder conviction would sentence Anthony to a minimum of five years and a maximum of 99 years in prison, while manslaughter carries a range of two to 20 years.. The legal standards differ sharply: murder requires proof that the defendant knowingly and willingly caused death, whereas manslaughter requires only reckless causation, as the report notes. This gap gives jurors a middle ground if they find Anthony’s actions fell short of intentional killing but were still criminally reckless.

Why the defense wanted negligent homicide added

During a hearing before closing arguments, Anthony’s defense attorney objected to the jury instructions not including criminally negligent homicide, which carries a lighter penalty, according to the report. Prosecutor Bill Wirskye opposed that inclusion, arguing there was no evidence that Anthony was unaware his actions could lead to death. The judge sided with the prosecution, leaving only murder, manslaughter, and acquittal on the table for the jury.

Texas’s unusual murder classification—and what it means for this case

Texas law distinguishes between capital murder and murder but does not have separate degrees of murder like most other states, the report explains.. This quirk means the jury’s options are binary—either murder or manslaughter—rather than a ladder of first- and second-degree charges. The lack of a third-degree option may have influenced the defense’s push for negligent homicide as a safety net, a bid that ultimately failed.

What remains unknown about the Frisco track meet altercation

The source reports little about the circumstances leading up to the stabbing or what sparked the confrontation between Anthony and Metcalf at the regional track meet. Key questions remain unanswered: Were there multiple witnesses? Did the altercation escalate quickly? The prosecution’s case for knowing intent versus reckless behavior will likely hinge on testimony about the seconds before the stabbing, but the public record so far offers no details about the weapon or whether Anthony brought it to the event.