The Karmelo Anthony case has taken another dramatic turn after prosecutors revealed a cache of previously undisclosed evidence at an August 20, 2026, hearing on his request for a new trial. The material included alleged threatening texts, claims involving Anthony’s former girlfriend, photographs and videos of him holding firearms, and other character evidence that never reached the jury that convicted him of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf.
Anthony was 17 when Metcalf was fatally stabbed during a Frisco Independent School District track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2, 2025. Now 19, he was convicted of murder in June 2026 and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Anthony has maintained that he acted in self-defense, but jurors rejected that argument after deliberating for less than three hours.
More True Crime Court News: Legal accountability involving a minor’s actions is playing out in more than one closely watched case right now. For more, read our story on why Georgia school shooter Colt Gray’s mother won’t face criminal charges despite shocking jail calls.
What the Karmelo Anthony New Trial Hearing Revealed About the Evidence
The newly disclosed evidence was discussed before retired District Judge Michael Chitty, who was assigned to consider Anthony’s motion for a new trial. The hearing offered a glimpse into material that had deliberately been kept away from the original jury.
Collin County Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye told the court that prosecutors and Anthony’s original defense team had reached what he called a “gentleman’s agreement” before the murder trial. Under the arrangement, prosecutors agreed not to introduce certain character evidence concerning Anthony, while the defense agreed not to introduce character evidence involving Austin Metcalf and his twin brother, Hunter.
Wirskye said the purpose was to keep the trial focused on what happened beneath the team tent rather than turning it into a wider examination of the teenagers’ past behavior.
“I offered the agreement. Let’s stay away from historical character and stick to the facts — what happened under the tent.”
That agreement became a major point at the new-trial hearing because evidence now being discussed was never heard by the jurors who returned the guilty verdict.
One of the most striking allegations involved Anthony’s former high school girlfriend. According to Wirskye, she spoke with an assistant principal on the morning of April 2, 2025, just hours before the stabbing. She reportedly accused Anthony of stalking her after their breakup and described him as being obsessed with fights, guns and knives.
Prosecutors also presented an alleged message in which Anthony sent his former girlfriend a photograph of a knife accompanied by the words:
“I’m low key on the verge.”
Wirskye described Anthony’s reported state of mind by saying:
“He was spiraling.”
The prosecutor also pointed to other alleged messages recovered from Anthony’s phone. These reportedly included a fantasy about stabbing someone and “licking the blood off the blade,” along with alleged threats toward his girlfriend. Prosecutors additionally referenced alleged admissions involving punching girls, statements about weapons and the use of racial language.
Authorities also recovered photographs and videos showing Anthony holding firearms.
But the hearing did not only focus on evidence concerning Anthony. The defense brought forward previously sealed material concerning Austin and Hunter Metcalf. Among the evidence was a juvenile offense report involving graffiti containing the phrases “KKK,” “Kill all Black people,” “Heil Hitler,” and racial slurs. According to the material discussed in court, the brothers received probation over that incident.
Anthony’s attorneys also pointed to more than 50 other alleged incidents involving fights, threats and disciplinary matters. The defense argued that this evidence could have supported Anthony’s self-defense claim by showing that he knew the Metcalf brothers could be aggressive.
None of those allegations were presented to the original jury because of the agreement between the prosecution and defense.
More Hidden Evidence : Trials being upended by evidence that never reached the jury is a pattern showing up in more than one case this year. Check out our story on the Shamell Joyner trial, where jurors ended up finding hidden evidence.
The April 2, 2025 Track Meet Stabbing
The fatal confrontation happened at Kuykendall Stadium during a high school track meet involving several schools. Anthony was sitting beneath a Memorial High School tent in the bleachers when Austin Metcalf and others repeatedly told him to leave, according to testimony from the original trial.
The situation escalated after Metcalf pushed Anthony. Prosecutors argued Anthony was the aggressor. A police report referenced during proceedings said Anthony reached inside a bag and responded:
“Touch me and see what happens.”
Anthony then pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest. The 17-year-old died from his injuries.
Anthony argued that the stabbing was self-defense. The jury rejected that claim and convicted him of murder.
Why Judge Michael Chitty Is Now Reviewing the Case
After the June 2026 conviction, Anthony received a 35-year prison sentence but continued challenging the verdict. The August 20 hearing came just one day after District Judge John Roach was removed from further involvement in the case.
Roach had faced criticism from Anthony’s attorneys after commenting on the verdict and saying the jurors “got it right.” Retired District Court Judge Michael Chitty was then assigned to consider the motion for a new trial.
During opening arguments, defense attorney Russell Wilson accused Roach of running “a shadow docket,” according to WFAA-TV. Anthony’s attorneys have also argued that strict courtroom rules and improper jury instructions affected the proceedings.
The defense has said Anthony’s decision not to testify was connected to a dispute with prosecutors over the agreement that prevented character evidence concerning both Anthony and the Metcalf brothers from being introduced.
The August 20 hearing does not establish that the newly revealed allegations are true. Instead, the evidence is now part of the legal arguments over whether Anthony deserves a new trial. The court must determine whether any of the issues raised provide a legal basis for disturbing the original conviction.
The case has attracted national attention because the killing happened at a school athletic event and became tied to wider debates about self-defense, race and school safety. The families of both Anthony and Metcalf have also said they became targets of harassment as attention surrounding the case intensified.
Earlier in 2026, publicly released evidence from the original trial included 911 calls, surveillance footage, body-camera footage, crime-scene photographs and images of the knife prosecutors said was used in the stabbing.
The latest hearing, however, has put the spotlight on evidence the original jury never saw. Judge Chitty’s consideration of Anthony’s new-trial motion remains ongoing.
More Unfortunate News: Public events turning into the scene of a deadly confrontation isn’t unique to this case either. For more, read our story on what police say really happened during the deadly Bite of Seattle festival gunfight.
Disclaimer: This article is based on contemporaneous reporting of the August 20, 2026, new-trial hearing and earlier court records, including reporting from the New York Post, Fox News, WFAA-TV, CBS Texas, The Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Collin County court proceedings, and Collin County District Attorney and U.S. Department of Justice materials concerning the original prosecution. The additional evidence and allegations described by prosecutors and defense attorneys were not tested before the original jury and have not been ruled upon by the court considering the motion for a new trial. Claims involving text messages, stalking reports, prior incidents and character evidence remain allegations presented during the hearing rather than adjudicated findings. Anthony continues to serve his sentence pending further court action.
Sources
- New York Post — Karmelo Anthony prosecutor reveals trove of disturbing evidence jury never saw
- Fort Worth Star-Telegram — Character evidence revealed in Karmelo Anthony hearing for new trial
- FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth — Karmelo Anthony new trial hearing: Both sides rest after testimony over ‘gentleman’s agreement’
- The Dallas Morning News — Coverage of the gentleman’s agreement and hearing
- CBS Texas — New judge to consider retrial for Karmelo Anthony
- NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth — Live updates on the new-trial hearing
Featured Image Source: Texas Department of Criminal Justice
![YouTube Offers Millions to Keep Top Creators Exclusive as Netflix Moves In: “Deprioritizing [YouTube] as Their Primary Outlet”](https://i0.wp.com/backyarddrunkard.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Zulfugar-Karimov-Pexels-Credit-.webp?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1)
Leave a Reply