Karmelo Anthony broke down in tears Tuesday after a Texas jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of fellow student-athlete Austin Metcalf, ending a closely watched trial that has gripped the nation for more than a year.

Jurors in Collin County returned the unanimous verdict after roughly three hours of deliberations, concluding that Anthony was guilty of murdering the 17-year-old during a confrontation at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025.

The now-19-year-old appeared emotional as the decision was read aloud in court. Reporters inside the courtroom said Anthony began sobbing before being escorted from the room. Just a few feet away, his mother, Kala Hayes, remained seated and cried as her son’s fate was sealed.

Because Anthony was a minor at the time of the stabbing, prosecutors were not permitted to seek the death penalty. However, the conviction still leaves him facing a prison sentence ranging from five to 99 years.

The verdict came after a trial that featured graphic testimony, emotional witnesses, and competing arguments over whether Anthony acted in self-defense or committed an unjustified killing.

One of the most dramatic moments occurred when Hayes took the stand as the defense’s only witness. Fighting back tears, she told jurors that her son was “very sorry” for what happened and begged them to show mercy as they considered his future.

Judge John Roach Jr. had instructed jurors that they could convict Anthony of the lesser charge of manslaughter if they believed the evidence supported it. Instead, they chose the more serious first-degree murder charge.

Investigators said Anthony and Metcalf, who attended different high schools, did not know each other before the day of the incident.

The deadly encounter unfolded beneath a team tent during a weather-delayed track meet at Kuykendall Stadium. Prosecutors argued that a dispute escalated into violence when Anthony stabbed Metcalf once in the chest. The teenager later died at a hospital.

Throughout the trial, Anthony’s attorneys insisted he acted in self-defense, arguing he believed he was facing an immediate threat. The defense relied heavily on Texas self-defense laws, which eliminate the duty to retreat if a person reasonably believes they are in danger of bodily harm.

Outside the Collin County Courthouse, emotions were running just as high.

Supporters and critics of Anthony gathered throughout the trial, and tensions boiled over on the day of the verdict. Witnesses described shouting matches and heated exchanges before and after the jury announced its decision.

At one point, two men became involved in a prolonged verbal confrontation near the courthouse barriers while sheriff’s deputies stood nearby.

One demonstrator repeatedly chanted, “Peace, love, unity and respect” while waiting for the verdict. After the decision was announced, the same man could be heard repeatedly shouting, “I accept.”

Others carried signs reflecting the deep divide surrounding the case. One person held a “Justice 4 Austin” sign, while a woman standing nearby displayed a sign that read, “Self-defense is not a crime.”

Inside the courtroom, some of the most emotional testimony came from Robert Starr, an assistant football coach at Frisco Memorial High School.

Fighting tears, Starr told jurors he rushed toward a commotion near the Memorial High School team tent after realizing something was wrong.

When he arrived, he found Austin Metcalf gravely wounded.

“I just knew Austin was gone,” Starr testified.

The coach described seeing Metcalf lying on the ground with a large chest wound and recalled the desperate reaction of Austin’s twin brother, Hunter.

According to Starr, Hunter pointed toward Anthony and screamed, “Do something.”

Starr testified that he briefly spoke with Anthony immediately after the stabbing.

“I asked him. He said he put his hands on me,” Starr recalled, adding that Anthony appeared hysterical.

The coach then rushed to Hunter’s side.

“I jumped the gate and I went to Hunter, and he was hysterical. I just knelt down and I prayed with him,” Starr told the jury.

His testimony left many people in the courtroom visibly emotional. Several spectators were seen crying, including Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf.

Now that the guilty verdict has been delivered, the trial moves into its final phase. Jurors will determine how many years Anthony will spend in prison for the killing of Austin Metcalf, a decision that will bring the high-profile case one step closer to its conclusion.