Karmelo Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday after a Collin County jury rejected a “sudden passion” argument that could have significantly reduced his punishment for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a Texas high school track meet.

Jurors deliberated for about three hours after finding the 19-year-old guilty of first-degree murder in Metcalf’s death, then spent nearly another three hours determining his sentence. Anthony now faces a punishment range of five to 99 years, or life in prison.

During the sentencing phase, the jury considered whether the killing occurred under “sudden passion,” a legal argument in Texas that can reduce a conviction from first-degree murder to a lesser offense if the act happened in the heat of the moment. They ultimately rejected it.

Anthony reportedly sat with his head down on the table as the sentence was read and appeared to be sobbing, according to courtroom reports. He stood when instructed but kept his gaze lowered throughout the hearing.

The case centered on a fatal confrontation on April 2, 2025, during a track meet in Frisco, Texas, where Anthony stabbed Metcalf following a dispute over seating and access to a team tent. Prosecutors said Anthony escalated the situation and deliberately used a knife, while the defense maintained he acted in self-defense during a chaotic exchange.

The jury heard that Anthony was sitting under a tent belonging to another school when Metcalf and teammates repeatedly told him to leave. Witnesses testified that tensions escalated after multiple warnings, with Anthony refusing to move despite being asked numerous times.

According to testimony and police reports, Anthony allegedly warned Metcalf, “Touch me and see what happens,” while reaching into his bag. Moments later, Metcalf pushed him, and Anthony pulled out a folding knife and stabbed him once in the chest.

Metcalf’s twin brother, Hunter, and other students tried to help as the injured teen collapsed. Anthony later discarded the knife and attempted to flee before being stopped by coaches, jurors were told.

The trial included graphic evidence and emotional testimony, including autopsy findings showing a fatal stab wound that pierced Metcalf’s heart. Some family members of the victim left the courtroom during the most disturbing exhibits.

In closing arguments, prosecutor Dewey Mitchell told jurors the sentencing was about accountability and community safety, saying the case reflected “the cost of taking a life” in Collin County.

Defense attorney Mike Howard argued that the jury should consider whether Anthony acted under sudden passion, saying split-second fear and terror can change how the law evaluates intent.

“When something happens… and you believe Karmelo felt terror in that moment such that his mind was incapable of cool reflection, then sudden passion applies,” Howard said.

However, prosecutors insisted the act was not self-defense, with Bill Wirskye arguing, “This is not self-defense, folks. It’s murder plain and simple.”

The jury ultimately rejected the lesser charge of manslaughter and the sudden passion claim, concluding Anthony’s actions met the threshold for first-degree murder.

The trial, which lasted several days, drew large crowds outside the Collin County courthouse in intense heat as spectators waited for the verdict. Inside, emotional testimony from witnesses and experts painted sharply different pictures of the confrontation.

After the sentencing, Anthony’s family expressed anger over the outcome, calling the conviction and punishment “racist and biased,” while supporters outside the courthouse chanted in his defense.

The case has drawn national attention, fueled by viral debate over self-defense, school safety, and the circumstances surrounding the deadly altercation between two teenagers who did not know each other before that day.