Karmelo Anthony new trial hearing: prosecutors reveal stabbing fantasies evidence

Prosecutors disclosed evidence excluded from Karmelo Anthony's murder trial, including texts about stabbing fantasies. Anthony, 19, was convicted in June and sentenced to 35 years.

New evidence emerges at Karmelo Anthony retrial hearing in Frisco murder case

Prosecutors disclosed evidence that jurors never heard during Karmelo Anthony's murder trial, including text messages in which Anthony allegedly fantasised about stabbing someone and "licking the blood off of the blade," cbsaustin.com reports.

The allegations surfaced on Thursday at a hearing prompted by Anthony's request for a new trial, following the April 2025 stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. Anthony, now 19, was convicted of murder in June and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Anthony admitted to stabbing Metcalf but argued self-defence during a confrontation at the event. Jurors rejected that claim.

State prosecutor Bill Wirskye told Thursday's hearing that the excluded evidence included text messages in which Anthony had allegedly contemplated stabbing someone just hours before Metcalf was killed, according to The Daily Mail, which first reported the details. A separate message recovered from Anthony's phone reportedly contained a photograph of a knife alongside the words, "I'm lowkey on the verge."

Wirskye also said Anthony's former girlfriend had informed a school administrator that she feared Anthony and had accused him of stalking her.

Anthony's legal team, meanwhile, was said to hold what The Daily Mail described as "damaging evidence about Austin Metcalf" and his twin brother, Hunter. Citing court documents, the outlet reported that attorneys had photographs of graffiti allegedly spray-painted by the Metcalf twins and a third boy, bearing the phrases "KKK kill all black people, heil hitler" and a racial slur.

Neither set of evidence was presented at trial. According to the report, prosecutors and Anthony's trial attorneys had reached an informal "gentleman's agreement" to limit proceedings to events that occurred under the tent on the day of the stabbing, avoiding potentially inflammatory character material relating to either party.

The hearing follows the removal of state District Judge John Roach, who had presided over Anthony's original trial, from further proceedings. Anthony's lawyers sought his recusal after Roach stated in a television interview that jurors "got it right" in convicting Anthony.

Source: The Sun