Karmelo Anthony sentenced to 35 years in prison

Breaking news tonight, a Collin County jury has just sentenced Carmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet.More reaction from the trial and the emotional victim impact statements.

This verdict sends a clear message.Violence like this won't be tolerated in our Collin County community.And we remain committed to protecting our schools and standing with victims and their families.

Strong emotions outside the courtroom all day long as the verdict came down and the sentencing happened.What our crew saw and heard today in McKinney.A Collin County jury sentences Carmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco.Good evening, I'm Steve Eager.It's 9 o 'clock.This sentencing came just hours after the jury handed down a guilty verdict for murder.

The trial began last week and jurors heard from coaches and high school students who witnessed Metcalf's death.The story also made international headlines and many people locally have been sharing passionate opinions.Tonight, supporters of both Anthony and Metcalf gathered outside the courthouse, sometimes even yelling at each other.Our crews saw one person appear to be taken into custody earlier this evening before the sentencing came down.And moments ago, prosecutors spoke to the media with the Metcalf family by their side.

be level headed and patient as the process worked.And today the process delivered accountability.We're grateful to this jury and we're grateful that the good citizens of Collin County had an opportunityweigh in on this case.I'm proud of the exceptional work of Bill Werske and our team of prosecutors, DA investigators, and victim advocates, and all the good and outstanding men and women of the Collin County District Attorney's Office.We thank all the parents and their brave kids who did the right thing.

Despite the trauma of witnessing the senseless murder at a school track meet, they cooperated fully and testified truthfully.Their courage was essential to securing justice in this case.I'm especially honored to be joined here today by Jeff and Megan Metcalf and their son Hunter.Their strength and grace throughout this unimaginable journey has been inspiring.They won't be taking questions at this time, but their presence here speaks volumes about their commitment to seeking justice for Austin.I want to thank Judge Rhodes for presiding over this trial with fairness and efficiency.

I want to thank Frisco PD for their investigation.I want to thank the Collin County Sheriff's Office led by Sheriff Skinner for providing the security for the courthouse.I want to thank all law enforcement throughout the county for making this a safe trial for everyone.This verdict sends a clear message.Violence like this won't be tolerated in our Collin County community and we remain committed to protecting our schools and standing with victims and their families.

That's Collin County District Attorney we just heard from.Fox 4's Amelia Jones has been outside the courthouse all afternoon and evening, sometimes tense, sometimes quiet.Amelia, what have you been seeing overall?

with when the jury actually got the case.So the jury started deliberations at 10 52 this morning and deliberated through lunch, returning a verdict just before 2 PM.The jury spent a total of three hours deliberating and returned the verdict guilty of murder.I was outside the courthouse when that verdict was returned.You could hear some gas from the loud from the large crowd that had gathered outside.Some outcries.

and some people simply stayed silent, just processing the information.The jury then headed right into the punishment phase of the trial.They heard from 19 -year -old Carmelo Anthony's mom.She was the only one who took the stand in the punishment phase, and she pleaded with the jury for mercy.The jury spent a total of two hours and 20 minutes deliberating the sentence.The jury sentenced Carmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison with the eligibility for parole after half the time served, which would be about 17 and a half years.

The age of Austin Metcalf when he was killed.the sentence came down, people swarmed in large groups, many live streaming reactions of others on their cell phones.Some were very upset, visibly crying and talking about it.Others told me they believe justice was served with that sentence.After the victim impact statements, Carmelo Anthony's family, including his parents, walked out of the courtroom and into their cars.A large group of people and media swarming them as they made their way to their vehicles.

There were some very strong words of emotions exchanged.We saw Anthony's mom hold up a heart in the window as well.Then, just about 15 minutes ago, we saw the Metcalf family leave the courthouse.Emotions still running high from those who were here in the parking lot.Sheriff deputies helped them to their car.Now it's time to

media that's left as the Collin County Sheriff's Office is working to clear the parking lot.And again, media was allowed to stay here.A lot to digest as this very long day wraps up.For now though, Steve, I will send it back to you.

That's Amelia Jones reporting from McKinney, Amelia.Thank you.So Fox 4's Lori Brown has been our only reporter inside the courtroom all day for the dramatic moments.She heard the emotional victim impact statements.Lori, we're counting on you to tell us how all of that was for you today and tonight.

Steve, the emotion of this full trial really finally was able to be released in the victim impact statements as four of Austin Metcalf's family members finally released from a gag order, finally able to express themselves, the impact statements happen after the jury's verdict, after the defendant is formally sentenced.So these statements are really just a chance for the victims to face the defendant.and be able to let all of these things out.So the mom, Megan Metcalf, gave very emotional but strong statement as she faced Carmelo Anthony, telling him how she used to have a house filled with energetic two boys full of laughter.And now her house is quiet, and the laughter has been turned to screams.And all she has left of her son.

Austin's voice is her memory and videos of him speaking and how emotional it is seeing his identical twin brother in his room every day.And she talked about the morning that she had given them breakfast and packed their snacks and she got the big bear hug from Austin.Certainly emotional moments in that courtroom as she told these things and she made this statement.You have been given a sentence of 35 years.You should feel lucky.I have been sentenced to a lifetime without my son.

Next to take the stand was Austin Metcalf's father, Jeff.He had a video up playing photos of Austin.his son, Austin over the years, many of them with his brother who was there in the courtroom also, and he talks about their faith helping them to get through this.But also he came to a shout saying, telling family.We were robbed and to suffer such a loss is tragic and how this whole ordeal has just taken a part of himself, and he is not the same person anymore.And he said that his son's death didn't just change who he is, but it's destroyed the person who he the stand.

We did not hear from him during the trial, as many were expecting, and he took a very respectful tone.The father of the father of Austin Metcalf had really pointed out that he wanted Carmel Anthony to look him in the eyes, and Hunter did the same thing, asking in a polite way, that he would really appreciate it if he would look at him as he had his statements for him.And he said that, uh, you still have air while my brother is six ft under.But he went on to say that his brother's legacy will continue to live on.The family later appeared in that news conference that we showed you, but they chose not to take any questions tonight.Stephen Heather understood.

Lori Brown, uh, Adam McKinney at the county courthouse.Thank you.Sean Rabb has been following a lot of this trial, too.We're going to check in with him now for more.He's on our digital studio, spent most of the evening in there.Talk about what's next and, you know, the verdict and the years and how it could get out in half those years and all the things that are facing a Well, both these families tonight, I guess, Sean.

Yeah, there's a whole lot.You know, we got in the studio here, I don't know, a little after one, I guess.And so we've been here in the digital studio since before two o 'clock today, as this has played out and come to its conclusion.And there's a lot of emotions riding, as you can tell, people getting engaged in this trial, Steve, and they don't want to disengage.Our Lori Brown didn't want to come out of the courtroom.You know, managers were trying to get her to be replaced this afternoon.

She wanted to stay and see it through.We saw that from hundreds of people in the parking lot.They wanted people were coming to the parking lot of the Collin County Courthouse.They couldn't get into the courthouse.Well, even going over the weeks of this trial since last week, one in the morning, people are driving up waiting to try to get in for, you know, four handfuls of seats that are available to the public.That's the kind of trial this has been drawing people in.

So what happens now?Well, first of all, Carmelo Anthony now goes into the Collin County Jail.There'll be a new mugshot of him, bookend photo tomorrow from the Collin County Sheriff's Department.He will be transferred to the Texas Department of Corrections, the prison system.in Texas.He'll go to Huntsville for intake and then he can be moved to any place in the state.

He could stay in Huntsville, could be moved west, could be moved hundreds of miles from Dallas -Fort Worth.We won't know that until he is there because the policeand transfer is always secret.As you might imagine, many bad actors, not talking about Anthony, but many bad actors would attempt to possibly attempt to have somebody if you would, sabotage that trip and pull them out of those buses.So he won't be traveling by himself unless Collin County Sheriff's deputies take him.He'll be on the chain.

They bring a bus from Huntsville, they make several stops along the way, and then they'll return down I -45 to Huntsville for his intake, and he'll be then sent to a prison farm to begin serving his sentence.While that's happening, his lawyers will begin the appeals process.Now, the court appointed the, I'm sorry, the court lawyers for the case itself, Mike Howard, Toby Shook, they may bring in someone else for the appellate process or file some of those themselves.Remember, there was the concern about new black jurors.The three who were qualified were struck, summarily struck by the the state and tonight we're hearing from the Collin County NAACP saying it's an outrageous rendering tonight.The punishment is outrageous.

They are upset that there are no black jurors on this high profile trial.They say certainly a life was taken and justice had to be handed out.they don't feel it deserved to be this.And so they're again pointing to the lack of representation, people of color, african americans on that jury.That's going to be a theme that we're going to hear going forward.Um, as for the family of Austin Metcalf, well, they have to try to continue with their lives and that's not going to be easy.

We heard their pain tonight.We've heard their pain from the day one in april of 2025.And we heard that painagain tonight.It is a searing pain that no parent should have to experience.No sibling should have to experience their twin taking their last breath in their arms.

How do you get past that emotionally?How do you stop?and begin again.And that's the challenge for this family to try to keep their lives together and move forward as well.Uh, and so too for the Anthony family.Uh, many people have said there are no winners tonight.

Uh, but this is justice there.Sometimes maybe justice doesn't promote a produce a winner, but it produces justice.And that is that someone held accountable for their actions.Uh, whether it's all agree with how that is handed down or not.That's where we are right now.

All right, Sean.Thank you.So there's been a lot of emotional reaction to the verdict.Dion Anglin is in McKinney.We moved back up there to the courthouse.She's outside with Dion.

that's right.From daylight to darkness, the presence of supporters on both sides of this case have been here and remained until they were physically no longer able to an order from the judge came less than an hour ago.The parking lot is closed as of nine p .m.We have seen that taking place now through it all.The tension, the emotions, have been all over the map through the guilty of murder verdict for Camilo Anthony, the time spent waiting for a sentence to be announced.

And then the moment it arrived, we have seen several clashes, one person arrested, another detained.It has been a definite mix of emotional expression.One teenager whose life is lost, another going away for at least 30 years.A couple of peopleI spoke to put it in perspective from their own point of view.

I have kids myself, so seeing lives being lost as far as children was, it's it's sad case all around.Everybody's angry.Everybody's upset.You know, we just lost two kids.I mean, you know what more could we expect out of them?But I just feel like we all just we gotta heal.

We all gotta heal together.We gotta save our country.This is a beautiful state.Justice was served, and we gotta move on.And I feel sympathy for the families.It's sad, but it's time to move on.

to talk to folks who shared expressions very similar to that many times over those two folks.They said they were close by.They live in the area, work in the area, but they just felt drawn to come here to see for themselves this reaction and this presence by the support on both sides of this case.Now we have probably a dozen patrol cars with lights circling the parking lot, basically making to be seen.But for now, that's the very latest here.Back to you on.

Okay down.We'll let you get moving if they need you out of there.That's that sounds good enough for us.Thank you.All right.We've got the latest mugshot.

Carmelo checked in at the Collin County Jail.That'll be his temporary stop until he goes into the Utah, the Texas state prison system and new mugshot tonight out of Collin County.We have more on that.today's verdict and sentencing, plus reaction from people who are inside the courtroom on our website, fox4news .com,com, and on the Fox Local app.