*Karmelo Anthony, the Texas teenager convicted of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet, is back in the spotlight after newly public court records revealed alleged gun-related behavior, violent threats, hateful messages and a teenage exchange in which he said he supported Donald Trump.
The revelations are explosive, but the bigger question is why the jury that convicted Anthony never heard them.
The answer involves an unusual agreement between prosecutors and Anthony’s original defense team to keep damaging background information about both Anthony and Metcalf away from jurors so the murder trial would focus on what happened during their fatal confrontation beneath a team tent.
What the Jury Never Heard
CBS News Texas previously reported that prosecutors presented a 75-page character dossier during Anthony’s post-trial proceedings.
The material included messages in which Anthony allegedly discussed carrying firearms, fighting and threatening people. Prosecutors also cited photos and videos showing him with firearms and messages in which he allegedly threatened his then-girlfriend.
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One 2023 exchange included Anthony writing that he would shoot up a school, before later adding that he would never actually do it.
CBS also reported that prosecutors produced messages containing racial slurs and one in which Anthony wrote, “I hate gay ppl.”
The Trump Message Adds Another Revelation
Additional details reported Tuesday by TMZ, citing court documents first obtained by the Daily Mail, include a 2021 exchange from when Anthony was approximately 13 or 14.
In that conversation, Anthony reportedly told a friend he supported Trump over then-President Joe Biden because he believed Trump disliked gay people, a view Anthony said he shared.
The exchange establishes what Anthony reportedly said as a young teenager. It does not establish his later political affiliation, voting behavior or current political views.
TMZ also reported that the documents include images of Anthony posing with firearms, including a handgun and an AK-47-style rifle.
Why Both Sides Kept the Backgrounds Out
The material wasn’t hidden from jurors simply because prosecutors lacked it.
During Anthony’s unsuccessful effort to obtain a new trial, the existence of a private agreement between prosecutors and his trial attorneys became central to the dispute. Both sides had agreed to avoid introducing background information concerning Anthony, Metcalf and Metcalf’s twin brother.
That agreement cut both ways.
Court documents reviewed by CBS News Texas contained allegations from Metcalf’s own history, including graffiti containing racist language, documented use of racial slurs, bullying allegations and disciplinary incidents.
Anthony’s new attorneys argued that information concerning Metcalf could have been relevant to determining who was the aggressor. Prosecutors responded during the post-trial hearing by presenting Anthony’s background.
Anthony’s Murder Conviction Still Stands
A Collin County jury convicted Anthony of murder in June 2026 after rejecting his claim that he acted in self-defense when he fatally stabbed Metcalf during their April 2025 confrontation. Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
A judge subsequently denied Anthony’s request for a new trial, and his attorneys have said they will continue pursuing appeals.
That makes the newly exposed material consequential for reasons extending beyond its most provocative details. The same post-trial fight that opened Anthony’s past to public scrutiny also revealed information about Metcalf that jurors never considered.
The Trump comment may generate headlines, but the larger legal story is the evidence that stayed outside the courtroom—and the continuing argument over whether keeping it there helped produce a fair trial.
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