A Texas judge has rejected convicted murderer Karmelo Anthony’s request for a new trial, dealing a major blow to the 19-year-old’s efforts to overturn his conviction in the fatal stabbing of high school student Austin Metcalf.

Anthony was found guilty of murder on June 9 and sentenced to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing 17-year-old Metcalf during a track meet near Dallas in April 2025. On Saturday, the court denied his motion for a retrial, according to reports.

Defense attorneys argued that the original trial was compromised by strict courtroom rules, improper instructions given to the jury, and disputes with prosecutors over an agreement limiting the focus to events immediately leading up to the stabbing. They also pointed to the removal of the original judge as further grounds for a do-over.

The original judge, John Roach, was removed from the case after making public comments about the verdict. Speaking to a local television reporter, Roach stated that jurors “got it right” when they convicted Anthony. “Yeah, they did, whatever they say, they got it right,” he told WFAA TV. That remark prompted Anthony’s legal team to successfully seek his removal.

Anthony, who did not take the stand during the trial, maintained that he acted in self-defense. The incident unfolded inside a tent belonging to Memorial High School that had been set up beneath the bleachers at a multi-school track meet. Anthony sat under the tent when Metcalf and other students repeatedly told him to leave.

According to a police report, the confrontation escalated after Anthony warned Metcalf, “touch me and see what happens.” Metcalf then pushed Anthony. Witnesses testified that Anthony was the aggressor. He pulled a knife from his bag and fatally stabbed the football standout.

The case drew national attention, with race becoming a central topic of discussion. Anthony is Black and Metcalf was White. Both the prosecution and defense told the jury the tragedy was not racially motivated. Still, families on both sides reported receiving harᴀssment and threats in the aftermath.

Prosecutors and the defense had reached a gentleman’s agreement not to present certain evidence to the jury during the original trial. Much of that material later surfaced during hearings on the new-trial request. Among the revealed items was a 2023 text message in which Anthony wrote, “imma shoot the school up tmr.”

The denial of the new trial leaves Anthony’s 35-year sentence in place for now. Legal proceedings surrounding the case continue to draw intense public scrutiny, with both families still dealing with the lasting impact of the violence that unfolded on an ordinary school sports day.

Authorities and the court have emphasized that the verdict and subsequent rulings were based on the evidence presented and the applicable law. The decision closes one chapter in a case that has remained in the spotlight since the fatal encounter at the track meet.