KARMЕLO ANTHONY: DISTURBING TEXTS FROM HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND EMERGE AS NEW TRIAL BID FACES SCRUTINY

Newly revealed evidence has thrust Karmelo Anthony’s case back into the national spotlight, months after he was convicted of killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Texas high school track meet.

During a hearing on Anthony’s request for a new trial, prosecutors disclosed allegations involving his former girlfriend, including claims that she reported him for stalking her on the same morning Metcalf was fatally stabbed.

The revelations were not presented to the jury during Anthony’s original trial.

Now, Anthony’s new legal team is arguing that the handling of previously excluded evidence and other courtroom issues should be examined as part of his appeal.

HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND REPORTEDLY WARNED SCHOOL OFFICIALS

According to prosecutors, Anthony’s former girlfriend told a school administrator on April 2, 2025, that she was frightened by his behavior and alleged that he was stalking her.

She reportedly said Anthony had been driving by her home and refusing to accept that their relationship was over.

That same morning, prosecutors say Anthony sent her a troubling message that included a photograph of a knife.

The message reportedly said:

“I’m lowk on the verge.”

The allegations emerged during the current hearing concerning whether Anthony should receive a new trial.

LESS THAN TWO HOURS LATER, THE TRACK-MEET CONFRONTATION OCCURRED

Later that day, Anthony encountered Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.

Metcalf, 17, was fatally stabbed during a confrontation at the event.

Anthony maintained that he acted in self-defense, but a Collin County jury convicted him of murder in June 2026.

He was subsequently sentenced to 35 years in prison.

The timing of the newly revealed allegations has become one of the most closely examined aspects of the appeal hearing.

However, the existence of the messages and the ex-girlfriend’s allegations does not by itself establish what Anthony intended when he encountered Metcalf.

 WHY DIDN’T THE JURY HEAR ABOUT THE TEXTS?

One of the biggest questions now surrounding the case is why potentially damaging background information was kept away from the original jury.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys had reached an informal arrangement — described in court as a “gentlemen’s agreement” — to keep character evidence concerning both Anthony and Metcalf out of the trial.

The stated goal was to focus the proceedings on the events surrounding the confrontation rather than introducing potentially inflammatory information about either teenager’s past.

The agreement meant jurors did not hear the allegations involving Anthony’s ex-girlfriend.

They also did not hear certain allegations concerning Metcalf’s past, including claims involving racist graffiti and bullying.

 OTHER PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN EVIDENCE

The current appeal hearing has revealed an even larger collection of previously undisclosed material.

Prosecutors have described messages and records allegedly showing Anthony discussing violence, weapons and previous fights.

Among the material reportedly presented were messages in which Anthony discussed carrying weapons and other incidents involving aggression. Prosecutors also referenced a 2023 message in which Anthony allegedly threatened to “shoot the school up,” although he later said he would not actually do so.

Prosecutors also presented allegations that Anthony had previously threatened his former girlfriend and expressed violent thoughts.

Some of these allegations are now being examined because Anthony’s new attorneys argue that the original trial was affected by procedural and evidentiary problems.

 THE DEFENSE IS SEEKING A NEW TRIAL

Anthony’s new defense team argues that several aspects of the original proceedings were unfair.

Among the issues being raised are the informal agreement over character evidence, courtroom procedures and questions surrounding the original judge’s impartiality.

The original judge, John Roach, was removed from the appeal process after concerns were raised about his impartiality. Retired Judge Michael Chitty is now reviewing Anthony’s request for a new trial.

A new trial has not been granted.

Anthony remains convicted and is serving his 35-year sentence while the legal challenge proceeds.

 THE TEXTS DO NOT CHANGE THE VERDICT — YET

The newly revealed messages are striking, but they must be understood in their legal context.

Anthony has already been convicted of murder.

The current proceedings are not a new murder trial. They concern whether the original proceedings were sufficiently fair and whether Anthony should receive another opportunity in court.

The allegations revealed during the hearing have not themselves resulted in a new conviction.

 TWO FAMILIES, ONE CASE, AND QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN

The Anthony case has remained deeply divisive, attracting intense public attention and strong reactions from supporters and critics on both sides.

Austin Metcalf’s family continues to live with the loss of a 17-year-old who never came home from a school track meet.

Anthony’s family and defense team are now fighting to overturn the existing conviction through a new trial request.

And the court must determine whether the evidence and procedures surrounding the original trial justify reopening the case.

THE NEXT QUESTION ISN’T ONLY WHAT THE TEXTS SAID — IT’S WHETHER THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HEARD IN COURT.

The newly disclosed messages have added another layer to a case already surrounded by intense controversy.

But until Judge Michael Chitty rules on the request, Karmelo Anthony’s murder conviction remains in effect and his 35-year sentence remains unchanged.

The legal battle is far from over.