Karmelo Anthony, a Texas teen accused of fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, will be allowed to graduate from Centennial High School in Frisco, despite missing more than six weeks of classes and currently being under house arrest on a first-degree murder charge.
Anthony’s graduation was approved following advocacy from his parents and the activist organization Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), which has taken an unusually active role in supporting the accused teen.
According to WFAA, negotiations between the family, school district officials, and NGAN resulted in a controversial decision to allow Anthony to receive his diploma, though he will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony on May 22.
“We are proud to share that Karmelo Anthony will graduate and receive his high school diploma, and that his academic achievements will not be disrupted,” said Dominique Alexander, president of NGAN. “This is a moment of dignity for Karmelo and a reminder of the power of advocacy done right.”
Frisco Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Mike Waldrip clarified the school’s position in an email to the community. He confirmed that while Anthony’s credits and past academic work would be honored, district policy forbids students facing serious criminal charges — including Title V felonies like murder — from walking in graduation ceremonies.
“No student who commits a serious criminal offense is permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony,” Waldrip wrote. “Anyone who trespasses on district property or events will be subject to removal and possible arrest.”
Anthony’s legal troubles stem from a deadly altercation that occurred on April 2, during a track and field event at Kuykendall Stadium. Authorities allege that Anthony — a senior at Centennial High — was sitting under a tent designated for another school, Memorial High, when Metcalf confronted him.
Witnesses say the encounter escalated quickly. Anthony reportedly warned Metcalf not to touch him, reached into his backpack, and pulled out a knife.
He allegedly stabbed Metcalf in the chest, puncturing his heart. Metcalf later died in the arms of his twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, before emergency responders could save him.
According to police reports, Anthony confessed to the stabbing but claimed it was in self-defense.
Anthony was arrested and initially held on a $1 million bond, which was later reduced to $250,000. He has since been released to house arrest, and his family has moved him into a $900,000 home in a gated community.
The case has drawn criticism from some in the community, who question whether the teen is being treated with undue leniency due to activist involvement and private resources.
Although Anthony turned 18 on May 11, he will not face the death penalty if convicted. As the alleged crime occurred while he was still 17, Supreme Court rulings prohibit life without parole or capital punishment for juveniles, even in homicide cases.
“The Supreme Court has said not only can you not seek the death penalty against someone who committed a crime when they’re 17, you can’t even get them life without parole,” said Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis. “That would not be something we could do even if we wanted to.”
As the legal case unfolds, many continue to question the balance between justice, due process, and what some see as preferential treatment for a teen facing one of the most serious criminal charges possible.