A Texas judge denied a new trial for Karmelo Anthony in the stabbing death of a 17-year-old athlete at a high school track meet.

Judge Michael Chitty denied the retrial motion citing a review of the evidence and arguments.

He did not elaborate but group consensus is old text messages showing Karmelo threatening to shoot up a school in 2023 influenced his decision.

At the center of Anthony’s retrial request was an off-the-record agreement between prosecutors and his defense team to keep damaging character evidence about both teenagers out of the proceeding. That evidence was introduced to Judge Chitty.

Anthony, 19, was convicted of murder in June and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the April 2025 killing of Austin Metcalf.