Was Karmelo Anthony offered a plea deal? Update of sentencing

Content Warning: This article discusses allegations of murder.

After being at the center of the discourse for over a year, Carmelo AnthonyThe trial is finally over. The teenager was accused of murdered Austin Metcalf during a high school meet in Texas. The two boys argued in a team tent, which escalated into a physical altercation. Eventually, Karmelo allegedly stabbed Austin to death.

As of June 9, 2026, the verdict in this high-profile case has officially been handed down and Karmelo’s fate has been sealed. However, the public wants to know if the now 19-year-old (he was 17 at the time of the alleged crime) was ever offered a plea deal in the process.

Speculation about a possible plea deal arose mainly from social media personalities who suggested that Karmelo would have been better off accepting such an offer. Citing the GiveSendGo campaign created for Karmelo and his family, podcaster Matt Walsh serves as one such example of a political commentator who holds this view.

Matt took to X to write: “Remember if Karmelo had pleaded guilty early it would have cut off the fundraising. His parents chose to send him to trial so they could keep raising money. They don’t love or care about him. Terrible people who inevitably raised a horrible son. My only regret is that they can’t be thrown in a cell with him.”

Having said that, per Hindustan TimesKarmelo was never offered a plea deal.

The public confusion stems from suggestions like Matt’s that he should have taken one. However, there is no official reporting that a plea deal was ever on the table. That said, Judge John Roach has placed a gag order on the case, according to ABC Newsprobably because many of the witnesses are under 18 years of age.

Therefore, it is impossible to be sure if a plea deal was ever offered.

Instead of a plea deal, Karmelo’s defense took the strategy of a “sudden passion” plea, according to CBS News. If the jury accepted that argument, the charges would be lowered to a second-degree felony, as opposed to first-degree murder.

The jury rejected that defense, meaning Karmelo’s potential sentence would not be reduced. Rather, the teenager was allowed to be charged as an adult under Texas State Law. As a result, Karmelo faced anywhere between five and 99 years in prison.

After just two and a half hours of consideration (per CBS News), the jury found Karmelo guilty of murder. According to NBC Newsthe teenager has been sentenced to 35 years in prison. Karmelo’s family and defense team maintain that he regrets his actions, which were taken in “self-defense” due to “physical intimidation.”

After the verdict was announced, Austin’s mother, Meghan Metcalf, reached out to Karmelo. NBC News reports that Meghan said: “You might have just received a 35-year sentence. You should feel lucky because I’ve been sentenced to a life without my son.”