The parents of Karmelo Anthony, known as “Killer Karmelo,” have been outspoken in their claims of “injustice” following their son’s murder conviction. In a stark contrast, Jeff Metcalf, the father of Austin Metcalf—the young man Anthony was found guilty of stabbing and killing—has chosen a path of forgiveness for his son’s murderer.
Following the courtroom’s announcement of the verdict on Tuesday, Jeff Metcalf expressed his anger towards Anthony with a heated outburst. Yet, he also displayed a more sorrowful side during an emotional interview with CBS. “I’ll even say this: I had a little bit of sorrow because I’m human; and that poor boy is fixing to experience a life that I would not wish upon anyone,” Metcalf shared, revealing his conflicted feelings about the situation.
The conviction stems from an incident at a high school track meet in April of the previous year, where Anthony fatally stabbed Metcalf during a confrontation. As a result, Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Despite the verdict, Anthony has already initiated an appeal process to contest his conviction.
Recently, Karmelo Anthony was transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Pack Unit near Navasota, Texas. The image of him being escorted to his new place of confinement underscores the gravity of his sentence. (Courtesy of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice)
Karmelo Anthony is pictured after being transferred to the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and transported to the Pack Unit near Navasota, Texas. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)
In another interview with CBS, the Anthonys claim they don’t believe their son got a fair trial.
Anthony’s father, Andrew Anthony, said, “They did a number on us.”
“We didn’t get justice,” he added. “A lot of things that were missed that should have been handled a certain way; however, we couldn’t say anything. We did what we were instructed. We did what we were told.”
Jeff Metcalf stands with his son Austin Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, who was stabbed in the chest at a track meet, allegedly by 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony from Frisco Centennial High School. (Courtesy Jeff Metcalf)
Following the conviction and throughout the high-profile trial, the Anthonys and the Metcalfs have dealt with constant threats and harassment.
Last August, police responded to 911 calls with the SWAT team showing up to the Metcalfs’ Frisco, Texas, home with guns drawn, CBS reported.
Jeff Metcalf told CBS after the trial that he is still receiving death threats and previously had his personal information released.
Despite the harassment to his family members, Metcalf supporters are still showing up.
People outside Collin County Courthouse react as a verdict is announced in the Karmelo Anthony murder trial in McKinney, Texas, on June 9, 2026. Anthony faces a potential life sentence for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025. (AJ Skuy for News Media)
The slain teen’s most recent post to X, in March 2025, days before he was killed, has recently seen a surge in reposts to the platform. “Faith that god got me
While support pours out for Austin, a new fan page for Anthony, “standwithkarmeloanthony,” appears to have been created on Instagram; it has already gained several hundred followers.
An Instagram user with the username v.pperez, which appears to be owned by Anthony’s girlfriend Valeria Perez, has been reportedly promoting the new fan page.
Supporters of Karmelo Anthony appear to have create a fan page on Instagram for the convicted killer. (Instagram / Meta)
News Media has reached out to both the Anthony and Metcalf families.
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