Karmelo Anthony’s family says “nobody wins” after murder verdict and sentencing

The father of Texas teenager Karmelo Anthony said “nobody wins” after a jury rejected his son’s claims of self-defense and convicted him of murder in the stabbing death of fellow student-athlete Austin Metcalf.

Anthony was accused of fatally stabbing Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco on April 2, 2025. Prosecutors described the attack as intentional, but Anthony said it happened after Metcalf and his teammates taunted and shoved him.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours before convicting Anthony on Tuesday, and later sentenced him to 35 years in prison. He is currently being held at a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility northwest of Houston.

During an interview for “CBS Mornings,” Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, said her son “didn’t mean to hurt anyone” and “was defending himself.”

When asked what he would tell Metcalf’s family, Anthony’s father, Andrew Anthony, said, “It’s unfortunate, it’s where nobody wins.”

“We’ve all been hurt by this,” he said. “Everybody, everyone.”
Karmelo Anthony (left) was convicted of murder in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf (right) at a 2025 track meet in Frisco, Texas.
Meanwhile, Metcalf’s father, Jeff Metcalf, described the verdict as bittersweet. He said he has forgiven Anthony for his own well-being, so he doesn’t “carry the rage, the hate and that around.”

“That poor boy is fixing to experience a life that I would not wish upon anyone, but he deserves what he gets because we’re all responsible for our actions,” Metcalf said. “What it boils down to for me is this: Austin will never walk through that door again, and never give me a hug.”

On Wednesday, Anthony’s legal team filed a notice of appeal. Dallas-based appellate attorney David Coale told CBS News Texas that an appeal would focus on whether the trial was handled correctly, including how the jury was selected and whether Black jurors were improperly removed from the case.

“What stuck out to me, No. 1, was the all-White jury,” Andrew Anthony said. The family also alleged that witnesses lied on the stand and gave inconsistent statements.

When it came time to give statements before their son’s sentencing, only Hayes spoke. She now says she felt the jury “had their minds made up already” as she spoke.

“They did a number on us,” Andrew Anthony said. “We didn’t get justice. A lot of things that were missed that should have been handled a certain way.”

Collins County District Attorney Greg Willis said in a news conference after the verdict that “justice was served” and that jurors “cooperated fully and testified truthfully.”

Andrew Anthony said he believes his son was “already convicted” in the court of public opinion before the trial. The case sparked strong emotions nationwide, and protests have been held on behalf of both Anthony and Metcalf. Both families have also received death threats and other alarming calls and messages.

“Yesterday, I had a death threat, this morning had multiple emails, texts threatening me, calling me all sorts of names,” Jeff Metcalf said.

“People want us dead,” Andrew Anthony said. “After they still got what they wanted…. they still want us dead. I go look at my phone, people want us dead. They want our family dead.”