Karmelo Anthony’s parents are speaking out after their 19-year-old son was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf, and their message is clear: they do not accept the verdict, the sentence, or the way the trial unfolded.
Kala Hayes, Anthony’s mother, fought back tears as she defended her son after the courtroom decision. She said she still believes Karmelo is not a murderer and insisted that he never intended to hurt anyone during the confrontation at the Frisco track meet.
Hayes said what hurts her most is that she believes her son was defending himself, even though the jury rejected that argument. For her, the sentence did not feel like justice. It felt like the final result of a case she believes was already decided in the public eye.
Karmelo’s father, Andrew Anthony, was just as direct. He said the family believed they would get a fair chance in court, but now feels that hope was misplaced. In his view, the process did not give his son the fairness the family expected.
The parents also made a serious accusation about the testimony presented during trial. Andrew claimed that witnesses lied on the stand and said their statements were inconsistent. Prosecutors, however, presented more than 20 witnesses, including students who were at Kuykendall Stadium when the stabbing happened.
Those witnesses testified about the confrontation near the Memorial High School tent, the repeated requests for Anthony to leave, and the moments before Austin Metcalf was fatally stabbed. After hearing the evidence, the jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Anthony guilty.
Anthony’s parents also argued that their son had already been convicted in the court of public opinion before the trial began. They pointed to media coverage, online debate, protests, and social media campaigns that surrounded the case for more than a year.
Hayes was the only witness called by the defense during the sentencing phase. She asked jurors to show mercy to her son, but later said she felt their minds were already made up and that there was little she could say to change the outcome.
The family has also said they continue to receive threats even after the verdict and sentence. Andrew said people still want harm to come to their family, even after Anthony received 35 years in prison. That fear is now part of why the family says it will continue fighting through an appeal.
Now the case moves into a new stage as Anthony’s legal team challenges the conviction and sentence. His parents say they will keep fighting for their son, while Austin Metcalf’s family continues to live with the loss of a teenager who will never come home.
