MCKINNEY, Texas – As convicted killer Karmelo Anthony seeks a taxpayer-funded attorney for his appeal after claiming he is "penniless," newly reviewed public records show his parents activated a Texas business entity less than a month after the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf.The records do not establish that any fundraiser proceeds were routed through the company.Anthony's parents have not been accused of any wrongdoing or charged with a crime.Anthony, 19, was sentenced earlier this month to 35 years in prison after a Collin County jury convicted him of murder in the April 2, 2025, stabbing death of Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco.Days after sentencing, Anthony filed paperwork seeking court-appointed counsel for his appeal.
In the filing, Anthony described himself as a "penniless, destitute, and indigent person, too poor to employ counsel to represent me on the appeal."READ THE APPEALKarmelo 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)Anthony's request comes after a GiveSendGo campaign launched on his behalf on April 15, 2025 — less than two weeks after Metcalf's death — raised $633,908 before being removed from public view following Anthony's conviction.Organizers said the fundraiser was created to support Anthony and his family as they navigated the legal battle."We are grateful for your support during this incredibly difficult time for Karmelo Anthony and his family," organizers wrote.
"This fundraiser has been established to provide comprehensive assistance to the Anthony family as they navigate the many challenges surrounding Karmelo's case."AUSTIN METCALF FAMILY FACING THREATS, FINANCIAL STRAIN AS KARMELO ANTHONY FUNDRAISING DRAWS SCRUTINYThe online fundraiser for Karmelo Anthony and his family, organized by his mother, has been scrubbed from the GiveSendGo website.(GiveSendGo)As Fo...