Karmelo Anthony’s attorney claims that his client does “feel remorse” for murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf with a knife at a track meet in Texas in April 2025.
The 19-year-old was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his crime, which has led to cries of racism from the usual crowd because Anthony is black and Metcalf was white. TMZ spoke with Anthony’s lead defense attorney, Mike Howard, following the verdict, and he said he’s not totally sure of his former client’s state of mind but can say he believes Anthony is sorry.
“I believe from my many interactions with him that, while he believed that in that split-second of chaos that he was defending himself, that Karmelo also has and continues to feel remorse for Austin Metcalf, for [Austin’s twin brother] Hunter Metcalf, for the entire family for their loss,” the attorney told TMZ.
Anthony hasn’t made any public statements on the matter and also didn’t testify in his own defense at the trial. He has already filed an appeal, and Howard will not be representing him again.
While Anthony himself hasn’t publicly commented on what happened, his parents, who have come under fire for how they allegedly spent money raised to put toward their son’s defense case, have voiced their opinions on the murder.
During an interview for CBS Mornings, Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, said her son “didn’t mean to hurt anyone” and “was defending himself.”
Andrew Anthony, Karmelo’s father, said he would tell the Metcalf family, “It’s unfortunate, it’s where nobody wins.”
“We’ve all been hurt by this,” he said. “Everybody, everyone.” Andrew also repeated the debunked claim that his son was convicted by an “all-white jury.”
“They did a number on us,” Andrew told CBS. “We didn’t get justice. A lot of things that were missed that should have been handled a certain way.”
Meanwhile, Austin Metcalf’s father, Jeff, blames Anthony’s parents for how race was used in the trial.
“Drew Anthony. Kayla. You’re cowards. You wouldn’t even show up for your son’s sentencing or victim’s statement impacts. You abandoned your kid. You left him there. I guess he’s no more use to you because you can’t get any more GoFundMe money or [GiveSendGo] money. You are grifters. You should be ashamed of yourself,” he said during a recent podcast interview, as The Daily Wire previously reported. “You raised that child, and I swear to God, CPS should come check on those other three that you still have.”
Anthony’s family raised over $600,000 after the murder.
“You never once admitted or took accountability. You tried to play victim. The real victim is the one who died, not the one who shoved a knife in his chest,” he went on. “I come to pray with you and show the world we can close the gap of this unbelievable racial divide. And what’d you do? Widen the gap even further.”
“I feel sorry for that young man,” Metcalf said of Anthony. “He’s fixing to live a living hell. Not that he doesn’t deserve it. Yes, he does. But I’m human. And I’m sorry. I don’t wish harm or ill will on anyone. It’s not the Christian thing to do, man. It’s not the way I was raised. It’s not what I was taught. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. I just know it is what it is.”
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