Austin MetCalf's Dad Reacts To Karmelo Anthony's 35 Years Imprisonment, 'Bodycam Footage Killed Me'

19-year-old Texas teen, Karmelo Anthony, was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment after a Texas jury convicted him of murdering a fellow athlete, Austin MetCalf. For the unversed, the incident around Karmelo and Austin took place back in 2025, and following this, he was arrested. Karmelo said that he committed the crime in self-defence; however, he was sentenced to more than three decades of imprisonment following his guilty verdict.

Karmelo and Austin crossed paths at the track meet at David Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco, Texas. And reportedly, it was Austin who asked Karmelo to leave their team's area, which turned out to be a blowout and was soon escalated, so much so that it turned out to be a murder case. Karmelo stabbed Austin to death, and now, the latter's father has spoken about the same, as Karmelo was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment.

Austin MetCalf's father reacts for the first time after Karmelo Anthony was sentenced to 35 years' imprisonment

Speaking about the same, Austin MetCalf's father recently revealed that he felt the kind of peace that he didn't feel over the course of one year. He stated that he was feeling light, as if a million pounds had been lifted off his shoulders. Austin's father was in grief for 14 months, and now that Karmelo's guilty verdict has put him in 35-year-long imprisonment, the former could begin his healing process as well. During the sentencing phase, Austin's father delivered a victim impact statement and revealed in court that he had been writing paragraphs in notes, waiting for this moment.

His statements were directed at 19-year-old Karmelo. He mentioned that his grief has reached a state of rage while directing at Anthony that he failed himself, his parents and his society, while adding that he doesn't belong to this community. To a parent, there is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing their kids suffering, and speaking of Austin's dad, he lost his son, and he had to even witness his other child screaming as his late child lost his life in his arms. This was something that killed Austin's father in a way. Speaking to CBS News, Austin MetCalf said:

"What killed me was the bodycam footage when I could hear Hunter screaming, ‘Oh, God, oh, God. My brother, my twin.' I would hope they take a look in the mirror. And if you have children and if it was your child who was murdered, would you like people dragging his name through the mud, making memes, making jokes, and just really vile comments?"

Austin MetCalf's father vows to oppose Karmelo Anthony's parole even after 17 years

In the same interview, Austin's father added that the forgiveness was never meant for Anthony, it was for him, and he doesn't carry the rage or hate or anything around it, as it would end up eating him like cancer. He further rejected that the confrontation between Anthony and Austin stemmed from race, an angle that has been widely discussed on social media. According to Jeff, even though Karmelo was given a 35-year sentence, it was lenient and that he deserved a lifetime imprisonment.

He also said that if he were present, he would oppose Anthony's 17-year parole as well. To mention, under Texas law, an individual who is convicted of such one-degree felony charges could apply for parole only after serving half of the sentence and in Anthony's case, it would be after 17 years that he would be eligible to apply for parole. And Austin's father said that if he even passes away, he would keep a video of himself to oppose the parole of Anthony after 17 years. He said:

"If I'm still alive, yes, I will be there in person. If not, I am going to make a video. If I'm passed on, that can be played.”

Pic credits: Valeria Perez/ TikTok, X, TMZ/ X, Texas Department of Criminal Justice 

What do you think about Austin MetCalf's father's reaction?

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