Jeff Metcalf, the father of Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old fatally stabbed at a Frisco, Texas, high school track meet on April 2, 2025, has stated he feels “sorry” for the convicted killer, Karmelo Anthony. Anthony, 19, recently had his request for a new trial denied by a judge.
“I feel sorry for him,” Jeff Metcalf said in an interview broadcast Tuesday, adding that Anthony’s “life is pretty much ruined.” However, Metcalf also emphasized that Anthony “had to be held accountable” for the murder.
Metcalf, 56, revealed that he forgave Anthony “the first day it happened.” He explained this forgiveness was necessary to avoid being consumed by anger or a desire for revenge. "If I didn’t, I’d be eaten up. I’d be angry. I might go do something. I’d be looking for revenge,” he stated.
Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison in June after a jury rejected the defense’s “sudden passion” claim. Neither Anthony’s lead appellate attorney, Russell Wilson II, nor the lead defense attorney during his criminal trial, Mike Howard, immediately responded to requests for comment.
Newly released images depict Karmelo Anthony at the murder scene before and after the stabbing in Collin County.