FRISCO, TEXAS — Karmelo Anthony’s family is asking supporters to help finance the next chapter of his legal fight.

The 19-year-old was convicted of murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Now, after a judge rejected his request for a new trial, Anthony’s family has launched another fundraising campaign — this time seeking $250,000 to help pay for his appeal.

The request has immediately reignited debate around a case that has already attracted national attention.

💰 THE FAMILY IS ASKING FOR ANOTHER $250,000
Anthony’s parents and members of his legal team appeared publicly on September 2, 2026, to discuss the next phase of the case.

A new crowdfunding effort was announced with a goal of $250,000.

The family says the money will be used to help cover the cost of continuing Anthony’s legal representation as his attorneys challenge the murder conviction.

The campaign comes after the court rejected his motion for a new trial, leaving the appeal as the next major avenue for relief.

For the family, the message is that the legal battle is far from finished.

⚖️ THE NEW-TRIAL REQUEST WAS ALREADY REJECTED
Anthony’s lawyers previously asked Collin County Judge Michael Chitty to throw out the conviction and grant a new trial.

That request was denied on August 22.

The defense had raised several objections to the original proceedings and argued that Anthony deserved another opportunity to present his case.

The judge’s ruling left the conviction and sentence intact.

Anthony’s attorneys are now preparing to take the case to the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas.

That process will focus on alleged legal errors rather than simply retrying the facts from the beginning.

🔥 THE ORIGINAL CASE CENTERED ON SELF-DEFENSE
The legal battle traces back to an encounter at a high school track meet in April 2025.

Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old student and athlete, confronted Anthony after a dispute.

Anthony later admitted that he stabbed Metcalf.

But his defense argued that he acted in self-defense during a physical confrontation.

Prosecutors argued that Anthony was the aggressor and that the evidence did not support a lawful self-defense claim.

The jury ultimately rejected the defense and found him guilty of murder.

🕯️ AUSTIN METCALF WAS ONLY 17
Metcalf’s death became the emotional center of the case.

He was a high school athlete with a close-knit family and a future that his loved ones said had been filled with promise.

The confrontation that took place at the track meet lasted only a short time.

Its consequences have lasted more than a year.

Austin’s family attended the trial and has continued to maintain that the conviction should stand.

🏛️ ANTHONY RECEIVED 35 YEARS
Following his murder conviction, Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Under the sentence, he faces a long period of incarceration before becoming eligible for release under Texas law.

His attorneys are now trying to overturn the conviction through the appellate process.

A successful appeal could potentially result in a new trial or another form of relief, but nothing has been granted at this stage.

📋 THE APPEAL WILL BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF BATTLE
Unlike the original trial, an appeal is not simply another opportunity to put every piece of evidence before a new jury.

Anthony’s lawyers must identify specific legal or constitutional errors that they believe affected the outcome of the case.

That could include arguments about how evidence was admitted, how the jury was instructed or how the defense was handled.

The appellate court will then determine whether the alleged errors justify changing the result.

For now, the conviction remains valid.

👨‍👩‍👦 HIS FAMILY CONTINUES TO DEFEND HIM
Anthony’s parents have maintained that their son acted in self-defense.

They have also argued that the case has been portrayed unfairly in parts of the public debate.

At their September 2 appearance, they thanked supporters who had continued standing behind their family after the conviction.

Their decision to launch a second fundraiser shows how determined they are to keep fighting.

The latest campaign is not being presented as a substitute for the court process.

It is intended to help finance it.

💵 THE NEW CAMPAIGN FOLLOWS A MUCH LARGER EARLIER FUNDRAISER
Anthony’s family previously attracted significant financial support during the original case.

A prior crowdfunding campaign raised more than $600,000 before being removed after his conviction.

The new $250,000 campaign comes at a very different stage.

Anthony is no longer awaiting trial.

He is now a convicted murderer challenging the judgment against him.

That distinction has made the renewed fundraising especially controversial.

Supporters see it as necessary legal funding.

Critics question why another large campaign is needed after the earlier amount raised.

⚠️ THE APPEAL HAS NOT BEEN WON
The current legal status is straightforward.

Anthony remains convicted.

He remains sentenced to 35 years.

His request for a new trial was denied.

His appeal is being prepared.

There has been no ruling from the appellate court overturning the conviction.

The new fundraiser therefore represents an effort to finance a legal challenge — not evidence that the conviction is about to disappear.

🔎 WHAT HIS LAWYERS ARE SEEKING
Anthony’s legal team has indicated that it plans to challenge the trial through the appellate system.

The lawyers are expected to focus on specific claims they believe undermined his ability to receive a fair trial or affected the jury’s decision.

The process will likely take considerably longer than the original trial.

Briefs must be filed.

The prosecution will have an opportunity to respond.

The appellate court will review the record.

And even after a ruling, additional legal options may remain depending on the outcome.

That means the $250,000 campaign could be supporting a legal fight measured in months or even years.

💬 THE CASE REMAINS DEEPLY DIVISIVE
Anthony’s case has generated unusually strong reactions.

Supporters have focused on the self-defense argument and expressed confidence that additional legal review will uncover problems with the original trial.

Critics point to the jury’s guilty verdict and argue that the legal system already heard the evidence and reached its conclusion.

The appeal will not be decided by public opinion.

It will be decided by the courts.

🚨 THE FAMILY IS ASKING SUPPORTERS TO KEEP THE FIGHT GOING
At the September 2 event, Anthony’s family made clear that the conviction has not ended their efforts.

They believe the case deserves further review and want financial backing to continue that fight.

Their new goal is $250,000.

Whether they reach it is one question.

Whether Anthony’s appeal ultimately succeeds is another — and it will depend entirely on the legal arguments presented to the appellate court.

⏳ THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL HAPPEN IN APPELLATE COURT
For now, Anthony remains in prison under his 35-year sentence.

Austin Metcalf’s family continues to live with the loss of a 17-year-old son.

And Anthony’s parents are asking strangers to help fund what could become a long legal battle.

The fundraiser cannot change the verdict.

Only a court can do that.

For Anthony’s family, however, they are not ready to accept the current outcome as the final word.

They are raising another $250,000 because, in their view, the case is not over yet.

Sources: FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth — Coverage of Anthony’s request for a new trial
Associated Press — Coverage of the Karmelo Anthony murder case