Jeff Metcalf said he felt pity for Karmelo Anthony after the 19-year-old was sentenced to 35 years for fatally stabbing his son Austin, choosing forgiveness for his own peace while vowing to fight parole and rejecting claims the killing was racially motivated.
Austin Metcalf’s heartbroken father showed remarkable compassion for Karmelo Anthony after the teen was sentenced to decades behind bars for fatally stabbing his son.
Jeff Metcalf admitted he couldn’t help but feel some pity for his son’s 19-year-old killer as he sat in a courtroom in McKinney, Texas, and watched the murder trial unfold — admitting he wanted to forgive the teen for killing his football-star son for the sake of his own mental well-being.
“I’ll even say this: I had a little bit of sorrow because I’m human,” the grief-stricken dad told CBS News Wednesday.
“And that poor boy is fixing to experience a life that I would not wish upon anyone,” he continued.
“Forgiveness was not for him. Forgiveness was for me. So I don’t carry the rage, the hate, and that around; it will eat me up like cancer.”
Anthony was found guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old high school athlete he knifed during a dispute at a track and field meet in Frisco on April 2, 2025.
The baby-faced teen was sentenced to 35 years in prison and faces a parole review in 17 years — but Jeff believes the penalty should’ve been life imprisonment.
He vowed he would be in court advocating against parole if he is still alive.
“If I’m still alive, yes, I will be there in person,” he said. “If not, I am going to make a video. If I’m passed on, that can be played.”
The devastated dad also swatted down claims that his son was killed over race.
Anthony’s family and his supporters have repeatedly claimed he was the victim of racism in the prosecution, which legal experts predicted would most likely take center stage in his appeal.
