The numbers are not adding up. In April 2025, the family of 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony raised over $500,000 through a GiveSendGo campaign. The stated purpose was legal defense. Two months later, they are asking for $1.4 million more. The new goal is posted. The explanation is vague. The court filings tell a different story.
Karmelo Anthony is facing a first-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf. The incident took place at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. A grand jury returned an indictment in June. The case is moving toward trial. The family says they need more money. The court says they have none.
BREAKING – The family of Karmelo Anthony is now seeking an additional $1.4 million in donations for a “legal team,” despite receiving nearly half a million dollars from the original fundraiser just two months ago, raising questions about where those funds went. pic.twitter.com/CuIQpXAfWw
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) June 26, 2025
On June 25, Karmelo’s father posted on Facebook that his son had officially requested a court-appointed attorney. The reason given was financial hardship. The same day, the family updated their fundraiser to reflect a new $1.4 million goal. The stated use includes legal fees, trauma counseling, relocation, and basic living costs. The family says the original funds were spent on those same categories.
Court records show that Karmelo’s legal team has changed. His previous private attorney is no longer listed. The family says they could not afford to keep him. The new request for public defense was filed alongside a financial disclosure packet. That document claims indigence. The court accepted it.
The original fundraiser reached $538,000. According to statements from Karmelo’s mother, the family had access to at least $350,000 of that amount by mid-April. The remaining funds were expected to clear shortly after. The attorney they retained at the time, Mike Howard, is known to charge between $10,000 and $30,000 for a retainer. His hourly rate is estimated at $400 to $500. That leaves a wide margin between legal costs and the total raised.
The family’s public statements say the money was used for relocation, therapy, transportation, and safety. They say they received threats. They say they had to move. They say the case has disrupted every part of their lives. The new fundraiser includes a line item for “trauma-informed counseling for our entire family.”
The optics are sharp. The family lives in a gated community. Public records show the home is valued near $800,000. A new vehicle was reportedly purchased in April. The family has not denied these reports. They say the spending was necessary for safety.
The victim’s family has remained largely silent. Austin Metcalf’s father told reporters he would have supported the death penalty had it been an option. Because Karmelo was 17 at the time of the incident, the Supreme Court prohibits both capital punishment and life without parole.
The trial is not expected to begin until 2026. The legal process is slow. The fundraising is not. The GiveSendGo page remains active. The new goal is $1.4 million. The original goal was $500,000. The court says the defendant is indigent. The public is asking where the money went.
Sources
https://www.totalprosports.com/ncaa/karmelo-anthony-father-speaks-out-more-donations-legal-fees/