Slain Teen’s Dad Unloads On Karmelo Anthony In Courtroom: ‘Can’t Even Look Me In The Eyes’

The father of slain teen Austin Metcalf unloaded on convicted murderer Karmelo Anthony while reading his victim impact statement inside the courtroom on Tuesday.

Anthony was convicted Tuesday of murdering Austin at a track meet in April 2025 and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, admonished Anthony for making the case about race and told him he’s been feeling “pure unfiltered rage” while grieving the loss of his son.

“I said from day one, this was never about race, please don’t politicize it,” Jeff said. “But what did you choose to do, both. It’s about right and wrong. We’re all humans. We all bleed the same color.”

Notably, Anthony’s family held a press conference after Austin’s murder and suggested Anthony was a victim of racial injustice. They forcibly removed Jeff from the presser when he said he wanted to speak with the Anthony family and possibly pray with them. The Anthony family also started a fundraiser in the wake of the murder, which accumulated more than $600,000. Many comments in support of the fundraiser were racially charged.

Continuing to address Anthony directly, Jeff told the 19-year-old to stop looking down and said his family had been robbed of Austin.

“A piece of me died with my son, and I’m expected to keep living,” he said. “You’re going to prison. I forgave you the day it happened. I don’t forgive what you did.”

“You’re free to make choices all you want, but you’re not free from those consequences,” the father continued. “You will face those consequences starting today.”

“People think that grief is sadness but it’s not. It’s rage! Pure unfiltered rage,” Jeff reportedly shouted while slamming his hands on the table in front of him. “You failed your parents, you failed yourself and you failed society, You don’t belong in this community.”

“You’re going to prison,” he added. “You can’t even look me in the eyes right now but you can stab my f*cking son in the heart.”

Austin Metcalf’s dad, Jeff, just unloaded on Karmelo Anthony.
“We were robbed, don’t look down, of all of these things.”
“I said from day one, this was never about race, please don’t politicize it. But what did you choose to do, both. It’s about right and wrong. We’re all humans.…

— MaryAnn Martinez (@MaryAnnreports) June 10, 2026

Austin’s mother, Meghan Metcalf, also delivered a victim impact statement, telling Anthony he should consider himself fortunate given the pain he inflicted on the Metcalf family.

“My son was murdered,” she said. “He didn’t just die. He was taken from us, just as he was starting to live.”

“You may have just been given a sentence of 35 years — you should feel lucky because I’ve been sentenced to a life without my son,” she added.

Austin’s twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, told Anthony that he took “everything” away from him when he murdered Austin. Hunter notably held Austin as he died from Anthony’s vicious attack. Hunter also told Anthony that every morning he still sees Austin’s bedroom door shut, causing him immense pain.

Hunter also reportedly told Anthony to look him in the eyes when he was speaking. But Anthony refused, looking down instead. “If you could just look me in the eye while I speak, I would really respect that,” Hunter said.

Anthony’s murder trial started on June 1 with jury selection and wrapped in nine days. Video footage and witness testimony — even from defense witnesses — generally indicated that Anthony provoked the situation with Metcalf and deadly force was not needed, contradicting the self-defense argument from Anthony’s team. Anthony did not take the stand during the trial.