Austin Metcalf’s parents unloaded on Karmelo Anthony in emotional statements following the guilty verdict Tuesday.
Following Anthony’s sentencing to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf, the victim’s parents read their emotional impact statements to him in court, according to a WFAA report. (RELATED: Karmelo Anthony Found Guilty Of Murder, Sentenced to 35 Years)
Jeff and Meghan Metcalf, Austin Metcalf’s parents, addressed the defendant during emotional victim impact statements following the sentencing.
Austin Metcalf’s mother spoke first directly to Anthony, who had briefly lifted his head from the table. Meghan Metcalf fought back tears as she described the lasting impact of her son’s death on their family.
“We will never know what our future could have been,” Mrs. Metcalf said.
As she continued, both Meghan and Jeff Metcalf appeared visibly emotional.
She lamented the silence that now fills their home, telling the court, “My house is now quiet.” She added that she still hopes to wake up one morning and discover the entire ordeal was just a nightmare.
Meghan Metcalf also pushed back against the public attention surrounding the case.
“For journalists, activists, this is a story. For our family, this is our reality,” she said, according to WFAA.
“My house is now quiet,” she said. She said she hopes to wake up one morning and find out the situation was a nightmare.
She said that now, all her conversations with her son are at his grave. She looks at Anthony a few times as she speaks these words.
After being sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf, Karmelo Anthony sat silently as the victim’s parents delivered emotional victim impact statements in court.
Describing the devastation her family has endured since her son’s death, “He didn’t just die,” she said. “He was taken from us.” (RELATED: Protesters Attempt To Incite Race Riot Over Karmelo Anthony Verdict)
Turning directly toward Anthony, her voice rising with emotion, she added: “You should feel lucky you got 35 years because I’ve been given a life sentence without my son.”
After being sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf, Karmelo Anthony listened as the victim’s parents delivered emotional victim impact statements in court.
Austin Metcalf’s mother described the lasting pain of losing her son, telling the court, “He didn’t just die. He was taken from us.”
🚨BREAKING NEWS: JURY HAS CONVICTED KARMELO ANTHONY OF MURDER pic.twitter.com/R4k897PTuA
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 9, 2026
She then turned her attention directly to Anthony.
“You should feel lucky you got 35 years because I’ve been given a life sentence without my son,” she said.
After finishing her statement, she picked up her papers and walked past Anthony before returning to her seat in the gallery.
Jeff Metcalf followed with a statement of his own, immediately confronting Anthony from the podium.
“We were robbed!” he said, according to WFAA.
As Anthony looked downward, Metcalf demanded, “Don’t look down!”
The grieving father also rejected claims that the case was motivated by race, “This was never about race,” he said. “It is about right and wrong.”
Metcalf defended his family against criticism that emerged following his son’s death, telling the court, “My boys weren’t bullies.”
He also referenced the harassment his family has faced in the aftermath of the case, “I’ve been swatted six times.”
Karmelo Anthony supporter: “What do I tell my 5 boys? What do we do now!?”
Uh… don’t murder? pic.twitter.com/DGrnCbhhe6
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 9, 2026
Austin’s father described how the loss of Austin had permanently changed him: “My son’s death destroyed the person I used to be,” he said. “He does not exist anymore.”
Growing emotional as he spoke, Metcalf reflected on the nature of grief. (RELATED: Key Witness To Karmelo Anthony Defense Fumbles After Damning Testimony)
“People think grief is sadness; it is not. It is rage. Pure unfiltered rage,” he said, slamming his fist on a table.
Jeff Metcalf continued his remarks by directly confronting Anthony over the loss of his son.
“You don’t belong in this community!” he told the 19-year-old defendant. “A piece of me died with my son, and I’m expected to keep living.”
Later in his statement, Metcalf spoke about forgiveness while making clear he still held Anthony accountable for his actions.
“You’re going to prison. I forgave you the day it happened. I don’t forgive what you did,” he told Anthony. “You can’t look me in the eyes, but you can stab my f—— son!”
After finishing his statement, Metcalf locked eyes with Anthony as he walked back to his seat, passing within a few feet of the defendant. Anthony kept his head lowered as the grieving father walked by.
Anthony was convicted of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf during a confrontation at a Frisco, Texas, track meet in April 2025. Prosecutors said the dispute began under a team tent and ended when Metcalf was stabbed in the chest, while Anthony maintained he acted in self-defense.
The case drew national attention, sparking heated social media debates, protests, threats, and allegations of harassment involving those connected to the proceedings.