January 1, Convicted Teen Killer Claims He’s Broke — But Family Business Records Tell Different Story

Wyatt’s Take

• Karmelo Anthony gets another court-appointed lawyer after claiming he’s too poor to afford his own — despite his family’s business ties
• Records show the Anthony family opened a new business just weeks after their son murdered 17-year-old Austin Metcalf
• Nearly a month after conviction, the Anthony family still hasn’t spoken to the victim’s grieving father

Karmelo Anthony has lawyered up again as he fights to overturn his murder conviction. The 18-year-old was convicted and sentenced to 35 years behind bars earlier this month for stabbing and killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.

Court records show criminal defense attorney Lara Bracamonte Davila is now his court-appointed lawyer. Before her, another attorney briefly took the case before stepping aside.

Here’s where it gets interesting: Days after his June 9 murder conviction, Anthony filed paperwork claiming he’s “penniless, destitute, and indigent” — too broke to hire his own attorney for the appeal.

But records tell a different story. The Anthony family has been tied to several businesses in Louisiana and Texas.

Even more shocking? They opened a new business just weeks after their son murdered Metcalf.

To qualify for a free court-appointed lawyer under Texas law, a defendant must prove they can’t afford legal representation. Anthony filed the paperwork himself, declaring poverty.

Criminal defense attorney Donny Perales, who was briefly on the case, told reporters it’s expected the Anthony family will retain a private attorney for the appeal. If they can afford one, that raises serious questions about the indigency claim.

Meanwhile, Austin Metcalf’s father Jeff says the Anthony family still hasn’t reached out to express any remorse or condolences.

“I don’t forget what he did to my son,” Jeff Metcalf said in an interview.

“I don’t have sympathy, but I gave him forgiveness, and the forgiveness was for me, of course, so I don’t carry the rage and the hate.”

The grieving father’s grace stands in stark contrast to a family that won’t even pick up the phone.

Wyatt Matters

This case cuts to the heart of what’s broken in our justice system. A young man takes an innocent life, his family claims poverty while running multiple businesses, and they can’t even face the parents of the boy their son murdered. Meanwhile, hardworking Americans foot the bill for court-appointed lawyers. Justice isn’t just about convictions — it’s about accountability, remorse, and basic human decency. The Metcalf family deserves better.