Karmelo Anthony was convicted in the 2025 stabbing death of Austin Metcalf and received a 35-year sentence; a previously active crowdfunding page tied to his legal and living expenses has been closed after funds were disbursed.
In April 2025 at Memorial High School in Frisco, Texas, a fatal stabbing left 17-year-old Austin Metcalf dead and 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony later convicted of murder. A jury returned a verdict that led to a 35-year prison sentence for Anthony, with parole eligibility reportedly set at 17.5 years. The case attracted intense attention because it involved students, a public school event, and a rapid legal process that moved from arrest to conviction within a high-profile courtroom.
As the trial unfolded, supporters and others donated to an online fundraiser tied to Anthony and his family, and media accounts described significant sums raised. Early reports described the pot as more than a million dollars, while platform statements later referenced roughly $630,000 disbursed for the stated pre-trial needs. The donations drew scrutiny because reports said family members used money on new items, cars, and a house, raising questions about how fundraising for criminal cases is monitored and what constitutes appropriate use of those funds.
GiveSendGo, the donation platform involved, confirmed it shut the page after the conviction (via NY Post):
https://x.com/GiveSendGo/status/2064757980315443390
A controversial online fundraiser for Karmelo Anthony has been shut down after his family raised some $630,000 for legal and living expenses now that he was convicted of murder — but his family may still be able to set up a new one.
The GiveSendGo went offline Wednesday afternoon, a day after 19-year-old Anthony was convicted in a Texas courtroom of killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at an April 2025 high school track meet.
GiveSendGo – a crowd sourcing platform that differs from GoFundMe in that it allows fundraisers for criminal cases – confirmed the fundraiser closure in a statement to The Post.
“The fundraiser was supported to support pre-trial needs, and those funds were disbursed over the last year,” the statement read. “With that stated purpose complete, the fundraiser has been closed.”
That statement indicated the Anthony family still pocketed more than half a million dollars during the explosive murder case.
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It remains unclear if Anthony and his family will receive that cash, as GiveSendGo typically makes fundraiser payouts three days after a donation is made.
GiveSendGo’s public statement framed the closure as an administrative step after disbursing funds for pre-trial expenses, but the timing and scale of payouts have prompted debate. Observers pointed out that if payouts leave the platform within days, reclaiming donations once a conviction arrives becomes difficult. The situation highlights how platforms that permit fundraising for criminal defenses can become lightning rods when the accused are later found guilty.
Legal teams for Anthony are pursuing appeals, which is a normal next step after a criminal conviction, and the family has publicly said they will challenge the verdict. Appeals can take months or years and may focus on procedural issues, jury instructions, or other aspects of the trial record. Meanwhile, the conviction stands and sentencing has been set, so Anthony will serve time while appeals proceed.
The case itself raised raw reactions on social media and in the community, with many people expressing anger over the death of a teenager and others questioning how money raised online was spent during the legal fight. Platforms that host fundraisers face the dilemma of balancing open access with responsibility when donations touch criminal matters. This episode will likely be cited in calls for clearer rules on disbursement timelines and oversight for campaigns tied to alleged criminal activity.
Beyond policy debates, the human consequences remain stark: a young life was lost, a family will grieve, and the accused must now serve a prison term. Court records and reporting show the age difference, the setting at a high school event, and the rapid shift from incident to trial made the story especially volatile. The closure of the fundraiser removes one public source of financial support tied to the case, but it does not end the legal process or the questions the case has raised about crowdfunding and criminal defense.
As the appeal process moves forward and the legal record grows, other platforms and policymakers will watch for fallout from how this campaign was handled and how disbursed funds were tracked. The conversation will likely touch on whether platforms should change payout windows, require stronger documentation of how funds are used, or adopt different standards for criminal-case fundraisers. For now, the page is closed and the focus remains on the conviction, the sentence, and the ongoing legal fight by Anthony’s lawyers and family.
