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Karmelo Anthony, the Texas man convicted of stabbing a star athlete to death at a high school track meet, is asking the court to appoint a free public defender for his appeal, despite his family raising more than a half million dollars in funds for his legal fees.
Anthony was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years in prison by a Collin County jury Tuesday for the 2025 murder of Austin Metcalf.
In the days following his conviction, Anthony filed a notice of appeal of the guilty verdict and requested a court-appointed public defender, claiming that he is a "penniless, destitute and indigent person" that is "too poor to employ counsel," according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
The request from Anthony comes after a GiveSendGo fundraiser created to help pay for his legal fees and other expenses raised around $634,000 – nearly half of its $1.4 million goal.
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Karmelo Anthony is pictured after being transferred to the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and transported to the Pack Unit near Navasota, Texas. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)
However, the online campaign was taken down following his conviction earlier this week.
Read the notice of appeal here:
The now-deleted fundraiser detailed how the funds would be used, and included that the money would go toward family expenses incurred by the case.
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The online fundraiser for Karmelo Anthony and his family, organized by his mother,r Kala Hayes, has been scrubbed from the GiveSendGo website. (GiveSendGo)
"While legal defense is a critical part of this journey, we want to make it clear that this fund is not solely dedicated to legal expenses. The funds raised will also support a range of urgent and necessary means that have emerged as a result of the situation, including – but not limited to – the safe relocation of the Anthony family due to escalating threats to their safety and well-being, as well as basic living costs, transportation, counseling, and other security measures."
CONVICTED KILLER KARMELO ANTHONY'S FAMILY USED FUNDRAISER MONEY FOR MOVING AND LIVING EXPENSES
Details regarding the reported relocation of Anthony’s family were not immediately available.
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The fundraiser for convicted murder Karmelo Anthony and his family has been taken down from the GiveSendGo crowdfunding website. (GiveSendGo)
According to GiveSendGo’s website , fundraisers created to aid in legal defense costs for violent charges "must clearly state that all funds raised are intended solely for legal defense costs."
"Fundraisers in this category cannot be used to raise funds for personal support, living expenses, or other purposes alongside legal defense," the website stated.
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Additionally, funds must be sent directly to a licensed attorney involved in the defense, and cannot be distributed to the defendant or organizer.
Austin Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, was stabbed in the chest at a track meet, by Karmelo Anthony, a student-athlete from Frisco Centennial High School. (Jeff Metcalf/Unknown)
The fundraiser was initially posted less than two weeks after Anthony fatally stabbed Metcalf in April 2025.
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In a statement posted to X, GiveSendGo said "The fundraiser was created to support pre-trial needs, and those funds were dispersed over the past year for lawful purposes, including legal defense and family relocation with that stated purpose now complete the fundraiser has been closed. Our policy is that a fundraiser's stated purpose stays accurate so givers always know what they are supporting."
Fox News Digital reached out to Anthony’s attorney and GiveSendGo for comment.
Fox News Digital's Kelsie Cairns contributed to this report.
Julia Bonavita is a U.S. Writer for Fox News Digital and a Fox Flight Team drone pilot. You can follow her at @juliabonavita13 on all platforms and send story tips to julia.bonavita@fox.com.
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