The family of convicted killer Karmelo Anthony has launched a new fundraising drive seeking a further $250,000 to fund his appeal, on top of roughly $634,000 already raised, despite unanswered questions about how earlier donations were spent. Anthony was 17 when he fatally stabbed fellow pupil Austin Metcalf at a Texas high school track meet in April 2025, claiming self-defence; a jury rejected that argument and convicted him of murder, and he was sentenced in June 2026 to 35 years in prison. The case has drawn national attention in the US, partly because it became entangled in wider debates about race and privilege, and scrutiny has intensified after it emerged that his family used previous donations to relocate to a $900,000 home.

An initial fundraiser collected more than $515,000, officially intended to cover relocation costs, living expenses, transport, counselling and security after the family said they had received threats. That fund was taken down after the conviction, and at a press conference in Dallas his legal team – which says it is working pro bono but has racked up over $300,000 in expenses – declined to detail how earlier funds were used. The new "Karmelo Anthony Legal Fund" has already raised over $30,000, with organisers stating the money will go directly into an attorney trust account for appeal-related costs rather than to the family; the appeals process is expected to run into 2027.