New GiveSendGo donations will go into an attorney trust account as questions linger over how earlier funds were spent
Karmelo Anthony’s family is seeking another $250,000 to fund his appeal after an earlier campaign raised nearly $634,000 and faced questions over how the money was spent, the family announced at a news conference in Dallas, Texas.
The fundraising push came nearly two weeks after a judge denied Anthony’s request for a new trial. His family and supporters, including attorney Russell Wilson, used the Dallas news conference to outline the appeal.
Anthony, 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison in June after a jury convicted him of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. He has appealed and says he cannot afford to hire an attorney for the appeal.
The new fund is intended to cover legal fees, experts and other costs associated with challenging Anthony’s conviction, Wilson said.
Left: Karmelo Anthony is seen in a prison mugshot. Right: Austin Metcalf, who was stabbed to death by Anthony.
"I think there's a misconception that the motion for new trial denial would have ended an appeal," Wilson said. "It actually is part of an appeal."
Wilson said the appeal could take more than a year. The trial record is expected to be assembled in October. After that, both sides will make their case in writing, and the Dallas Court of Appeals could hold a hearing.
The request follows a GiveSendGo campaign launched on Anthony’s behalf in April 2025 that raised $633,908 before it was removed from public view following his conviction.
Karmelo Anthony's mother, Kayla Hayes, speaks at a press conference in April.
The earlier campaign was organized by Anthony’s mother and initially set a fundraising goal of nearly $1.4 million. Organizers said donations could be used for legal defense, moving the family, basic living expenses, transportation, counseling and security.
GiveSendGo said the money had been distributed over the previous year for lawful purposes, including legal defense and moving the family, and that the campaign was closed after its stated purpose was completed.
The new campaign page says donations will be deposited into an attorney trust account administered by Wilson and that Anthony’s family will not receive or control the money. The page says the funds will be used only for legal expenses, including filings, transcripts, investigators and experts.
Demonstrators showed support for Karmelo Anthony outside the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, on the first day of jury selection in his trial on June 1, 2026.
The page listed a $250,000 goal and $30,194 raised when viewed by Fox News Digital. Trinicia Ricks is identified as the campaign’s creator, while Wilson is listed as the person who will receive the funds.
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A reporter pressed Dominique Alexander, a civil rights activist who has served as a spokesman for Anthony’s family, about the new request and what happened to money raised through the earlier campaign. The reporter also asked about claims that donations were used to buy a car or house.
"These are deliberate lies," Alexander said. "Why would we ask the question to a family to answer something that clearly was a lie?"S
When asked where the previous money went, Alexander declined to explain the family’s fees or say whether any funds remained.
The GiveSendGo page for the Karmelo Anthony Legal Fund lists a $250,000 goal and $30,194 raised. (GiveSendGo)
Alexander said the original fundraiser also helped the family relocate after they faced threats.
"That fund was established to not only help with the legal process, but also be able to relocate this family to safety," he said.
Public records reviewed by Fox News Digital previously showed Anthony’s parents, Andrew Anthony III and Kala Hayes, were connected to business entities in Louisiana and Texas. A Texas entity listing Andrew Anthony III as its registered agent became active 24 days after Metcalf’s death.
The records did not show whether either company generated revenue, held assets or received money from the fundraiser. Anthony’s parents have not been accused of wrongdoing.
Anthony has since described himself in court filings as a "penniless, destitute, and indigent person, too poor to employ counsel to represent me on the appeal."
Wilson declined to provide additional details about the defense strategy, saying some issues could become important in future proceedings.
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Anthony remains in custody while the appeal moves forward.
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