The mother of convicted Texas teen Karmelo Anthony is publicly defending her son following his sentencing for the fatal stabbing of fellow student Austin Metcalf, insisting that the teenager acted in self-defense and never intended to take a life.
“Because I know my son, my son is no murderer,” Kayla Hayes told CBS News Texas after a jury sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison. “My son didn’t intend to hurt anyone. My son was defending himself and that’s what hurt so bad.”
The emotional statement came just days after Hayes took the witness stand during the sentencing phase of the trial, where she described Anthony as her “firstborn” and said, “He will always be my baby.”
On June 10, one day after the sentencing, Anthony’s legal team filed a notice of appeal, signaling that the high-profile case is far from over.
The case stems from the April 2, 2025, fatal stabbing of Metcalf during a high school track meet in the Dallas-area city of Frisco. Both teenagers were 17 years old at the time.
According to testimony presented during the trial, a confrontation erupted after Anthony allegedly remained inside a tent designated for Metcalf’s school’s track team. Witnesses described a heated exchange between the two students that escalated into violence.
Prosecutors argued that Anthony intentionally killed Metcalf after threatening him during the confrontation. The defense maintained that Anthony acted in self-defense and feared for his safety during the encounter.
After hearing weeks of testimony, jurors deliberated for less than three hours before finding Anthony guilty of murder. Although the judge allowed jurors to consider a lesser charge of manslaughter—which carried a potential sentence of up to 20 years—they ultimately convicted him of murder.
One of the trial’s most emotional moments came when the jury heard testimony from medical examiner Elizabeth Ventura, who described the fatal chest wound that pierced Metcalf’s heart.
Defense attorneys sought to portray Anthony as a promising student and athlete. Witnesses testified that he had been nominated for team captain and maintained near-perfect grades, earning a 4.0 GPA.
Anthony did not testify in his own defense.
The case attracted national attention and sparked widespread debate over self-defense laws, juvenile justice, school safety, and race. Anthony is Black and Metcalf was white, leading to intense discussions online. However, attorneys for both sides told jurors that race was not a factor in the altercation.
Following the verdict, the Frisco Independent School District issued a statement acknowledging the pain felt throughout the community.
“Our community has carried the weight of this tragedy for more than a year,” the district said, urging students, families, and residents to continue supporting one another with “respect, sensitivity and understanding.”
For Hayes, however, the verdict represents a painful separation from the son she still believes acted out of fear rather than malice.
As Anthony begins serving his sentence and prepares to challenge the conviction through the appeals process, his mother’s words underscore the enduring heartbreak felt by families on all sides of a tragedy that forever altered two young lives.
