Karmelo Anthony Remains Emotionless as Verdict Is Read While Family Breaks Down — Details
Before taking the stand, Hayes was offered water and tissues by defense attorney Mike Howard, according to another NBC DFW courtroom report. When she began speaking about her son, her emotions quickly became visible.
"He's my oldest," Hayes told jurors. "He'll always be my baby. I love him very much." She then began weeping. When asked whether Anthony regretted what happened, she gave a firm answer.
"Yes, I know my son, and he's very sorry for what he did," Hayes said. As her testimony came to a close, she made one final appeal to jurors. "Please have mercy on my son," she said. The defense rested moments later.
Hunter Metcalf Makes a Direct Request
As sentencing proceedings continued, one of the day's most powerful moments came during the victim impact statements. The fourth person to address the courtroom was Austin's twin brother, Hunter. Before discussing his brother's death, Hunter made a direct request to Anthony.
According to courtroom reporting, Anthony had been looking down during the victim impact statements. Hunter asked him to look up, be respectful, and look him in the eye. Anthony then looked up. Hunter told the courtroom that he had spent the past year trying to understand why his brother's life had been taken and trying to learn forgiveness through his faith.
Hunter Metcalf remembers his twin brother as a good kid, dated on April 3, 2025 | Source: YouTube/wfaa
"You took a son, a brother, a friend, and my best friend, from this world," the deceased's brother said as he became emotional. "You took someone from me who was supposed to be an uncle, godfather to my kids. Now I want everything taken from you."
Hunter said his mother cries herself to sleep at night and that he wakes up every day knowing he can no longer talk to his twin brother. After finishing his statement, he stepped down from the witness stand and was embraced by friends. The Metcalf family then left the courtroom.
Meagan Metcalf speaks during an interview, dated on April 3, 2025 | Source: YouTube/wfaa
The Moment Anthony Appeared to Break Down
As the jury began deliberating on Anthony's punishment, tension inside the courtroom continued to build. Hours later, jurors returned at approximately 7:30 p.m. with their decision. But before they entered the courtroom, another moment drew attention.
According to a separate NBC DFW report, Anthony was sitting with his head down moments before the jury returned. He appeared to be sobbing and was being comforted by a female attorney on his defense team.
The scene stood in stark contrast to the emotionless reaction observers had described when the guilty verdict was announced earlier in the proceedings.
Karmelo Anthony's extended family member Michael Wilson, front, of Fort Worth and other supporters of Anthony chant outside of the Collin County Courthouse as Anthony's murder trial is underway in McKinney, TX, Saturday, June 6, 2026. | Source: Getty Images
The Sentence Is Finally Announced
When the jury returned, Judge John Roach asked Anthony to stand. Defense attorney Mike Howard placed a hand on his shoulder as the courtroom waited for the decision.
The judge then announced that jurors had rejected the defense's sudden passion argument. Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in state prison.
He will be required to serve at least half of that sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Shortly afterward, the judge ordered that Anthony be taken into custody and removed from the courtroom.
