The online fundraiser created for convicted murderer Karmelo Anthony and his family has been taken down after raising nearly $634,000, according to a report.
Anthony was convicted of murder Tuesday and sentenced to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.
He has since filed a notice of appeal challenging the conviction.
In appeal documents, Anthony claimed he cannot afford a new attorney, WFAA reported.
The documents describe Anthony as a “penniless, destitute, and indigent person, too poor to employ counsel to represent me on the appeal,” according to the outlet.
That claim comes after his family’s GiveSendGo fundraiser, titled “Help Karmelo Official Fund,” brought in just shy of $634,000 before it was scrubbed from the crowdfunding site.
The fundraiser was launched April 15, 2025, less than two weeks after Anthony stabbed Metcalf at the track meet.
It initially had a goal of nearly $1.4 million.
The now-removed fundraiser said the money was not just for legal bills but also for a broad list of family needs tied to the case.
“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.”
It was not immediately clear where Anthony’s family relocated from their Frisco, Texas, home.
However, a man who identifies himself as Anthony’s father on Facebook, Drew Anthony, has publicly listed on his profile that he currently lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.
BREAKING: The GiveSendGo page for Karmelo Anthony has been “unpublished” after he was found guilty of m*rder. pic.twitter.com/sEXYZxdukL
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 10, 2026
GiveSendGo addressed the fundraiser’s removal in a post on X, saying the campaign had served its stated purpose.
“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 stated purpose stays accurate so givers always know what they are supporting.”
While that fundraiser has been removed, another campaign has reportedly surfaced in support of the Anthony family.
The new fundraising effort was started by Dominique Alexander, according to the report.
Alexander, a Dallas-based civil rights activist and minister, has served as a spokesman for Anthony’s family throughout the case.
Anthony’s conviction and sentencing marked a major moment in a case that drew national attention, courthouse protests and fierce debate over his failed self-defense claim.
The 19-year-old will serve his sentence while pursuing an appeal, though the court filing claiming he is too poor to hire counsel has raised fresh questions given the massive fundraising haul collected in his name.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Anthony family, Alexander and GiveSendGo for comment.
Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>
