A new fundraising effort has been launched in support of Karmelo Anthony just hours after a previous GiveSendGo campaign, which had raised more than $600,000, was shut down following renewed scrutiny after his conviction in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf.

The new campaign, titled “Karmelo Appellate Fund,” was created shortly after Anthony filed a notice of appeal, less than 24 hours after he was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison. The appeal marks the beginning of the next phase in a case that has already drawn intense national attention since the April 2025 incident at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.

According to the campaign description, the new fundraiser is designed specifically to support Anthony’s appellate process. It states: “As we prepare for the appellate phase of Karmelo Anthony’s case, we have established a separate Appellate Fund to ensure complete transparency and accountability.” The page also emphasizes that the effort is intended to eliminate confusion between prior donations and the new legal phase.

Anthony’s mother, Kala Hayes, is listed as the organizer of the new fund. She said the money will be used to support the appeals process, including attorney fees, legal research, and other related costs. The description further added: “If you believe in due process, fairness, and ensuring that every person has access to a thorough legal process, please consider sharing and supporting this effort.”

The launch comes as Anthony’s legal team formally moves into the appellate stage. Defense attorney Mike Howard previously confirmed that the team believes there are “several important issues” for appellate courts to review, and described the appeal as a standard legal right within the justice system.

However, the financial status of Anthony’s defense has become a central point of discussion. In his notice of appeal, Anthony described himself as a “penniless, destitute, and indigent person, too poor to employ counsel to represent me on the appeal,” despite prior fundraising efforts that reportedly raised around $625,000 through his family’s earlier campaign.

That previous GiveSendGo fundraiser, also organized by Kala Hayes, had been created shortly after Anthony’s arrest and was initially intended to cover legal defense, relocation costs, counseling, and basic living expenses. It was later shut down after Anthony’s conviction on June 9, and has since faced renewed public scrutiny over how the funds were used.

It remains unclear how the court will evaluate Anthony’s claim of indigency in light of the earlier fundraising totals when considering whether he qualifies for a court-appointed attorney for the appeal.

The original case stems from a confrontation at a 2025 track meet where prosecutors said Anthony fatally stabbed Metcalf during an altercation beneath a school tent. Trial testimony indicated that the dispute began after Metcalf asked Anthony to leave the team area, escalating into a physical confrontation that ended in a single fatal stab wound. Anthony has maintained that he acted in self-defense.

As the appeal moves forward and the new fundraiser begins accepting donations, the financial and legal dimensions of the case continue to evolve alongside the broader public debate surrounding one of Texas’ most closely watched criminal trials.