MURDERER’S Crowdfund BOMBSHELL — WHO REALLY Benefitted

A convicted murderer’s family raised nearly $634,000 in online donations — and now that the fundraising platform has unpublished the campaign, donors want answers about where the money went.

Story Snapshot

Karmelo Anthony was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for stabbing 16-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet.
His family’s fundraiser on GiveSendGo raised close to $634,000, but the platform unpublished the campaign after Anthony’s conviction.
GiveSendGo’s co-founder confirmed the Anthony family had not withdrawn any funds from the campaign as of the most recent reports.
Donors are demanding refunds, and some supporters of the Metcalf family are calling for a wrongful death lawsuit to recover any withdrawn funds.

A Stabbing, a Trial, and a Flood of Donations

Karmelo Anthony, a Texas teenager, stabbed 16-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet in April 2025. Anthony claimed self-defense. A jury rejected that argument and found him guilty of first-degree murder. A judge sentenced him to 35 years in prison. Before and during the trial, Anthony’s mother set up a fundraiser on GiveSendGo to help cover legal fees and family expenses. Donations poured in, eventually reaching nearly $634,000.

The fundraiser’s stated goal grew over time. The family first raised money on GoFundMe, but that platform removed the campaign. The family then moved to GiveSendGo and eventually raised the goal to over $1.3 million. ^[9] The campaign said funds would cover legal defense, relocation, housing, transportation, counseling, and security costs. ^[3] GiveSendGo co-founder Jacob Wells told Fox News that his company only removes campaigns it deems illegal — and he said Anthony’s fundraiser did not meet that bar. ^[2]

Platform Pulls the Page — But the Money Sits Untouched

After Anthony’s guilty verdict, GiveSendGo unpublished the fundraiser. The campaign page now simply reads: “This campaign is currently unpublished.” ^[3] Despite the large sum raised, Wells confirmed that the Anthony family had not withdrawn any money from the account. ^[5] That detail has done little to calm angry donors, many of whom took to social media demanding refunds. The situation raises a straightforward question: what happens to the money now?

GoFundMe, a competing platform, noted that it removes fundraisers tied to individuals accused of violent crimes and refunds donations in those cases. ^[1] GiveSendGo operates differently. Wells acknowledged he was not proud to have hosted the fundraiser but said the platform does not remove campaigns simply because donors disagree with the cause. ^[2] That policy difference has put GiveSendGo at the center of a public debate about what crowdfunding platforms owe their donors — and the public.

Where the Money Goes From Here

With the campaign unpublished and no funds withdrawn, the path forward is unclear. Some online supporters of Austin Metcalf’s family are urging his parents to file a wrongful death lawsuit. If successful, such a suit could potentially reach funds that were donated to the Anthony family. ^[6] GiveSendGo’s Wells said his company has been in contact with the Anthony family about the use of the funds, but gave no specific details about what the family plans to do. ^[6]

Raise your hand ✋️if you think the parents of Austin Metcalf should file a wrongful death suit on the parents of Karmelo Anthony

They moved into a ($1M) dollar home in a gated community

They shouldn't be allowed to profit off of the ($650K) they received in a GiveSendGo pic.twitter.com/ymS6C6sGDf

— @Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) June 11, 2026

This case fits a pattern that plays out repeatedly with high-profile crowdfunding campaigns. The fundraiser language was written broadly enough to cover many expenses. But once a conviction came down, the moral argument behind the campaign collapsed for many donors. The gap between what a campaign is allowed to do and what donors feel it should do is exactly where public trust breaks down. Whether the Anthony family ultimately keeps, refunds, or redirects the money will likely fuel more controversy — and more calls for tighter rules around criminal defense fundraising. For now, nearly $634,000 sits in legal limbo while a murdered teenager’s family watches from the sidelines.