Father of slain teen says family serves life sentence after retrial denial

Jeff Metcalf, the father of Austin Metcalf, expressed a complex mix of grief, forgiveness, and a sense of enduring punishment in a recent interview, following the denial of a new trial for his son's killer. Speaking to ABC News on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Metcalf stated that the murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence for Karmelo Anthony do not bring his family justice. "No. There's no such thing. I got handed a life sentence," Metcalf said, explaining that his family will forever be deprived of Austin's presence. "We don't ever get to see Austin again. We don't get to talk to him, hug him.