India, June 12 -- Jeff Metcalf says no prison sentence could bring back his son, Austin Metcalf. However, he says a major burden was lifted from his shoulders after a Texas jury convicted Karmelo Anthony of murder and sentenced him to 35 years in prison.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the verdict, Metcalf described a sense of peace he had not felt in more than a year.

Anthony, 19, was convicted of the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in 2025. Prosecutors argued Anthony intentionally killed Austin, while the defense sought a lesser outcome. The jury ultimately returned a murder conviction and imposed a 35-year sentence on June 9.

"I felt like one million pounds had been lifted off my shoulders...