Anthony Templet's Lawyer Just Gave A Post-'I Just Killed My Dad' Update
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On Aug. 9, Netflix dropped a new, three-part docuseries called, menacingly, I Just Killed My Dad. And true to its name, the show presents a riveting, true crime story that delves into the disturbing events that led a teenager to kill his own father.
The series explores the psyche and trial of the boy, Anthony Templet, as well as the events that led up to his father’s murder.
“The scariest thing about Anthony is that he’s just kind of a blank slate,” someone says in the trailer. “I don’t know if he has empathy.”
But there's more to the story than a gun, a teen, and a dead father, and it’s understandable to have questions. Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Anthony Templet?
Anthony Templet was a 17-year-old boy living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. More than three years ago, Anthony murdered his father. And recently, he spoke with the producers of I Just Killed My Dad about his experience.
What did he do?
Anthony shot and killed his 53-year-old father, Burt Templet, on June 3, 2019. He confessed his crime while on the phone with a 911 operator, according to local news station WAFB9. Burt died a few days after the shooting.
"He tried to attack me. Then, we got into a fist fight. Then, I ran in his room, closed the door, and got a gun,” Anthony told the 911 operator, per the documentary. “As I unlocked the door, he tried to…and then I shot him. I just killed my dad. I shot him three times.”
The quote was clearly the inspo for the doc title.
Anthony told authorities that things escalated during an argument over Anthony's phone. Burt had apparently tried to go through the phone to see if Anthony had been in contact with Burt’s ex-wife, Susan Templet, per WAFB9. Anthony said his father was drunk and tried to hit him, before he ran to his room and got out a gun.
The news station reported that Anthony shot his father twice before calling 911, and Anthony said he fired the gun three times, and was trying to shoot his father in the head, per WAFB9.
Was Anthony arrested?
Anthony was arrested after murdering his father, although he said he killed Burt in self-defense.
In the docuseries, Anthony says that he suffered years of abuse from his father, and told police that his dad would beat him for hours, controlled his movements, and even installed cameras around their home to keep tabs on him. Burt also failed to send Anthony to school, per Esquire.
Burt's ex-wife, Susan, also claimed he was abusive, and she had filed an order for protection (they're commonly issued in domestic violence scenarios) before the shooting, per WAFB9.
Some have their doubts. “He said his father physically attacked him. I did not see any bruises on him,” a law enforcement officer says in the trailer.
The documentary also says that there were no signs of a physical struggle or evidence that Anthony shot his dad in self-defense when police arrived on the scene.
Anthony's half-sister claims that he was kidnapped.
The story keeps getting stranger. Anthony's half-sister, Natasha, later said that he had been kidnapped at just five years old. While watching the news after the shooting, she realized the mug shot was actually that of her long-lost sibling, the documentary explains.
Natasha claims Burt kidnapped Anthony while the family was living in Texas, and that they had been looking for him for more than a decade, according to Bustle.
What was Anthony charged with?
Anthony was originally charged with second-degree murder, which was reduced to a manslaughter charge, the documentary and local news outlet said.
In January 2021, Anthony's attorney Jarrett Ambeau reached a deal with East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore and Assistant DA Dana Cummings that resulted in zero jail time for Anthony, per USA Today.
What is negligent homicide?
In 2021, Anthony pled no contest to negligent homicide in the death of his father, WAFB9 reported. He was released and given a sentence of five years of supervised probation with credit for time he had already served.
Where is Anthony Templet now?
Since being released on probation, Anthony has reconnected with his mom and her side of his family, per Decider.
He also stays in touch with Ambeau, who recently posted a photo with Anthony on his Instagram.
In his caption, Ambeau revealed that he joined Anthony and his family to watch the documentary together and received an "outpouring of support" in response to its release.
"Anthony is doing great. Living a peaceful life," wrote Ambeau. "He's working full time, finishing his GED, being exemplary in his duty to the court and probation, and doing regular counseling when he can manage the time and resources."
As part of his sentence, Anthony is required to obtain a high school diploma, attend counseling, and either find a job or go to school full-time, per Distractify. If he’s able to do those things while staying out of trouble, his criminal record could eventually be expunged or wiped clean.
As old interview footage of him plays in the documentary, an older version of Anthony tries to fight back tears. When asked if he thinks he can lead a normal life, the past version of himself pauses before saying, “Yes.”
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