Rapper Tay-K Convicted of Second Murder While Awaiting Trial for First—Faces Up to 99 More Years
SAN ANTONIO, TX — California-born rapper Taymor McIntyre, known professionally as Tay-K, was convicted of murder for the second time in Texas, stemming from a 2017 fatal shooting that occurred while he was on the run from authorities.
A Bexar County jury found the 24-year-old guilty in the death of photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar, who was shot and killed in a San Antonio Chick-fil-A parking lot during a robbery carried out by McIntyre and two accomplices. The incident took place while the rapper was fleeing house arrest after being charged in a separate 2016 murder case.
Background: A Trail of Violence
Tay-K was already serving a 55-year sentence for his role in the 2016 home invasion and murder of 21-year-old Ethan Walker in Mansfield, Texas. Just 16 years old at the time, McIntyre was placed on house arrest pending trial, but cut off his ankle monitor and went on the run.
While evading law enforcement, McIntyre not only committed the 2017 murder of Saldivar, but also recorded the now-infamous track “The Race,” a song that openly referenced his fugitive status. The music video featured McIntyre standing next to his own wanted poster, and the track’s success catapulted him into viral fame. To date, “The Race” has amassed over 251 million views on YouTube.
Saldivar Murder Details
According to prosecutors, McIntyre and his crew lured Saldivar to a location under the pretense of buying camera equipment, then robbed and shot him before fleeing the scene. The murder occurred just days before McIntyre was captured by police in New Jersey.
Although he avoided a capital murder conviction, which would have carried an automatic life sentence without parole, Tay-K’s new conviction means he faces an additional sentence of 5 to 99 years behind bars.
Sentencing Begins April 15
The sentencing phase of the trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 15, where prosecutors are expected to emphasize McIntyre’s continued violent behavior while evading law enforcement, as well as his unapologetic public persona.
If the maximum sentence is handed down, McIntyre could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Once a teenage viral sensation, Tay-K’s legal saga now stands as a stark warning: fame cannot outrun accountability.
