Texas rapper Tay-K, born Taymor Travon McIntyre, was slapped with an 80-year prison sentence for his role in the 2017 shooting death of 23-year-old Mark Anthony Saldivar during a robbery gone wrong in San Antonio.
According to court records, the sentence was handed down after Tay-K was found guilty of murder and aggravated robbery charges stemming from the April 2017 incident. Authorities say the rapper was part of a group that arranged to meet with Saldivar under the guise of purchasing drugs, but instead attempted to rob him at gunpoint. During the confrontation, Saldivar attempted to flee, but was fatally shot in a Chick-fil-A parking lot near I-35 and North New Braunfels Avenue.
This 80-year sentence comes in addition to the 55-year sentence Tay-K received in 2019 for his role in the 2016 Mansfield home invasion and murder of 21-year-old Ethan Walker. In that case, Tay-K was convicted of murder and multiple counts of aggravated robbery for helping orchestrate the deadly home invasion alongside six other teens.
At just 16 years old, Tay-K made national headlines when he cut off his ankle monitor and went on the run in 2017 while awaiting trial for the Mansfield case. During his time as a fugitive, he released his viral hit “The Race,” which detailed his run from authorities and was later used as evidence in court. The song peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and further fueled the controversy surrounding his case.
Prosecutors revealed that surveillance footage and testimony from accomplices helped seal Tay-K’s fate in the San Antonio case. The trial included video evidence showing Tay-K and his co-defendants fleeing the scene after Saldivar’s shooting.
Now 24, Tay-K will serve his 80-year sentence consecutively with his prior 55-year sentence. Based on Texas state laws, he will be eligible for parole only after serving a significant portion of the total sentence.
Despite the severity of the crimes, Tay-K has continued to draw support from fans who see him as a symbol of lost youth and failed systems. Still, the court’s decision underscores the weight of the crimes and closes a years-long legal chapter that began with violence and ended in decades-long punishment.
