From Runway to Lockdown: Tay-K’s Second Murder Conviction Seals Tragic Fate
In a dramatic courtroom conclusion that sent shockwaves through the music industry, former hip-hop phenomenon Taymor McIntyre, professionally known as Tay-K, has been found guilty of murder for the second time in his young career. The verdict delivers another devastating blow to the 24-year-old artist, who rose to notoriety with his viral 2017 single “The Race”—ironically recorded while evading authorities.
The San Antonio jury deliberated before finding McIntyre guilty in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar, a crime dating back to 2017. However, the jury stopped short of a capital murder conviction, which would have resulted in life imprisonment without parole possibility.
McIntyre’s legal troubles read like a cautionary tale of artistic promise derailed by violence. Already serving a 55-year sentence for a separate fatal shooting, the rapper now faces additional decades behind bars as the punishment phase commences.
According to prosecutors, the fateful encounter began when McIntyre invited Saldivar to photograph him for promotional materials for a new track. What should have been a routine professional engagement spiraled into robbery and murder when McIntyre allegedly shot Saldivar after attempting to steal his equipment.
Testimony from Joanna Reyes, McIntyre’s former girlfriend, proved pivotal in securing the conviction. Reyes, who accepted a plea deal for probation on evidence tampering charges, testified she was driving the vehicle involved when McIntyre fired at Saldivar as the photographer climbed onto the car in an attempt to recover his stolen gear.
The defense team vigorously challenged the prosecution’s case, with attorney John Hunter asserting during closing arguments that investigators had failed to properly “do the work.” Hunter maintained that McIntyre was “not guilty of capital murder, murder, or manslaughter,” claiming the case relied excessively on self-serving witness statements.
Despite inconsistent accounts from multiple witnesses and surveillance footage lacking clarity, the jury ultimately found the cumulative evidence sufficient to convict McIntyre of murder while acquitting him of the more serious capital murder charge, likely in consideration of his age at the time of the offense.
This conviction adds another chapter to McIntyre’s troubled legal saga that began with his 2019 conviction for the shooting death of 21-year-old Ethan Walker during a 2016 home invasion in Mansfield, Texas. That incident triggered the fugitive status during which he recorded “The Race,” which ironically chronicled his flight from justice.
Fashion and entertainment observers note the stark contrast between McIntyre’s meteoric rise—characterized by his distinctive style that combined streetwear aesthetics with an unmistakable Texas swagger—and his dramatic fall. His case has sparked renewed conversations about the glorification of violence in contemporary music and the real-world consequences that can follow.
As the punishment phase begins, industry insiders and followers await the final chapter in this cautionary tale of talent squandered by violence. The sentencing decision will determine whether McIntyre’s combined sentences effectively ensure he spends the remainder of his life behind bars, rendering “The Race” not just a chart-topping single but a prophetic finale to a career defined equally by musical promise and criminal conviction.
