Tay-K has just been found guilty of murder for the second time, deepening the fall of a once-rising rap star now staring down the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars.
The 24-year-old rapper — real name Taymor McIntyre — was convicted for the 2017 killing of photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar, which occurred while he was already on the run from law enforcement following his escape from house arrest.
Though acquitted of capital murder, which would have locked him away without parole, the current murder conviction still carries a sentence of 5 to 99 years. Now, a jury will decide how long Tay-K serves — and a judge will later rule whether this sentence runs alongside or adds on to the 55 years he’s already doing for a separate 2016 murder and multiple aggravated robbery charges.
One of the most chilling moments came during the trial when Tay-K’s ex-girlfriend Joanna Reyes, who turned government witness, testified against him. She claimed Tay-K pulled a gun on the victim during what was supposed to be a photoshoot. When Saldivar resisted, the group allegedly attacked him, and Reyes said Tay-K ultimately leaned out of the car and pulled the trigger, killing the photographer in cold blood. She told the jury she kept quiet out of fear for her life, saying Tay-K had threatened her and her family.
Once known for his viral hit “The Race”, Tay-K’s fame skyrocketed while he was literally fleeing from justice — but now, that fame is overshadowed by two murder convictions and a life headed toward a prison cell he may never leave.
