Report: Texas Rapper Tay-K, 19, Convicted Of Murder And Robbery
Tay-K, a 19-year-old rapper from Tarrant County, Texas, has reportedly been convicted of murder and robbery.
Court documents obtained by NBC Dallas reveal Tay-K, real name Taymor McIntyre, was found guilty on the murder and robbery charges but not capital murder, which carries a mandatory 40-year sentence.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the rapper faces between five and 99 years in prison. The charges and conviction stem from a botched 2016 robbery involving Tay-K, who was 16 years old at the time. The incident resulted in the death of 21-year-old Ethan Walker.
Tay-K’s lawyers attempted to defend the rapper by saying he “only participated in the robbery, was not armed, and had no idea that people would be shot.” Latharian Merritt, who, according to authorities, was the person who actually shot Walker, was sentenced to life in prison last year.
Tay-K is perhaps best known musically for his song “The Race,” which details his activities while on the run after removing his house arrest ankle bracelet and hitting the road with friends. The track, which also featured a music video conveying the rapper’s fugitive activities, peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was used as evidence in a lawsuit brought by the parents of Ethan Walker.
Sam Jordan, a spokeswoman for the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, told CNN the jury began deliberating Tay-K’s sentencing on Friday (July 19) and will continue into Monday, if necessary.