Everything We Know About Tay-K’s Murder Case And 80-Year Sentence
BY Malcolm Trapp / 4.16.2025
Tay-K may have famously did the race, but he's certainly not getting out anytime soon. On Tuesday (April 15) evening, the “I <3” My Choppa” rapper received an 80-year prison sentence for the murder of Mark Anthony Saldivar in Texas.
For context, the 23-year-old photographer was fatally shot outside of a Chick-fil-A in San Antonio on April 23, 2017. The shooting reportedly stemmed from a dispute over photography equipment, which occurred while Tay-K was already on the run from a previous incident.
What Judge Stephanie Boyd Had To Say About Tay-K's Sentence
"I do realize that while this is a lot of time, you’re still alive. You can still better yourself, but the complainant in this case is deceased," Judge Stephanie Boyd told the artist. "You need to internalize that the complainant in this case is deceased. You’re going to have to make changes.”
Tay-K was initially up against a capital murder charge, but on Monday (April 14), Boyd decided to downgrade it to a lesser charge of murder following deliberations. Had the California native, born Taymor McIntyre, been convicted on the original offense, he would’ve automatically received life behind bars for the shooting, which occurred when he was only 16.
Tay-K Was Already Behind Bars For Another Murder Incident
That’s right, Tay-K was already on the run from authorities for his involvement in a 2016 home invasion. “It wasn’t part of the plan. The plan was robbery. Not killing,” his lawyer, Jeff Kearney, explained to jurors back in 2019. Even so, the rapper ended up with a 55-year sentence.
In the aftermath, Tay-K managed to release what could very well be his final mixtape, 2017’s #SantanaWorld(+). The 10-song project featured tracks like “M…. She Wrote,” “Megaman” and a remix of his viral hit “The Race” featuring 21 Savage and Young Nudy. Maxo Kream, Diego Money and Bandman Fari also contributed to the body of work.