Justice for Mark Anthony Saldivar: Rapper Tay-K Convicted in 2017 Shooting

Tay-K, the teenage rap star who was being touted as the next big thing, now tastes the bitter flavor of a court decision. The Texas rapper, whose real name is Taymor McIntyre, was found guilty of murder on April 14, 2025, for murdering 23-year-old photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar in 2017. This is on top of the already 55-year prison sentence that Tay-K received earlier for his role in a fatal 2016 home invasion. He now has a very real possibility of spending the remainder of his days in prison today a meteoric rise to becoming celebrated as one of the most explosive up-and-coming hip-hop groups.

Let’s take a step back and review how this happened.

The Saldivar Case: A Robbery Turned Ugly

Mark Anthony Saldivar was also gunned and murdered outside San Antonio Chick-fil-A on behalf of North Star Mall in April 2017. Tay-K and the boys proceeded and kidnapped Saldivar off campus to take him to a photo shoot. But unbeknownst to them, things got out of hand. Following a resulting fight inside the car, Saldivar was carjacked, later shot in the back of the fast food joint where he was left to perish.

McIntyre was already on the run, having escaped from home arrest when he was indicted for a second count of murder – the murder in 2016 of Ethan Walker during a break-in. So while everybody else would be low-key flying, Tay-K was making headlines, both because he was wanted and because he’d dropped a track that would cause him to become viral.

“The Race” and Sudden Stardom

During flight, Tay-K released a song titled “The Race” which contained an already recorded music video of him when he was still at large. The song became viral overnight, and not so much because of the hook. Literally interpreted, the lines, essentially boasting about escaping policemen, were interpreted by many as a confession. Spiked in rhymes such as “I ain’t beat that case, b**** I did the race,” they were ominously foreboding as his tale unfolded.

“The Race” climbed to No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was viewed over 250 million times on YouTube. It was subpoenaed, even though it was read aloud to him in his 2019 trial as evidence against him. But success comes with a cost: it made for a very public picture of him as a rising star who dreamed about crime, and it showed up in front of the courthouse.

The Verdict and Legal Fallout

At age 24 now, McIntyre was convicted of murder in the Saldivar case. Although he was acquitted of capital murder a charge that would have ruled out parole as an option altogether the murder conviction nonetheless carries a steep price. He can now appeal for five to 99 years or life in prison with the chance for parole.

The jury came back with a unanimous verdict, and the judge proceeded directly to sentencing, which started the following day. His attorneys claimed he was innocent of murder, manslaughter, and capital murder but evidently the jury did not think so.

This is merely the most recent of a string of legal troubles that Tay-K has already encountered. In his case in Ethan Walker, he received 55 years for murder, plus 30 years for one charge of aggravated robbery and 13 years for two other charges of aggravated robbery. All of the sentences to be served concurrently.

A Cautionary Tale of Youth, Violence, and Fame

What’s tragic and heartbreaking about Tay-K’s story is how quickly it all just spiralled out of control. He was 17 when he was suddenly thrust into the spotlight via his music, but on the grounds of actual criminality. His meteoric rise and fall have left others questioning whether rap music glorification of violence is to blame, and whether his teenage followers the majority of whom were teenagers themselves were committing themselves to someone who had not yet comprehended the gravity of his offense.

In one of his latest prison Instagram posts, McIntyre appeared to reflect upon his own offenses. “Now that I’m older, I realize how important it is to lead by example,” he tweeted. “I do care about my fans, and I don’t want anyone to think I’m condoning or really endorsing violence.” He was referring to inviting new young artists onto his stage something that sounds and haunting in light of his current situation.

The Bigger Picture

Tay-K’s case is bigger than that of one young man doing bad things. It is a matter of more concern regarding how the justice system handles juveniles who commit crimes. It is a matter of the power of music and how quickly fame is a double-edged sword. Tay-K was brought into the public eye not in spite of the crimes, but because of them and because of them he’s facing the ultimate sanction.

His tale also brought to the forefront the issue of whether or not lyrics can be guided into evidence during a court hearing. Is music by a musician worth listening to in a court of justice? Can music be divorced from the musician? In Tay-K’s case, the court firmly did not think so. His own words, and the serendipitous timing of the release of the music video, spoke loudly.

What’s Next

As his sentencing has yet to take place, Tay-K’s attorneys may attempt to plead his case based on when precisely he was committing the crimes and on his seeming effort of looking back on what he’d done and attempting to learn from it as a consequence. With two murders and a history of previous charges of robbery already in his arsenal, though, he doesn’t have much hope.

In the end, Tay-K’s tale is one of potential squandered. He possessed the talent, the audience, and the momentum and chose to make decisions that didn’t just kill other people, but killed his future, as well. And now, with the very real potential of spending the bulk, if not all, of his life behind bars before him, his story is a modest reminder: actions have consequences, regardless of your degree of fame.