San Antonio, TX –
Tay-K is set to spend the rest of his life in prison after being sentenced to 80 years behind bars for murdering photographer Mark Saldivar.
The decision was made on Tuesday (April 15) by a jury of his peers who earlier this week convicted the rapper of murder but not capitol murder, the punishment for which is a mandatory life sentence.
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The 24-year-old is already serving a 55-year sentence for a separate murder, although it was not revealed if the sentences will be served concurrently or consecutively.
It’s also unclear if “The Race” hitmaker could become eligible for parole.
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Tay-K (real name Taymor McIntyre) has not yet issued a response to the sentencing or if he plans to appeal.
Saldivar was killed in 2017 in San Antonio while Tay was on the run from authorities after escaping house arrest.
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During the trial, the rapper was identified as the shooter by witness and former girlfriend, Joanna Reyes.
Reyes was herself accused of being the driver in the shooting, but turned government witness and accepted a plea deal on the lesser charge of tampering with evidence.
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During her testimony, Reyes described how she had set up a photoshoot for Tay-K with Saldivar, with the three of them plus Jalen Bell and Jeremiah Rodriguez in one vehicle.
Reyes claimed that Tay-K pulled out a gun on Saldivar and demanded his backpack. The photographer refused, which is when the group allegedly began assaulting him.
The melee led to Saldivar climbing onto the hood of the car and, according to Reyes, Tay-K pointing the gun at her and ordering that she get him down.
Reyes then claimed that after she failed to do so, Tay-K leaned out of the car and shot Saldivar.
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“He opened the door and leaned out on one leg,” she told jurors. “He shot him.”
Reyes then testified that she did not initially report the shooting out of fear for her safety and that Tay had threatened her and her family.
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Tay-K, who rose to fame with the 2017 hit “The Race,” was previously convicted on a different murder charge relating to a 2016 home invasion.
In that case, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated robbery and given two additional 13-year sentences on two other counts of aggravated robbery. Those sentences are being served concurrently.
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