Rapper Tay-K, born Taymor McIntyre, has been convicted of the 2017 murder of photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar, though he was acquitted of the capital murder charge that could have led to the death penalty. The jury’s verdict means McIntyre faces a sentence of 5 to 99 years in prison for the robbery and fatal shooting.

Rapper Tay-K convicted of murder in 2017 shooting of photographer Mark Saldivar, avoiding the death penalty with a sentence of 5 to 99 years.

Rapper Taymor McIntyre, widely known by his stage name Tay-K, has been found guilty of the murder of photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar, who was killed in 2017 on the North Side of the city. The jury’s decision came after a short trial, though McIntyre was acquitted of the capital murder charge. Had he been convicted on this charge, he could have faced the death penalty. Instead, McIntyre’s conviction now carries a sentence ranging from five to 99 years in prison.

The Crime: Robbery and Murder

McIntyre was accused of robbing Saldivar and fatally shooting him during an altercation over photography equipment. Prosecutors argued that McIntyre shot Saldivar after the victim tried to retrieve his belongings, which had been stolen by the defendant. According to the prosecution, McIntyre shot Saldivar in cold blood.

However, defense attorneys contended that the physical evidence and eyewitness testimony presented during the trial did not conclusively link McIntyre to the crime. The defense maintained that there were inconsistencies in witness accounts and that the evidence was insufficient to prove McIntyre’s involvement beyond a reasonable doubt.

Former Girlfriend’s Account Against Tay-K

A significant part of the prosecution’s case came from the testimony of Joanna Reyes, McIntyre’s former girlfriend. Reyes, who had been driving the car involved in the incident, had accepted a plea deal for probation on a charge of tampering with evidence. She testified that McIntyre had shot Saldivar after the photographer climbed onto the car’s hood in an attempt to retrieve his stolen items.

In her testimony, Reyes recalled the tense moment as Saldivar tried to recover his belongings, only to be shot by McIntyre. “He climbed on the hood of the car, trying to get his stuff back, and that’s when Tay-K shot him,” she said during the trial.

Inconsistent Witness Accounts and Surveillance Footage in Tay-K Trial

Despite Reyes’ testimony, the case was complicated by inconsistent eyewitness accounts. Several witnesses provided varying descriptions of the gunman, and there was conflicting information about the weapon used in the shooting. Additionally, surveillance footage of the incident was presented, but the defense argued that it was too grainy and unclear to make an identification of the shooter.

Prosecutors, however, emphasized the surveillance video during their closing arguments. “You watch that car, it lurches forward, what does he do? He falls down to his hands and knees. He slides down that vehicle. Then you see the white shirt pop out, boom,” a prosecutor said. “He wasn’t standing up stomping on a windshield. He was on his hands and knees shot by Taymor McIntyre.”

McIntyre’s Age and Sentence

At the time of the shooting, McIntyre was a minor. As a result, his conviction will not result in a death sentence, but rather a prison sentence of 5 to 99 years. Despite being found guilty of murder, the jury’s acquittal on the capital murder charge spared McIntyre from facing the death penalty.