Rapper Tay-K, whose real name is Taymor McIntrye, was just sentenced to 55 years in prison for murder and aggravated robbery.
Tay-K is 19 years old, and if he serves the entirety of his sentence, he will be 74 years old when he’s released. He was also sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated robbery and 26 years in prison for other robbery-related charges.
The sentences will be served concurrently, and Tay-K will be eligible to receive parole in 27.5 years, when he is 47 years old.
Jurors also fined Tay-K for the murder and the preceding robbery, for which he will pay $21,000. The crimes in-question occurred in 2016, when Tay-K robbed a home and, upon encountering one of its residents, 21-year-old Ethan Walker, shot and killed him.
Tay-K’s “The Race” was played in the courtroom, and it can be safely stated that the track didn’t help his case. The song, which has more than 174 million YouTube views and more than 183 million Spotify streams, was recorded while Tay-K was on the run from police. The song ranked highly on the Billboard 100, and its lyrics contain numerous references to Ethan Walker’s murder and Tay-K’s efforts to “beat the case.”
After the jury issued their verdict, Ethan Walker’s father took the stand and thanked them. Tay-K is also facing charges in another capital murder case, which stemmed from his alleged 2017 murder of a man outside a Chic-Fil-A restaurant in Texas.
It goes without saying that this is a tremendously sad situation for Ethan Walker’s family — and Ethan Walker himself.
Additionally, one cannot help but think of what Taymor McIntrye could have accomplished had he not turned to a life of murder and crime. He obviously possesses musical talent, but to commit murder in cold blood at the age of 16 is to reveal serious, serious flaws in one’s character and morality.
Updates regarding Tay-K’s other murder case should be provided in the near future.