Last updated: July 28, 2026
Why is Tay-K in jail? Searches for the Texas rapper are surging right now, and the answer is that Tay-K (real name Taymor Travon McIntyre) is serving two long Texas prison sentences for two separate murders: a 55-year sentence for a deadly 2016 home invasion and an 80-year sentence, handed down in April 2025, for the 2017 killing of photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar. Despite viral rumors that he is coming home soon, official Texas prison records show he is not eligible for parole until 2049.
Who Is Tay-K?
Tay-K, born Taymor Travon McIntyre on June 16, 2000, is a rapper from Arlington, Texas. He shot to fame in 2017 with the song “The Race,” which reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was later certified platinum. What made the song infamous was its backstory: Tay-K recorded it while he was a fugitive, having cut off his ankle monitor and fled house arrest while awaiting trial on a capital murder charge. US Marshals arrested him in New Jersey in mid-2017, the same week the song went viral.
The 2016 Home Invasion Murder
Tay-K’s first conviction stems from a July 2016 home invasion robbery in Mansfield, Texas, near Fort Worth. Tay-K, then 16 years old, was one of a group involved in a planned robbery that turned deadly when 21-year-old Ethan Walker was shot and killed. Prosecutors charged Tay-K with capital murder and he was certified to stand trial as an adult.
In July 2019, a Tarrant County jury convicted him of murder — a lesser charge than capital murder — along with aggravated robbery counts. He was sentenced to 55 years in prison for the murder, plus additional concurrent terms for the robbery charges.
The Second Murder Conviction: Mark Saldivar
In April 2025, Tay-K was convicted of a second, separate murder. A Bexar County jury found him guilty of killing 23-year-old photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar, who was shot in a San Antonio Chick-fil-A parking lot in April 2017 — during the period when Tay-K was on the run after cutting his ankle monitor. Prosecutors said Saldivar was killed in a robbery after refusing to hand over his camera equipment.
The jury acquitted Tay-K of capital murder, which would have meant an automatic life sentence, but convicted him of murder. Judge Stephanie Boyd sentenced him to 80 years in prison, to run concurrently with his existing 55-year sentence. His attorneys filed an appeal in May 2025 and have since asked to temporarily pause the appeal while they challenge the legality of an old search warrant used to obtain an iPhone linked to the case.
Why Is Tay-K Trending Right Now?
Tay-K’s name regularly resurfaces on social media, and the current spike in “why is Tay-K in jail” searches is driven largely by viral TikTok and Instagram content: release-date countdowns, resurfaced jail footage and phone-call clips, and claims from his sister that he could be “coming home” sooner than expected. Tay-K himself has fueled speculation with cryptic posts. However, none of this changes his official record — the Texas Department of Criminal Justice lists no early release, and his projected release date remains in 2099 unless his appeal succeeds or he is paroled.
How the US Prison System Applies to Tay-K’s Case
Tay-K is held in a Texas state prison, not a federal facility, because murder and robbery are state crimes prosecuted under Texas law. You can read more about the distinction in our guide to federal vs state prisons.
Because his 80-year and 55-year sentences run concurrently (at the same time, not back to back), the longer sentence controls his timeline. Under Texas law, a person convicted of murder must serve at least half their sentence — capped at 30 calendar years — before becoming eligible for parole. That is why Tay-K’s parole eligibility date is August 7, 2049, when he will be 49 years old. Parole is never guaranteed: a parole board weighs conduct, the nature of the offense, and victim statements. Our guide to parole and probation rules by state explains how these decisions work across the country.
Is Tay-K Still in Jail? Current Status
Yes. As of July 2026, Tay-K is incarcerated at the John B. Connally Unit, a maximum-security Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison near Kenedy, Texas, south of San Antonio. His records show he first becomes eligible for parole on August 7, 2049, and his sentence does not expire until August 8, 2099. His appeal of the Bexar County conviction is still pending, and unless it succeeds, the earliest realistic path out of prison is parole in 2049.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Tay-K in jail?
Tay-K is in prison for two separate murders committed in 2016 and 2017, when he was 16 and 17 years old. He was convicted in 2019 of murder for a fatal home invasion robbery in Mansfield, Texas, and convicted again in April 2025 of murdering photographer Mark Saldivar in San Antonio.
How long is Tay-K’s sentence?
He is serving an 80-year sentence for the Saldivar murder, running concurrently with a 55-year sentence for the 2016 home invasion murder, plus concurrent aggravated robbery terms.
When will Tay-K be released from prison?
His sentence does not expire until August 8, 2099. His first parole eligibility date is August 7, 2049, when he will be 49. Viral social media posts claiming he is being released soon are not supported by official Texas prison records.
What prison is Tay-K in?
He is held at the John B. Connally Unit, a maximum-security state prison operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice near Kenedy, Texas.
Is Tay-K appealing his conviction?
Yes. His attorneys appealed the April 2025 Bexar County murder conviction in May 2025, and have sought a pause in the appeal to challenge a search warrant used to seize an iPhone connected to the case. The appeal is still pending.