FORT WORTH, Texas _ Rapper Tay-K was found guilty of murder Friday for his part in a home invasion robbery that left a 21-year-old father dead and another man wounded.
Jurors also found the 19-year-old guilty of aggravated robbery in connection with the robbery and shooting of Zachary Beloate, who was wounded but survived.
Tay-K, whose real name is Taymor McIntyre, had pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of aggravated robbery related to two other victims inside the house.
But McIntyre pleaded not guilty to capital murder in the death of Ethan Walker, 21, and to another count of aggravated robbery related to the shooting of Beloate.
The jury deliberated about four hours over two days before returning its verdict. Had he been convicted of capital murder, he would have automatically been sentenced to life in prison with the chance of parole after 40 years.
The trial is now continuing to determine McIntyre's sentencing for the murder conviction and three aggravated robbery convictions. He faces five to 99 years or life in prison on each.
McIntyre's defense attorneys, Jeff Kearney, Reagan Wynn and Rhett Parham, contended McIntyre only participated in the robbery, was not armed, and had no idea that Walker would be killed by his co-conspirator, Latharian Merritt.
"It wasn't part of the plan. The plan was robbery. Not killing," Kearney told jurors doing closing arguments.
Jim Hudson, who prosecuted the case along with Bill Vassar, told jurors that "red flags" that the home invasion would turn deadly "were right in front of his face."
He pointed out witness testimony that showed McIntyre had recruited Merritt to take part in the robbery, told an accomplice that Merritt liked to shoot, and was present when Merritt talked about being "trigger happy" before the robbery.
"He knew what the risks were when he got into this," Hudson told jurors. "He knew what Larry Merritt might do. It's not reasonable to say otherwise."
The rapper is also charged in a second capital murder case out of Bexar County and an aggravated robbery case in Tarrant County that occurred after McIntyre cut off his ankle monitor and fled while on home arrest for the Mansfield case.
While on the loose, officials allege McIntyre robbed and fatally shot 23-year-old Mark Saldivar at a Chick-fil-A in San Antonio on April 23, 2017.
The next month, he allegedly attacked and robbed 65-year-old Skip Pepe in Arlington's Cravens Park.
After a national manhunt, McIntyre was captured in New Jersey in June 2017.
Since his incarceration, he has been accused of trying to start a jail gang and charged with possessing a prohibited item _ a cellphone _ inside a correctional facility.
