17-year-old Arlington, TX rapper Tay-K, best known for his song “The Race,” is currently on trial for robbery and murder. The music video for his “runaway” hit was actually shot while he was evading the law after being arrested for the murder of 21-year-old Ethan Walker during a robbery gone wrong. Now, his case has taken a turn for the worse, as according to the Star-Telegram, Tay-K’s accomplice in the plot has been sentenced for her role in the murder.
Because she was also 17 years old when the murder was committed, her name cannot be released by authorities, but despite her young age, state District Judge Timothy Menikos sentenced her to 20 years in prison. He rejected a request by her lawyer, Frank Adler, to have the case tried in juvenile court or have her youth and mental state considered as a mitigating factor. While she wasn’t the one who ultimately pulled the trigger, her role in the robbery plan was considered integral enough to the murder that she was considered the catalyst for the whole thing. She was found guilty on charges of capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery.
She was the only defendant in the case to not be certified as an adult, while the other four defendants, including Tay-K, have all had their identities revealed while being tried as adults: Megan Holt, Ariana Bharrat, Latharian Merritt and Sean Robinson. The unidentified female defendant will be incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility and will be up for parole or transfer to an adult facility at 19 years of age. The others are still awaiting trial.
