Taymor Travon McIntyre, the rapper known as Tay-K, has been named in a lawsuit launched by Owney “Skip” Pepe and his wife Barbara, according to a report in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Tay-K is accused of assaulting and robbing the 65-year-old Pepe on May 25, 2017 in an Arlington park while the rapper was on the run from police. The lawsuit reads: “McIntyre... savagely beat the defenseless 65-year-old, leaving him unconscious with multiple broken bones and [a] brain bleed... McIntyre dragged Mr. Pepe’s body off the trail and left him for dead in the woods.”
Along with Tay-K, the defendants in Pepe's lawsuit are Tay-K's label 88 Records and its owner Joshua White, and Tay-K's manager Ezra Averill. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of using the assault and robbery to boost Tay-K's reputation in the rap industry.
“These Defendants chose to financially profit from McIntyre’s violent crimes," the lawsuit reads, "and take money for themselves from the sale of his music that otherwise would be available to compensate McIntyre’s victims.”
Pepe's beating and robbery are two of the crimes Tay-K is accused of after fleeing house arrest in March 2017. He was awaiting a capital murder trial in the death of 21-year-old Ethan Walker when he cut his ankle monitor and escaped – in addition to the Pepe case, Tay-K is also charged in the death of Mark Anthony Saldiva, who was shot and killed outside of a San Antonio Chick-Fil-A on April 23, 2017. The families of Saldiva and Walker have launched similar, separate lawsuits against Tay-K.
Tay-K was captured in July 2017. He will be charged as an adult in all three cases, but is not facing the death penalty.
The music video for Tay-K's breakout song "The Race" was filmed while the rapper was on the run from authorities. The song peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100.
