Latharian Devante Merritt is a Texas man serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the capital murder of 21-year-old Ethan Walker, whom he shot in the stomach during a home invasion robbery in Mansfield, Texas, on July 26, 2016. A Tarrant County jury convicted him, and the First District Court of Appeals of Texas affirmed the conviction in 2020. One of the people who helped plan the robbery was rapper Taymor McIntyre, better known as Tay-K, which is why Merritt’s name still surfaces in coverage of that case.
The Mansfield Home Invasion
The robbery targeted 17-year-old Zachary Beloate at his father’s house on Aspen Court. A group of young people, including Beloate’s girlfriend, believed he had marijuana, Xanax, and cash worth taking. An earlier attempt had failed, so Megan Holt messaged McIntyre asking for “straps” — guns — “because we got a lick.”1Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Home Invasion Robbery Planning Details
McIntyre brought in three men to handle the armed portion: Merritt, Sean Robinson, and Jalen Bell. They met at an apartment beforehand to go over the plan. Merritt showed up with a .40-caliber Glock fitted with an extended magazine. Robinson carried a .38, and Bell brought brass knuckles. McIntyre was reportedly unarmed. During the meeting, Merritt said he was “trigger happy.” His defense attorneys later argued he had been laughing when he said it.1Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Home Invasion Robbery Planning Details
The women went inside first to check who was home and unlock the doors. When the four masked men came in, Beloate later testified, the women he knew “literally stepped out of the way and let them walk past.”2NBC DFW. Victim in Rapper’s Murder Trial Testifies His Girlfriend Set Him Up Robinson hit Beloate in the head with brass knuckles and shot him in the shoulder.3Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Shooting Survivor Testimony Details Ethan Walker, Beloate’s roommate and a young father, was sitting on the floor with his hands raised after handing over his cellphone. Merritt shot him in the stomach.4Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Home Invasion and Botched Robbery Details The group fled. Walker died at the hospital; Beloate learned his roommate was gone when he overheard emergency room staff saying they had lost the patient.5CBS News Texas. Deadly Home Invasion Survivor Testifies
The Capital Murder Conviction
Tarrant County prosecutors charged Merritt with capital murder and tried him in Criminal District Court No. 2. The state did not seek the death penalty, which meant a guilty verdict on capital murder would carry an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole under Texas Penal Code Section 19.03.6Casemine. Merritt v. State, No. 01-18-00607-CR Section 19.03 elevates murder to capital murder when the killing occurs during certain felonies, including robbery.
The evidence against Merritt was heavy. After his arrest he gave two separate statements to police in which he admitted shooting Walker.7vLex. Merritt v. State, No. 01-18-00607-CR Co-conspirator statements from witnesses identified as M.S. and Holt corroborated his role, and Detective Patrick Knotts’s arrest affidavit tied him to the scene through physical descriptions, nicknames, a photograph, and details about a white vehicle.8Midpage. Latharian Devante Merritt v. State Prosecutors also told jurors Merritt had previously shot into a vehicle during an earlier robbery.9Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Tay-K Capital Murder Trial Details The jury found him guilty, and the sentence of life without parole followed automatically.10Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Co-Defendant Outcomes in Walker Murder Case
The Appeal
Merritt appealed to the First District Court of Appeals of Texas, raising two issues. First, he argued his post-arrest statements should have been suppressed because the arrest warrant lacked probable cause. He contended the supporting affidavit omitted information showing a witness had lied to investigators, framing the argument under Franks v. Delaware, which allows defendants to challenge warrants based on deliberate falsehoods or omissions in affidavits. The court rejected this on procedural grounds, holding Merritt had not raised the Franks issue at trial and so had not preserved it. On the face of the affidavit, the court said, there was a substantial basis for the magistrate’s probable cause finding.8Midpage. Latharian Devante Merritt v. State
Second, Merritt challenged jury instructions that told jurors the state was “not required” to prove guilt “beyond all possible doubt” but was required to exclude all “reasonable doubt.” He argued the language misstated the law. The appellate court disagreed, pointing to Texas Court of Criminal Appeals precedent that permits such language.7vLex. Merritt v. State, No. 01-18-00607-CR
On April 14, 2020, Justice Peter Kelly issued the opinion affirming the trial court’s judgment in full.7vLex. Merritt v. State, No. 01-18-00607-CR
How Merritt’s Case Connected to Tay-K
Merritt was the shooter, but he was not the reason the case became national news. That was McIntyre. Sixteen at the time of the Walker killing, McIntyre recruited the armed participants and searched under a couch for drugs and money during the robbery. In 2017, while under house arrest awaiting trial, he cut off his ankle monitor, fled to New Jersey, and released the song “The Race” as a fugitive. A Tarrant County jury convicted him in 2019 of murder and three counts of aggravated robbery, and he was sentenced to 55 years with concurrent 30- and 13-year sentences on the robbery counts.11CNN. Rapper Tay-K Sentenced McIntyre was convicted of murder rather than capital murder, which is how his sentence came out substantially shorter than Merritt’s.12Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Tay-K Sentenced to 55 Years
Where Things Stand
Merritt remains in the Texas prison system, serving life without the possibility of parole. His direct appeal has been decided against him.