NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Court TV) — A former pro football scout is facing a possible sentence of life behind bars if he’s convicted of killing his girlfriend and her unborn child.
Blaise Taylor appears in court at an April 2024 bond hearing. (Scripps News Nashville)
Blaise Taylor, 30, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of felony murder in the death of his girlfriend, Jade Benning, who died on her 25th birthday in 2023. At the time of her death, Benning was pregnant with a girl.
Benning was rushed to the hospital on Feb. 25, 2023, after Taylor called 911 to report that his girlfriend appeared to be having an allergic reaction. After her arrival at the hospital, the alleged victim’s condition continued to decline. Her unborn baby died on Feb. 27; prosecutors say Benning “lingered” and “languished” for days before ultimately dying on March 6.
A toxicology report reviewed by Court TV revealed Benning had cocaine in her system when she died. The medical examiner testified at a hearing in Taylor’s case that Benning had more drugs in her system than could be accounted for by recreational use, WSMV reported.
Nearly one year later, after months of investigation, Taylor was taken into custody. In a news release announcing the charges against Taylor, prosecutors said Benning was poisoned “without her knowledge” while Taylor was visiting her apartment.
At a bond hearing in 2024, Benning’s best friend testified that she got a late-night phone call from the alleged victim the night she got sick, WTVF reported. On the call, the friend reported hearing Benning tell Taylor, “My drink tasted funny, I can’t even walk straight, you did this to do something to the baby.”
Taylor was released from custody on a $2.5 million bond pending trial.
At the time of his arrest, Taylor was a senior defensive analyst for the Utah State University football team. Before traveling to Utah, Taylor worked as a scouting assistant and then a pro scout for the Tennessee Titans; he left Tennessee shortly after Benning’s death.
In college, Taylor was a defensive back and punt returner at Arkansas State, where he was team captain. He earned both a Master of Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree from the school in less than four years.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Monday, June 22. The trial was originally scheduled to begin in January, but was delayed by a winter storm.
