College Football Staffer Blaise Taylor Arrested on Murder Charges

College football staffer Blaise Taylor, a former player at Arkansas State, was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Thursday night in Utah on two counts of first-degree murder linked to the poisoning deaths of his girlfriend and five-month old unborn fetus in Nashville.

According to a release from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Taylor’s girlfriend, Jade Benning, died on March 6, 2023 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Per the release, Benning was rushed to the hospital by ambulance on Feb. 25, ’23 after Taylor called 911 requesting paramedics for an alleged allergic reaction that Benning was suffering from. 

Benning’s unborn fetus died two days later, while Benning remained in critical condition until her death on March 6. After months of investigation, Nashville police alleged that Taylor poisoned Benning without her knowledge while visiting her apartment on the night of Feb. 25. 

Taylor was living in Nashville and working for the Tennessee Titans at the time of the alleged murders. He then joined the Utah State coaching staff as a senior defensive analyst under coach Blake Anderson for the 2023 football season. Taylor had recently joined Texas A&M’s staff under new coach Mike Elko in a similar role, per reports.

Taylor is the son of longtime college football assistant Trooper Taylor, who is also working under Elko in College Station as an associate head coach and running backs coach.