Former college football star and current Tennessee Texas A&M staff member Blaise Taylor has been arrested by U.S. Marshals on charges of two counts of first-degree murder. Taylor was indicted on Thursday night in connection to the alleged poisoning of his former girlfriend, Jade Benning, and her five-month-old fetus in Nashville, Tennessee.
Taylor is accused of poisoning Benning at her Nashville home on February 25, 2023. Following the incident, Benning was transported to a hospital after Taylor dialed 911 and reported that she was suffering an allergic reaction. Two days after the incident, on February 27, Benning's fetus, reportedly fathered by Taylor, passed away. Benning herself died on March 6.
Arrested on Double Murder Charges
After extensive investigations conducted by law enforcement, scientists, and the medical examiner, local authorities concluded that Benning had been "poisoned without her knowledge" following Taylor's visit to her home.
Taylor had a four-year tenure as a defensive back and returner at Arkansas State, during which he set the school's all-time record for punt-return yards.
Throughout his tenure at Arkansas State, Taylor served as a team captain and earned recognition as a first-team All-Sun Belt selection.
Following his football career, Taylor worked as a scout for the Tennessee Titans, based at Nashville's Nissan Stadium, where the team plays its home games.
Before joining the staff at Texas A&M, Taylor held the position of defensive analyst at Utah State in 2023.
Trooper Taylor, the running backs coach at Texas A&M, is Blaise Taylor's father.
Blaise has been suspended from his duties pending the investigation.
In the meantime, Aggies head coach Mike Elko issued a statement on Friday.
"Our thoughts are with all those affected by this heartbreaking situation, including the family and friends of the victim,' Elko said in the statement.
"It's essential to allow the courts to handle this situation with the diligence and fairness it demands. We also would like to extend our prayers and support to Coach Trooper Taylor, Dr. Evelyn Taylor and their family as they navigate this extremely difficult time."
Blaise's career appears to have come to an end as sources said that the evidence against him is quite strong. If proven guilty, he could end up years behind bars. He has been indicted on two counts of first-degree murder.
