Ex-College Football Player Charged in Poisoning Deaths of Girlfriend & Unborn Child

A 28-year-old ex-college football star has been accused of fatally poisoning his girlfriend and their unborn child, according to Nashville authorities. In a press release shared by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Blaise A. Taylor, 27, a former college football player at Arkansas State and an analyst at Texas A&M, was arrested in Utah on Thursday after being indicted by a Nashville grand jury, which charged him with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his girlfriend, Jade Benning, and her five-month-old fetus, "which Taylor is alleged to have fathered." According to jail records, Taylor was booked on Thursday evening, and is being held without bail at the Cache County Jail in Logan, Utah. The records did not show an attorney listed for Taylor. Taylor is "alleged to have poisoned Benning without her knowledge" when he was at her apartment on the evening of February 25, 2023, Nashville police said. Authorities noted that she was "rushed to the hospital" via an ambulance after Taylor called 911, and said his girlfriend "appeared to be having an allergic reaction." However, Benning's medical condition "immediately became critical," per police. Authorities said the fetus died two days later, and Benning passed away on March 6, noting that she "was not able to be interviewed" by police before she died." According to the MNPD, Taylor moved to Utah following the deaths. Nashville police also noted that they "will be working with Utah authorities to arrange for Taylor's return to Nashville." Taylor, a defensive back, played football at Arkansas State from 2014 to 2017 and started all four years. During Taylor's time in college, his father, Trooper Taylor, was a defensive backs coach. He became the associate head coach on offense and running backs coach at Texas A&M this year. According to CNN, Taylor just recently got a new job as an analyst at Texas A&M. However, the university announced on Friday that he's been "placed on suspension pending an investigation," per the outlet. Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko issued a statement in the wake of Taylor's arrest. "Our thoughts are with all those affected by this heartbreaking situation, including the family and friends of the victim," he said, according to ESPN. "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."