Former NFL scout convicted of murder of girlfriend and unborn child
A former Arkansas State defensive back and Tennessee Titans scout was found guilty of killing his girlfriend and her unborn child in a Nashville courtroom, with sentencing pending.
A Nashville jury convicted Blaise Taylor, a 30-year-old former Arkansas State defensive back and ex-scout for the Tennessee Titans, of four homicide counts related to the death of his girlfriend, Jade Benning, and her unborn child. The verdict, delivered Wednesday, includes one count of second-degree murder for Benning, one count of first-degree murder for the fetus, and two counts of first-degree felony murder for each victim. Taylor, who was arrested in 2024, is awaiting sentencing and could face life imprisonment without parole.
According to court records, investigators say Taylor administered cocaine-laced pink lemonade to Benning in February 2023. Benning was taken to a hospital on February 25 after Taylor called 911, reporting an allergic reaction. She died on March 6, the day of her 25th birthday, and the five-month-old fetus died on February 27.
At the time of his arrest, Taylor was employed as a defensive analyst at the University of Utah and had previously spent four years in the Titans’ scouting department. He was a four-year starter at Arkansas State from 2014 to 2017, serving as a team captain and earning first-team All-Sun Belt honors as a defensive back and punt returner.
