A former Arkansas State University football player is accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in Tennessee.
Deputy U.S. Marshals arrested 27-year-old Blaise Taylor in Utah on Thursday, after being indicted by a Nashville grand jury. Taylor is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the poisoning deaths of Jade Benning and her five-month-old fetus, which Taylor allegedly fathered.
Benning died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in March of last year on her 25th birthday. Taylor had called 911 saying he believed Benning was having an allergic reaction.
Following months of investigation, police say they believe Taylor poisoned her without her knowledge while at her apartment.
Taylor played defensive back for four seasons at Arkansas State and had been honored by the National Football Foundation as a National Scholar-Athlete. He recently joined Utah State as a senior defensive analyst for the 2023 season.
