Full Breakdown
Former Titans Scout Convicted of Murdering Pregnant Girlfriend
7/2/2026, 3:23:39 AM
Background & Context
Blaise Taylor, a former Arkansas State defensive back (2014-17) who earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors and captained his team, worked for the Tennessee Titans as a scout from 2021 to 2023. In early 2024 he was a defensive analyst at the University of Utah. He is the son of Texas A&M associate head coach Trooper Taylor.
Timeline of Events
- Feb 25 2023 – Taylor called 911, reporting Jade Benning was having an allergic reaction after drinking pink lemonade he had prepared. Prosecutors say the drink was laced with cocaine dissolved in alcohol.
- Feb 27 2023 – Benning’s unborn child, a girl the family planned to name Ivy, died (some reports list Feb 2).
- Mar 6 2023 – Benning, 25, died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on her birthday.
- Mar 14 2024 – Taylor was arrested in Utah and extradited to Tennessee.
- Jun 23 2026 – Trial opened in Davidson County.
- Jul 1 2026 – Jury returned a guilty verdict after under three hours of deliberation.
Charges, Verdict, and Statistics
The jury convicted Taylor on four counts: second-degree murder of Jade Benning, pre-meditated first-degree murder of the unborn child, and felony murder for each victim. All counts carry a potential sentence of life imprisonment without parole, which the district attorney’s office is seeking.
Official Statements & Responses
Assistant District Attorney Jan Norman stated that Taylor “went over there to the date night with cocaine to put in her drink,” emphasizing a motive to avoid fathering the child. Defense attorney Letitia Quinones-Hollins replied that “only one person was involved with drugs, and it wasn’t Blaise,” and argued the timeline did not allow pre-meditation. The district attorney formally requested life without parole, citing “aggravated circumstances.”
Criticism & Opposition
The defense questioned the reliability of blood-test results and suggested Benning’s own drug use could explain the toxicology findings. Defense witnesses also noted that medical examiner Dr. Erin Carney could not determine a definitive manner of death, creating reasonable doubt about intentional poisoning.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the fetal death date—some cite Feb 2, others Feb 27. While several outlets report the medical examiner concluded death resulted from a “fatal combination of cocaine and alcohol,” other testimony described the manner of death as “undetermined.” Benning’s prior drug use remains contested, with prosecutors asserting no history and the defense presenting contrary testimony. Sources also differ on whether Taylor was a defensive analyst at the University of Utah or at Utah State when he was arrested.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He goes over there to the date night with cocaine to put in her drink,” — Jan Norman, Assistant District Attorney
- “Here was only one person involved with drugs, and it wasn't Blaise,” — Letitia Quinones-Hollins, Defense Attorney
- “Michael Olushoga, who treated Benning, said during his testimony that “all clinical signs” indicated she was dead by the time she arrived at the hospital.” — Dr. Michael Olushoga, Vanderbilt physician
- “I know you put something in my drink” — Jade Benning (as recounted by prosecutors)
