Former NFL scout poisoned pregnant girlfriend, killing her and unborn child, cops say

A former professional football scout is accused of poisoning his girlfriend and their unborn child in Nashville in 2023.

Now, 27-year-old Blaise Taylor has been indicted on two first-degree murder charges, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department announced March 14.

On Feb. 25, 2023, Taylor visited his girlfriend at her Nashville apartment, according to police. At the time, Jade Benning was five months pregnant with their child, police said.

Shortly after 9:30 p.m. that night, he called 911 reporting that his girlfriend appeared to be having an allergic reaction and to send paramedics, police said.

Benning was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where she remained until her death on her 25th birthday. The couple’s child died Feb. 27, and Benning died March 6, police said.

Investigators weren’t able to speak with her about the incident before she died.

On March 13, a Nashville grand jury indicted Taylor on the murder charges, and he was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals in Utah the next day, police said.

Taylor scouted for the Tennessee Titans after graduating from Arkansas State University, where he was a star defensive back for the school’s football team.

He moved to Utah to work as a defensive analyst for Utah State University after Benning’s death, The Tennessean reported. A spokesperson for the athletics department told McClatchy News that Taylor left the university on March 1 for an opportunity at another institution. He is currently listed in the Texas A&M University directory as a senior athletic assistant.

“To know Jade was to love Jade,” her family wrote in her obituary.

Her family described her as someone who had a passion for cheerleading from a young age and loved spending time with her “extensive” group of friends and family. She owned her own catering business after graduating from culinary school.

“She had a smile that would light up the room, a laugh that was contagious, and a heart that loved everyone (well there were a few exceptions),” her family wrote. “In addition to her passion for cooking, she enjoyed taking time to travel as much as possible.”

Authorities are arranging Taylor’s return to Tennessee.

This story was originally published March 15, 2024 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Former NFL scout poisoned pregnant girlfriend, killing her and unborn child, cops say."