Who is Blaise Taylor? Details behind the former Titans scout who allegedly poisoned girlfriend, unborn baby to death
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A double murder case involving a college football coach and former staff member of the Tennessee Titans staff, Blaise Taylor is accused of poisoning and killing 25-year-old Jade Benning and her unborn child.
On paper and on the field, Taylor was a star athlete with numerous accolades.
His football career started at Auburn High School in Alabama. He later starred at Arkansas State University, serving as a team captain for four seasons.
“My parents, both of them, stressed academics to me and my sister a lot growing up,” Taylor said in a previous interview.
“He is performing very well on the field, but even better in the classroom, and the fact that he has already completed a master’s degree and is working on other graduate courses at the same time is really unusual and outstanding attribute of his,” Kelly Damphousse, the previous chancellor of Arkansas State University, said.
“We try to get it and we try to score every time,” the then-athlete for Arkansas State University said. “You know cause we say you don’t when it’s the next time you are going to have that opportunity.”
After leaving Arkansas State University, he went on to work as a defensive coach at Duke University, before spending four years as a scout for the Tennessee Titans, leaving the team in 2023.
On Feb. 25, 2023, Taylor visited his girlfriend, Benning, at her Lebanon Pike apartment and allegedly poisoned her. She was pregnant at the time and investigators said the poisoning led to the death of her five-month-old fetus on Feb. 27, 2023.
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Benning died nine days later at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; it was her 25th birthday, according to authorities.
Police said Taylor is the one who called 911 on the night of Feb. 25, 2023. He reportedly told dispatchers Benning seemed to be having an allergic reaction and asked for paramedics.
More than a year later, officials said U.S. Marshals arrested Taylor near Salt Lake City, Utah, on Thursday, March 14. He will be extradited back to Nashville.
Utah State University said Taylor had worked as an analyst with the school’s football team since summer 2023, but he left on March 1 to start a new role at another institution.
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Taylor’s father, Carl “Trooper” Taylor, is reportedly an associate head football coach and running backs coach at Texas A&M University.
Texas A&M Head Football Coach Mike Elko issued the following statement on the matter:
Our thoughts are with all those affected by this heartbreaking situation, including the family and friends of the victim. 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.
Mike Elko
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