Former NFL Scout Blaise Taylor Convicted of Murdering Pregnant Girlfriend, Sentenced to Life in Prison
A Tennessee jury has found former NFL scout and college football standout Blaise Taylor guilty of murdering his pregnant girlfriend and causing the death of their unborn daughter, bringing one of the state’s most closely watched criminal trials to a dramatic conclusion.
After a seven day trial in Nashville, jurors deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before convicting the 30 year old on all counts, including first degree murder and felony murder. During the sentencing phase, the jury determined that prosecutors had proven multiple aggravating factors beyond a reasonable doubt, including the deaths of two victims and the killing of an unborn child. While jurors rejected a sentence of life without parole, they imposed life imprisonment with the possibility of parole, meaning Taylor is not expected to become eligible for parole consideration until he is around 80 years old under Tennessee law.
The case stems from the February 2023 deaths of Taylor’s 25 year old girlfriend, Jade Benning, and their unborn daughter, Ivy.
Prosecutors: Victim Was Secretly Poisoned
According to prosecutors, Taylor visited Benning at her Nashville apartment for what was described as a date night before secretly lacing her pink lemonade with an extremely high dose of cocaine. Later that evening, Taylor called 911, telling dispatchers Benning appeared to be suffering from an allergic reaction.
Emergency responders transported Benning to Vanderbilt University Medical Center without signs of life. Doctors were able to temporarily restart her heart, but her unborn daughter died two days later on February 27, 2023. Benning remained hospitalized for several more days before dying on March 6, her 25th birthday.
Friend’s Testimony Became a Turning Point
One of the prosecution’s strongest pieces of evidence came from testimony by Benning’s best friend, who described receiving a frantic late night phone call shortly before the medical emergency. According to the testimony, the friend heard Benning confronting Taylor and saying:
“My drink tasted funny, I can’t even walk straight, you did this to do something to the baby.”
Prosecutors argued the statement demonstrated Benning immediately suspected she had been intentionally poisoned.
Medical Evidence Supported State’s Theory
Forensic experts and the medical examiner testified that the cocaine concentration found in Benning’s body was extraordinarily high and inconsistent with recreational drug use. The prosecution argued the evidence showed the cocaine had been administered without Benning’s knowledge and that the amount found in her system was sufficient to cause her death and the death of her unborn child. Taylor left Tennessee shortly after the deaths and later accepted a football analyst position in Utah before authorities arrested him in March 2024.
Defense Challenged the Evidence
Taylor’s attorneys argued there was no direct evidence proving he poisoned Benning and attempted to portray her death as the result of voluntary drug use. The defense also emphasized that Taylor had no history of drug abuse and presented testimony from his mother describing him as a devoted mentor, volunteer, and community leader. During closing arguments, defense attorneys urged jurors to recognize that a life sentence with parole eligibility decades in the future would still amount to spending nearly his entire life behind bars. The trial also saw tense courtroom exchanges during testimony from a defense toxicology expert, prompting the judge to intervene and instruct the witness to directly answer prosecutors’ questions.
Life Sentence Leaves Only a Remote Chance of Release
Although prosecutors secured convictions on every count, the jury stopped short of imposing life without parole. Instead, Taylor received life with the possibility of parole, a sentence that makes release highly unlikely given his age and Tennessee’s parole eligibility rules. The court is scheduled to reconvene on September 9, 2026, when Judge Steve Dozier will address remaining procedural matters involving the merger of convictions and finalize the judgment. For the family of Jade Benning and baby Ivy, the verdict closes one chapter in a case that prosecutors described as the deliberate killing of both a young mother and her unborn child—a crime that will likely keep Blaise Taylor behind bars for the rest of his life.
