A former college football player, once heralded for his excellence in the classroom and on the field, was arrested in Utah and accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in Tennessee, officials said Thursday.
The U.S. Marshals Service took 27-year-old Blaise A. Taylor into custody after a Nashville grand jury indicted him on two counts of murder, according to a Nashville police statement.
Taylor is the son of Texas A&M associate head coach Trooper Taylor and had recently joined the staff in College Station.
Jade Benning died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on March 6, 2023, which was her 25th birthday, police said. She'd been hospitalized since Feb. 25 when Taylor called 911, reporting that Benning was having an allergic reaction, police said.
Homicide detectives concluded that Taylor "poisoned Benning without her knowledge while visiting her Lebanon Pike apartment on" Feb. 25, police said.
Benning died, as well as her 5-month-old fetus, "which Taylor is alleged to have fathered," according to the police statement.
Taylor moved to Utah after Benning's death.
Taylor played defensive back and ran back kicks for four seasons at Arkansas State. He ran back four punts and one kickoff for touchdowns in his college career that was marked by academic excellence.
Taylor was honored with a National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award in 2017, for having completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in less than four years.
He had served as a defensive analyst for Utah State from July 1 last year until March 1 of this year, when he left for another job at Texas A&M, a Utah State spokesperson said.
"I can confirm Mr. Taylor has been placed on suspension pending an investigation," a Texas A&M spokesperson said.
It wasn’t immediately clear on Friday if Taylor had hired a defense attorney or if one had been assigned to represent him.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this heartbreaking situation, including the family and friends of the victim,” Texas A&M football head coach Mike Elko said in a statement Friday night. “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,” Elko said.
