Ex-Arkansas St. football star charged with murder

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior WriterMar 15, 2024, 11:28 AM ET

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• College football press reporter.
• Signed up with ESPN.com in 2008.
• Graduate of Northwestern University.Blaise Taylor, a former college

football star at Arkansas State who has actually worked as an analyst on college football personnels and as an NFL scout, has been arrested on suspicion in the poisoning deaths of his sweetheart and her unborn child in Nashville, Tennessee.U.S. marshals jailed Taylor, 27, on Thursday night in Utah, serving an indictment from Nashville cops on 2 counts of first-degree murder. Taylor is accused of poisoning Jade Benning in February 2023. Benning passed away March 6, 2023, on her 25th birthday, and her 5-month-old fetus, which Taylor is believed to have actually fathered, passed away on Feb. 27, 2023. Benning was rushed to the healthcare facility on Feb. 25 in 2015 after Taylor called 911, stating Benning was having an allergy. Her condition quickly became important, and she was unable to consult with authorities before she died.Taylor had been operating in Nashville for the Tennessee Titans, where he increased in the pro searching department.

He joined Utah State as a senior protective expert for the 2023 season and is noted as a staff member in the Texas A&M directory site. Taylor’s dad, Trooper Taylor, a long time college coach, just recently joined Texas A&M’s coaching staff as running backs coach and associate head coach under new head coach Mike Elko.”Our thoughts are with all those affected by this heartbreaking circumstance, including the friends and family of the victim,” Elko stated in a statement

.”It’s necessary to enable the courts to handle this situation with the diligence and fairness it requires. We also want to extend our prayers and assistance to Coach Trooper Taylor, Dr. Evelyn Taylor and their family as they navigate this very hard time.” The school also said Blaise Taylor has actually been suspended pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.Blaise Taylor is implicated of poisoning Benning without her understanding while visiting her

apartment or condo. Nashville police say they are working with authorities in Utah to carry Taylor back to the city.Blaise Taylor was

a four-year starter at Arkansas State, where Trooper coached defensive backs at the time. Blaise Taylor acted as a captain and earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors as a defensive back and as a punt returner. He holds Arkansas State career records for punt return lawns(1,151)and pass breakups(30 )and left as the Sun Belt’s leader in passes protected (36).