Logan, Utah (ABC4) — former member utah state university A football staff member was taken into custody Thursday night, March 14, in connection with the death of a Nashville woman and her unborn child.
of Metro Nashville Police Department Deputy U.S. Marshals announced that they have taken Blaze Allen Taylor, 27, into custody. A Nashville grand jury indicted Taylor on two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly poisoning his girlfriend and the 5-month-old fetus that Taylor allegedly fathered.
Taylor's girlfriend, Jade Benning, has passed away. Vanderbilt University Medical Center March 6, 2023 in Nashville on her 25th birthday.
Nashville authorities said Benning was rushed to the hospital on the night of February 25, 2023, after Taylor called 911. Taylor reported that Benning appeared to be “having an allergic reaction” and called for paramedics. Benning's condition became critical, and his unborn child died a few days later, on February 27, 2023.
After a months-long investigation by homicide detectives, crime lab scientists, and medical examiner's office doctors, the Nashville Metro Police Department said Taylor had no knowledge of what happened when she visited Benning on the night of Feb. 25. Authorities have determined that the suspect may have been poisoned before he was born.
Police were unable to interview Benning before he died. After the death of Benning and his unborn child, Taylor moved to Utah and began working for the Utah State University football team. Utah State University announced that Taylor had begun his studies. aggies He resigned in July 2023, weeks before his arrest.
Utah State University said in a statement to ABC4:[We are] We are aware of the arrest of former employee Blaze Taylor, who resigned from the university on March 1, 2024 and took a new position at another institution. Taylor has been working as an analyst with the USU football program since July 1, 2023. The university is not involved in this law enforcement matter…”
The Nashville Metro Police Department is reportedly working with Utah authorities to arrange Taylor's return to Nashville.
