Blaise Taylor Sentenced: Why the Ex-Titans Scout Got Two Consecutive Life Sentences

Blaise Taylor was sentenced on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to two consecutive life sentences plus 22 years in prison for murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Jade Benning, and their unborn daughter. The former Tennessee Titans scout and Arkansas State defensive back is trending across the US today as news of the sentence spreads and his attorney vows to appeal. This page explains who Taylor is, what he was convicted of, what his sentence actually means under Tennessee law, and where he is likely to serve it.

Last updated: September 10, 2026.

Who is Blaise Taylor?

Blaise Taylor is a former college football player and NFL scout. He played defensive back and return specialist at Arkansas State University from 2014 to 2017, where he was known as one of the more productive punt returners in the Sun Belt Conference. He is the son of longtime college football coach Trooper Taylor.

After his playing career, Taylor moved into coaching and personnel work. He spent time as a senior defensive analyst at Utah State University and was employed by the Tennessee Titans as a scout for roughly four years, from 2019 to 2023. At the time of Benning’s death he was living and working in the Nashville area.

What happened to Jade Benning?

On the evening of February 25, 2023, Taylor called 911 from Jade Benning’s apartment in Nashville, telling dispatchers that his girlfriend was having an allergic reaction. Benning, who was five months pregnant, was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Her unborn daughter, whom the family named Ivy, died two days later. Benning herself died on March 6, 2023, which was her 25th birthday.

Medical examiners later determined that Benning’s cause of death was a large quantity of cocaine that had been dissolved in alcohol. Prosecutors alleged that Taylor spiked a pink lemonade drink during what was supposed to be a date night, and that he did so because he did not want Benning to give birth to the child, which was believed to be his. Taylor was arrested and charged in Davidson County in 2024 with the murders of Benning and her unborn child.

The trial and verdict

Taylor’s trial took place in Nashville in June 2026 and ended with a guilty verdict on July 1, 2026. Jurors heard testimony from medical examiners about the lethal cocaine-and-alcohol mixture, along with evidence about Taylor’s movements and communications around the time of the poisoning. The defense argued the case was circumstantial and that the state could not prove Taylor deliberately drugged Benning.

The jury convicted Taylor of second-degree murder and first-degree felony murder in Benning’s death, and of first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree felony murder in the death of the unborn child. Under Tennessee’s fetal homicide law, an unborn child can be treated as a separate victim in a murder prosecution, which is why Taylor faced two sets of murder counts arising from a single act.

For the first-degree murder convictions, the jury itself set the punishment at life in prison, which in Tennessee carries parole eligibility only after serving at least 51 years. What remained for the judge to decide was the sentence on the second-degree murder count and, critically, whether the sentences would run concurrently or consecutively.

What happened at sentencing

At the September 9 sentencing hearing in Nashville, the defense submitted 87 character letters describing Taylor as honest, selfless and a man of faith. Assistant District Attorney Jan Norman pointed out that not one of those letters mentioned Jade Benning, baby Ivy, or what Taylor had done.

Benning’s family gave victim impact statements. Her mother, Bridget Benning Burks, told the court that she had lost her daughter and granddaughter at the same time, and every future memory she was supposed to make with them.

The judge ordered the two life sentences to run consecutively, one after the other, and added a further 22 years for the remaining conviction. In practical terms the sentence guarantees Taylor, who is in his late twenties, will die in prison unless his conviction is overturned on appeal.

Taylor’s attorney, Letitia Quinones-Hollins, said the defense was “extremely disappointed but not surprised by the harsh sentence,” called the case tenuous and the trial flawed, and confirmed that Taylor will appeal.

What two consecutive life sentences mean in Tennessee

Tennessee has three possible sentences for first-degree murder: death, life without the possibility of parole, and life with the possibility of parole. Taylor received the last of these. A Tennessee “life” sentence is technically a 60-year term, and an inmate must serve at least 51 years before becoming eligible for release even with sentence credits.

Because the judge made the two life sentences consecutive rather than concurrent, the 51-year minimums stack. That means Taylor would need to serve more than a century before parole eligibility, plus the additional 22 years. Consecutive sentencing is the tool Tennessee judges use to ensure that a defendant convicted of multiple murders does not effectively receive a discount for the second victim.

This differs from a formal sentence of life without parole, but the practical effect is the same. The only realistic route out of prison for Taylor is a successful appeal that results in a new trial or a reduced conviction.

How the US prison system handles a case like this

Blaise Taylor was prosecuted by the State of Tennessee, not the federal government, because murder is ordinarily a state crime. That means he will serve his sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) system rather than the federal Bureau of Prisons. If you are unsure of the difference, our guide to federal vs. state prisons explains who goes where and why.

After sentencing, a Tennessee inmate is typically transferred from the county jail to a TDOC reception and classification center, where staff assess his security level, medical needs and any protective concerns. Inmates serving life sentences for violent offenses are almost always classified to maximum or close security, at least initially. Tennessee’s high-security facilities include the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex, Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, and the West Tennessee State Penitentiary. You can browse every facility in the state through our full US prison list.

A high-profile inmate with a sports background may be placed in protective custody or a more restrictive housing unit if TDOC believes he is at risk from other prisoners. Over time, good behavior can lead to a lower classification and transfer to a less restrictive prison, but a life sentence keeps the floor high.

Taylor’s appeal will go first to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, and potentially to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Appeals in murder cases commonly take one to three years. He will remain in custody throughout, as defendants convicted of first-degree murder are not released on bond pending appeal. Other recent Nashville murder cases, such as the sentencing of Young Dolph’s killers, show how the TDOC pathway plays out for inmates serving life.

Where is Blaise Taylor now?

As of September 10, 2026, Blaise Taylor is in custody in Davidson County following his sentencing. He will be processed into the Tennessee Department of Correction in the coming weeks and assigned to a state prison. Once he is in TDOC custody, his location will be searchable through the department’s public felony offender lookup. His attorney has confirmed an appeal will be filed.

Frequently asked questions

Why was Blaise Taylor sentenced to life in prison?

Taylor was convicted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, Jade Benning, and their unborn daughter by spiking her drink with a lethal dose of cocaine dissolved in alcohol in February 2023. A Nashville jury found him guilty on July 1, 2026, and on September 9, 2026, a judge ordered two consecutive life sentences plus 22 years.

Will Blaise Taylor ever be eligible for parole?

Technically yes, but not in any realistic timeframe. Each Tennessee life sentence requires a minimum of 51 years before parole eligibility, and because the two sentences run consecutively, the minimums stack to more than 100 years. Unless his conviction is overturned on appeal, he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Is Blaise Taylor in federal or state prison?

State prison. Murder is a state offense, and Taylor was prosecuted in Davidson County, Tennessee. He will serve his sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction system, not a federal facility.

Is Blaise Taylor appealing his conviction?

Yes. His attorney, Letitia Quinones-Hollins, said after sentencing that the defense considers the trial flawed and the case tenuous, and that an appeal will be filed. The appeal will be heard by the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, and Taylor will remain in prison while it is pending.

What team did Blaise Taylor work for?

Taylor was a scout for the Tennessee Titans from 2019 to 2023. Before that he was a senior defensive analyst at Utah State and played defensive back at Arkansas State from 2014 to 2017. He was not employed by the Titans at the time of his arrest.