Ex-college football star arrested for poisoning girlfriend and unborn baby

Nashville police reported that Texas A&M analyst Blaise Taylor, son of the associate head coach, was detained in Utah on Thursday after being indicted in the 2023 killings of his girlfriend and her unborn child.

A Nashville grand jury indicted Taylor, a former Arkansas State football star, on Wednesday with two counts of first-degree murder for poisoning his girlfriend and her five-month-old fetus, “which Taylor is alleged to have fathered,” according to the Nashville Police Department.

Cache County Jail records show he was held without bail Friday night in Logan, Utah. Jail records did not mention Taylor's counsel.

Taylor “is alleged to have poisoned Benning without her knowledge while visiting her Lebanon Pike apartment on the night of February 25,” police added.

She was rushed to a hospital that night, after Taylor called 911 and told them “Benning appeared to be having an allergic reaction,” according to police.

Two days later, her unborn child died, and Benning died on March 6, 2023, authorities said. She died before authorities could interview her.

The alleged poisoning was not disclosed by police.

“Months of investigation, led by Homicide Unit Detective Adam Reese and involving scientists from crime laboratories and doctors from the Medical Examiner’s Office, led to Wednesday’s return of the murder indictment against Taylor,” the release said.

Police said Taylor moved to Utah following the deaths. Nashville police are coordinating his return with Utah officials.

Texas A&M placed Taylor on suspension pending an inquiry Friday night after naming him an analyst. He played defensive back for Arkansas State from 2014 to 2017, starting all four years while his father Trooper Taylor coached defensive backs.