NASHVILLE, TN — Former Arkansas State University football player Blaise Taylor received a 22-year sentence Wednesday for second-degree murder in the fatal poisoning of his pregnant girlfriend, Jade Benning, a case that also brought life sentences for the deaths of Benning and her unborn daughter.

The September 9 hearing followed Taylor’s July 1 convictions. KARK’s sentencing report, republished by AOL, said the 22-year term followed victim-impact testimony and a prosecution request for 25 years consecutive to a life sentence.

Reports Differ on How the Sentences Run

KARK quoted the judge saying, “One life sentence is sufficient,” and reported parole eligibility at age 81. However, WKRN’s same-day account reported consecutive life sentences, while WSMV’s report carried by KAIT described two consecutive life terms alongside 22 years. Those accounts conflict on the sentence structure; the reporting does not establish a consistent release-eligibility timeline.

According to the Nashville district attorney’s office, the jury convicted Taylor of second-degree murder of Benning, first-degree murder of her unborn child and first-degree felony murder of each victim. The office said three life sentences were imposed after the verdicts, before September’s hearing.

A Poisoned Drink During a Night Together

The poisoning occurred February 25, 2023, at Benning’s Nashville apartment. Prosecutors said Taylor put cocaine in her pink lemonade. WSMV reported that the couple had planned to paint canvases for their daughter’s nursery.

Benning’s friend testified that Benning called and questioned Taylor about something in her drink, saying it tasted strange. Taylor later called 911 and described a suspected allergic reaction, although WSMV reported that he denied she had the symptoms the dispatcher asked about.

Her unborn daughter died February 27. Benning died March 6, her 25th birthday, without recovering enough to speak with investigators, according to the district attorney’s office. Doctors determined she died of acute cocaine toxicity, WSMV reported.

Her Mother Remembers Jade and Ivy

In KARK’s interview with Bridget Burks, also republished by AOL, Benning’s mother described her only daughter as generous and outgoing. A Little Rock native, Benning attended Horace Mann Middle School and was cheer captain at Little Rock Central High School. She moved to Nashville to cook at her uncle’s restaurant and hoped to open her own.

She planned to name her daughter Ivy Blair. Burks said Benning was excited about motherhood, but Taylor wanted the pregnancy kept secret. On the night of the poisoning, a distressed friend called Burks after hearing Benning ask for help. Burks said doctors initially reported no signs of life, then found a pulse and placed Benning on life support.

KARK also reported that a former girlfriend testified Taylor had asked her to obtain an abortion pill to put in another pregnant woman’s drink. Burks said the verdict offered some relief, but she remained unable to forgive him.

87 Letters and a Family’s Loss

Taylor’s defense submitted 87 character letters. Prosecutor Jan Norman said none mentioned Benning, Ivy or Taylor’s actions, according to WKRN. Burks described losing both loved ones and the future experiences the family expected to share.

Taylor played at Arkansas State from 2014 through 2017 and later spent four years scouting for the Tennessee Titans, WKRN reported. He was arrested in 2024. At Wednesday’s hearing, KARK reported, Benning’s mother told the court: “Jade deserved to live, she deserved to become a mother.”

Defense attorney Letitia Quinones-Hollins told WSMV that Taylor would appeal, criticizing the trial and the severity of the sentence.