Nashville chef's final call to friend raises suspicions about former football scout in her death
Key Points:
- Jade Benning, a 24-year-old pregnant chef, died from acute cocaine toxicity after a date night with Blaise Taylor, a former football scout, who was later charged with her murder and that of her unborn child.
- Jade made a distressing phone call accusing Blaise of putting something in her drink before collapsing unresponsive; her autopsy revealed extraordinarily high cocaine levels, though the manner of death was undetermined.
- Blaise Taylor was arrested in Utah over a year later and found guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree premeditated murder, receiving two consecutive life sentences, while his defense maintains his innocence.
- Testimony included a former girlfriend alleging Blaise had previously sought to covertly induce abortions, suggesting a pattern of controlling behavior related to unwanted pregnancies.
- The case highlighted disputes over evidence integrity, drug involvement, and motive, with the prosecution emphasizing the poisoning claim and the defense arguing insufficient proof and alternative explanations.