Jade Benning was a 24-year-old professional chef living in Nashville, Tennessee, whose life ended after she was poisoned with cocaine during a date night with her boyfriend, former Tennessee Titans scout Blaise Taylor. Five months pregnant with her first child, Benning was preparing to welcome a daughter she planned to name Ivy when she suffered a medical emergency on February 25, 2023.
Minutes before losing consciousness, Benning telephoned her childhood friend Nijaiha Jackson and accused Taylor of putting something in her drink. She complained that the beverage tasted unusual, said she could not feel her legs and expressed fear that Taylor wanted to harm her unborn daughter. The six-minute conversation became a central piece of evidence in the murder prosecution that followed.
Benning was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where doctors discovered severe cocaine toxicity and catastrophic brain damage. Her unborn daughter died on February 27, 2023. Benning remained on life support until March 6, when she died on her 25th birthday.
More than three years later, a Nashville jury convicted Taylor of four murder-related counts involving Benning and Ivy. On September 9, 2026, he received two consecutive life sentences. The case is examined in CBS’s 48 Hours episode “Jade Benning’s Final Call,” airing Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, with correspondent Natalie Morales interviewing relatives, investigators, prosecutors and defence attorneys.
Who Was Jade Benning?
Jade Benning was a professionally trained chef who had moved to Nashville to pursue her career and establish an independent life. At 24, she had developed a close network of friends and was preparing for motherhood.
Her family and friends described her as a woman with a passion for cooking, a strong sense of independence and an ability to make people feel welcome. She had ambitions for her career in the culinary industry and was building a future around her work and personal relationships.
Benning’s family included her mother, Bridget Benning Burks, father Dennis Browning and stepfather Lyn Burks. They would become central figures in the effort to seek justice following her death.
Among her closest friends was Nijaiha Jackson, whom Benning had known since childhood. The two had been friends since they were approximately six years old, maintaining a relationship that continued into adulthood.
Jackson was one of the people Benning trusted during significant moments in her life, including her pregnancy. Their friendship became a defining part of the criminal investigation because Jackson was the person Benning contacted during the final minutes before she lost consciousness.
Benning was remembered by those close to her as a young woman with plans for her career, her family and the daughter she was expecting.
Jade Benning’s Career as a Professional Chef
Benning had trained professionally as a chef and was pursuing opportunities in Nashville’s food industry.
Cooking was an important part of her identity. Her work required creativity, discipline and the ability to prepare food in a professional environment.
Friends and family spoke about her enthusiasm for her career and her determination to build a life through her own efforts.
By early 2023, she was balancing her professional ambitions with preparations for the birth of her first child.
Benning’s career was one of the reasons she had established herself in Nashville. She was developing her independence and making plans for the future.
Her death ended those ambitions before she reached her 25th birthday.
The criminal proceedings that followed focused on the circumstances of her poisoning, but her family continued speaking about her life as a chef, daughter and friend.
How Jade Benning Met Blaise Taylor
Benning met Blaise Taylor through the dating application Hinge in August 2022.
Taylor was a former college football player who had established a career in professional football scouting. He had played defensive back at Arkansas State University and later worked in the Tennessee Titans’ scouting department.
The couple began dating during a period when Taylor was working in football and Benning was pursuing her culinary career.
Their relationship became more complicated when Benning discovered she was pregnant.
According to evidence presented during Taylor’s murder trial, he did not want to become a father and encouraged Benning to terminate the pregnancy.
Benning maintained that she intended to have the baby, regardless of whether Taylor remained involved.
The couple experienced a period of limited contact after disagreements concerning the pregnancy.
By January 2023, they had resumed communication and were discussing what their relationship might look like after the child’s birth.
Prosecutors later argued that Taylor’s opposition to the pregnancy provided the motive for the poisoning that killed Benning and their unborn daughter.
Jade Benning’s Pregnancy and Her Plans for Baby Ivy
Benning was approximately five months pregnant in February 2023 and expecting a daughter she planned to name Ivy.
She had shared the pregnancy with friends and family and was making preparations for the baby’s arrival.
Photographs showed Benning holding ultrasound images and celebrating the prospect of becoming a mother.
She had begun planning the nursery, selecting decorations and considering the environment she wanted to create for her daughter.
Her friend Nijaiha Jackson later testified that Benning was excited about the pregnancy and had been discussing nursery decorations shortly before the medical emergency.
Benning’s determination to continue the pregnancy became a significant part of the prosecution’s case.
Prosecutors argued that she had no intention of ending the pregnancy and that Taylor had opposed becoming a father.
The jury would later consider this evidence when determining whether Taylor had deliberately poisoned Benning and caused the death of Ivy.
The Date Night That Ended in Tragedy
On Saturday, February 25, 2023, Benning and Taylor planned an evening together at her Nashville apartment.
The couple prepared dinner and participated in a painting activity intended to create artwork for their daughter’s nursery.
Earlier that evening, Jackson and another friend visited the apartment. The women spoke about the pregnancy and the plans Benning had made for Ivy.
Jackson later testified that Benning appeared happy and excited about becoming a mother.
After the visitors left, Benning and Taylor continued their date night.
They painted artwork for the nursery and took photographs of their creations.
Benning’s painting featured bright colours and positive words, including love, hope and peace.
Taylor created a darker painting using black and grey tones. According to testimony and reporting from the trial, he described the image as a black hole.
The couple took photographs with their artwork before the evening changed.
Within minutes, Benning began experiencing symptoms that led her to suspect something had been placed in her drink.
Jade Benning’s Final Phone Call to Nijaiha Jackson
At approximately 9:29 p.m., Jackson received a telephone call from Benning.
Jackson testified that her friend sounded frightened and was confronting Taylor about something she believed had been placed in her beverage.
According to Jackson, Benning asked Taylor what he had put in her drink and complained that it tasted unusual.
Jackson recalled hearing Benning accuse Taylor of attempting to harm her because he did not want the baby.
Benning also reported that she could not feel her legs and was having difficulty moving.
During the conversation, Jackson heard Benning’s speech become slurred as her condition deteriorated.
The call lasted approximately six minutes.
Jackson’s account became one of the most important elements of the prosecution’s case because it described Benning’s condition and accusations during the period preceding her collapse.
The conversation was not presented as a conventional recording of Benning’s final words. Jurors heard Jackson’s testimony about what she recalled hearing.
Prosecutors argued that Benning’s statements demonstrated her belief that she had been poisoned without her consent.
Blaise Taylor’s 911 Call and the Emergency Response
At approximately 9:38 p.m., Taylor called 911 and requested emergency assistance for Benning.
He told the dispatcher that his girlfriend appeared to be experiencing an allergic reaction.
Emergency responders arrived at the apartment and found Benning unresponsive.
According to testimony and reporting from the case, she was lying face down across a bed and had no detectable pulse.
Paramedics began resuscitation efforts and transported her to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Doctors discovered that Benning had suffered a catastrophic medical event resulting in severe brain damage.
Her condition prevented her from speaking with investigators or providing an account of what had happened after her telephone conversation with Jackson.
Medical testing identified a high concentration of cocaine in her system.
The findings raised questions about how the drug had entered her body and whether she had consumed it voluntarily.
Investigators examined Taylor’s account of the emergency, the timing of his 911 call and the physical evidence recovered from the apartment.
The Death of Jade Benning’s Unborn Daughter
Benning’s unborn daughter, Ivy, was also affected by the medical emergency.
Doctors attempted to manage the complications of Benning’s condition while monitoring the pregnancy.
On February 27, 2023, two days after Benning was admitted to hospital, Ivy died.
The death devastated Benning’s family, who had been preparing to welcome the child.
The pregnancy was central to the prosecution’s case because Tennessee law permitted homicide charges in connection with the death of the unborn child.
Investigators examined whether the cocaine toxicity that caused Benning’s medical collapse had also caused Ivy’s death.
Prosecutors alleged that Taylor’s actions were responsible for both deaths and that his opposition to the pregnancy provided a motive.
The jury later convicted Taylor of first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree felony murder in connection with Ivy’s death.
Jade Benning’s Death on March 6, 2023
Benning remained hospitalised after the death of her daughter.
Her family continued receiving medical updates as doctors assessed the extent of the brain damage caused by the poisoning.
She did not recover consciousness sufficiently to communicate with investigators.
On March 6, 2023, Benning died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
The date was her 25th birthday.
Her death came nine days after the medical emergency at her apartment and seven days after Ivy’s death.
For Benning’s parents, the loss involved both their daughter and a granddaughter they had expected to meet within months.
The circumstances of her death led investigators to examine whether the medical emergency was the result of an intentional poisoning.
The subsequent autopsy and toxicology findings became central to the criminal case against Taylor.
What the Autopsy Revealed About Jade Benning’s Death
Medical evidence established that Benning died from acute cocaine toxicity.
Toxicology testing revealed a high concentration of cocaine in her system, and medical testimony addressed the severity of the poisoning.
Prosecutors argued that the amount of cocaine was inconsistent with ordinary recreational use and supported the conclusion that Benning had consumed a substantial dose dissolved in a beverage.
The medical examiner’s findings became important because investigators were attempting to determine how the cocaine had entered her body.
The prosecution alleged that Taylor placed the drug in Benning’s pink lemonade during their date night.
According to that theory, Benning consumed the drink without knowing it contained cocaine and began experiencing symptoms as the drug took effect.
The defence disputed the allegation of deliberate poisoning and argued that Benning had consumed drugs voluntarily.
Jurors were required to consider the medical findings alongside the witness testimony and other circumstantial evidence.
The prosecution’s case did not depend on a witness seeing Taylor place cocaine in the drink. Instead, prosecutors assembled evidence from Benning’s statements, medical findings, relationship history and the circumstances of the emergency.
The Missing Drink and Evidence From the Apartment
Investigators examined photographs taken during the couple’s date night to reconstruct the events preceding Benning’s collapse.
A beverage container visible in photographs became an area of interest because prosecutors alleged that Benning had consumed cocaine dissolved in pink lemonade.
According to reporting on the trial, a cup associated with the evening was not recovered when investigators searched the apartment.
The absence of the container limited the ability of forensic specialists to test the drink itself for cocaine.
Investigators also examined the condition of the apartment and evidence suggesting that cleaning had taken place.
Prosecutors argued that the physical circumstances supported their theory of deliberate poisoning and efforts to conceal evidence.
The defence challenged the conclusions drawn from the missing container and the apartment’s condition.
Because investigators did not recover the alleged poisoned drink for direct testing, the prosecution relied on other evidence to establish that Taylor had administered the cocaine.
That distinction became important during the trial, with the defence arguing that the evidence did not prove how Benning had consumed the drug.
Why Investigators Suspected Blaise Taylor
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department investigated the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Benning and Ivy.
Detectives reviewed medical records, toxicology findings, witness statements and information about the couple’s relationship.
The telephone call to Jackson became central to the investigation because it provided an account of Benning accusing Taylor of placing something in her drink shortly before losing consciousness.
Investigators also examined Taylor’s 911 call, in which he described the medical emergency as an allergic reaction.
The medical findings established cocaine toxicity rather than an allergic reaction.
Prosecutors alleged that Taylor had deliberately placed cocaine in Benning’s beverage because he did not want her to continue the pregnancy.
They presented evidence concerning his response to the pregnancy and Benning’s determination to have the baby.
The investigation continued for more than a year before authorities obtained an indictment.
In March 2024, Taylor was arrested in Utah, where he had relocated and was working in college football.
He denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
The Murder Trial of Blaise Taylor
Taylor’s murder trial began in Nashville in June 2026 and continued into July.
Prosecutors presented evidence over approximately 10 trial days, including testimony from medical specialists, investigators and people who knew Benning.
One of the central witnesses was Nijaiha Jackson, who described the telephone call she received shortly before Benning lost consciousness.
Jurors heard Jackson’s account of Benning accusing Taylor of putting something in her drink, complaining about its taste and expressing concern for her baby.
Medical witnesses explained the toxicology findings and the effects of cocaine poisoning.
The prosecution also examined Taylor’s account of the emergency and the evidence concerning his relationship with Benning.
Prosecutors argued that Taylor had intentionally poisoned Benning because he did not want to become a father.
The defence maintained that the evidence did not establish deliberate poisoning.
Taylor’s attorneys argued that Benning could have consumed cocaine voluntarily and that her death resulted from an overdose rather than murder.
The case required jurors to evaluate the medical evidence, witness testimony and competing explanations for the events of February 25, 2023.
The July 2026 Guilty Verdict
On July 1, 2026, a Davidson County jury found Blaise Taylor guilty on all four murder-related counts.
The jury returned its verdict in less than two hours, including a lunch break, according to the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office.
Taylor was convicted of second-degree murder in Benning’s death and first-degree premeditated murder in Ivy’s death.
He was also convicted of first-degree felony murder in connection with each death.
The verdict established his criminal responsibility for both deaths under Tennessee law.
The first-degree premeditated murder conviction concerned the unborn child, while the second-degree murder conviction concerned Benning.
The felony-murder convictions provided additional legal grounds for the jury’s findings.
Benning’s family expressed relief following the verdict and thanked prosecutors for pursuing the case.
Taylor maintained his innocence, and his attorneys indicated that they would challenge the convictions.
Blaise Taylor’s September 2026 Sentencing
Taylor returned to court on September 9, 2026, for sentencing before Judge Steve Dozier.
The hearing included victim impact statements from Benning’s family, who described the consequences of losing both Jade and Ivy.
Benning’s mother, Bridget Benning Burks, spoke about the fear her daughter experienced before losing consciousness and the pain of knowing that Jade had believed she was safe with someone she trusted.
She also described the loss of her granddaughter, whom the family had expected to welcome into their lives.
Taylor’s defence presented character evidence, including 87 letters from former teammates, coaches, friends and other supporters.
The prosecution argued that those statements did not diminish the seriousness of the crimes established by the jury’s verdict.
Judge Dozier imposed two consecutive life sentences.
The court also imposed a 22-year sentence for the second-degree murder conviction, which was merged with another count for sentencing purposes.
The life sentences represented the principal punishment imposed for the deaths of Benning and Ivy.
Taylor’s attorneys criticised the outcome and announced plans to appeal.
How Jade Benning’s Family Responded to Her Death
Benning’s family spent the days following the February 2023 medical emergency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
They faced the loss of Ivy before Benning’s death on March 6.
Her mother, Bridget Benning Burks, later described the emotional consequences of losing both her daughter and granddaughter.
During Taylor’s sentencing hearing, she spoke about Benning’s awareness that something was wrong during the final minutes before she lost consciousness.
The family also described the pain of knowing that Ivy would never be born and that Benning would not have the opportunity to raise her daughter.
Benning’s father, Dennis Browning, and stepfather, Lyn Burks, were among the relatives who participated in the family’s efforts to seek justice.
Following the guilty verdict, relatives expressed appreciation for the investigators and prosecutors who had pursued the case.
The sentencing provided a legal outcome but could not restore the lives lost in February and March 2023.
Benning’s family has continued remembering her as a daughter, friend and chef whose career and plans for motherhood ended before her 25th birthday.
Jade Benning’s Legacy and the Life She Was Building
Jade Benning was 24 years old when she suffered the medical emergency that led to her death.
She had trained as a professional chef and moved to Nashville to pursue opportunities in the culinary industry.
Her pregnancy had become an important part of her plans, and she was preparing a nursery for her daughter Ivy.
Friends described her excitement about motherhood and her determination to raise her child.
Her relationship with Nijaiha Jackson, who had known her since childhood, became central to the investigation because Jackson was the person Benning contacted when she began experiencing symptoms of poisoning.
The six-minute conversation helped prosecutors reconstruct the events preceding her collapse and became one of the most important pieces of evidence presented at Taylor’s trial.
Benning’s death also drew attention to the circumstances in which a pregnant woman was poisoned by her partner and the legal consequences of the deaths of both mother and unborn child.
The jury’s verdict established Taylor’s responsibility for both murders, and his consecutive life sentences reflected the seriousness of the offences.
Jade Benning’s Story in 48 Hours: Jade Benning’s Final Call
CBS’s 48 Hours examines Benning’s life, death and the prosecution of Blaise Taylor in “Jade Benning’s Final Call,” airing Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Correspondent Natalie Morales revisits the relationship between Benning and Taylor, the events of February 25, 2023, and the telephone conversation that became central to the criminal investigation.
The episode includes interviews with Benning’s mother Bridget Benning Burks, father Dennis Browning, stepfather Lyn Burks and childhood friend Nijaiha Jackson.
Taylor’s mother, Evi Taylor, and sister, Starr Taylor, also participate, providing perspectives from his family.
Morales interviews Davidson County prosecutors Jan Norman, Roger Moore and Kendall Ponchillia, along with defence attorneys Letitia Quinones-Hollins and Jim Sanders.
The programme examines the medical evidence, witness testimony and competing explanations presented during Taylor’s trial.
The case concluded with convictions for the deaths of both Benning and Ivy and the imposition of two consecutive life sentences.
For Benning’s family, the outcome followed more than three years of investigation and court proceedings after a planned date night ended in the deaths of a young chef and her unborn daughter.
“Jade Benning’s Final Call” airs Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streams on Paramount+.
More “Jade Benning’s Final Call”
- “Jade Benning’s Final Call”: 48 Hours Reports October 31 2026
- Who Was Jade Benning & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Profile
- Who Is Blaise Taylor & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile
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