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| Apple Dennie: Where Is Blaise Taylor’s Ex-Girlfriend Now? Inside Her Life After the Trial. |
Apple Dennie has built a life that looks very different from the difficult chapter that brought her into the public eye. Once romantically involved with former college football player Blaise Taylor, she became an important prosecution witness during his 2026 murder trial, sharing details about their past relationship that helped prosecutors present their case.
Today, Dennie is making her mark through community outreach, substance-use prevention initiatives and beauty pageants. Her professional journey has taken her well beyond the courtroom, with a growing role in Arkansas community work. CBS’ 48 Hours: Jade Benning’s Final Call revisits the case, including Dennie’s testimony and her account of a relationship that ended years before the tragedy involving Jade Benning and her unborn daughter, Ivy.
Dennie first met Taylor in 2016 while studying at Arkansas State University. She was a freshman, while Taylor was an upperclassman playing college football. Their relationship continued on and off for several years before eventually coming to an end in 2019. At the time, there was little indication that their private history would eventually become part of a major criminal trial. Life, unfortunately, had other plans.
During her testimony, Dennie described Taylor as someone who initially appeared charming and intelligent. However, she told the court that her perception changed as their relationship developed. She also discussed an incident from 2017, when she discovered she was pregnant. Dennie explained that she was frightened and did not feel ready to become a parent. She ultimately decided to have an abortion, adding that Taylor accompanied her to the necessary appointments and supported her decision at the time.
The testimony became particularly significant when Dennie discussed another pregnancy involving a woman Taylor had previously been involved with. According to Dennie, Taylor told her that the woman, identified during the proceedings as Xavier Winford, was pregnant and might want to continue the pregnancy. Dennie testified that Taylor subsequently asked her to obtain abortion medication so that he could give it to the woman without her knowledge.
She told the court that Taylor had discussed putting the medication into the woman's drink. However, Dennie made an important distinction during questioning: she did not obtain the pills. The other woman eventually terminated the pregnancy, according to the testimony presented at trial.
Dennie also described what she characterised as years of unwanted contact and harassment following the breakdown of their relationship. She recalled approaching an officer for assistance over the situation but said she did not receive a satisfactory resolution. Her account offered the prosecution an opportunity to introduce evidence concerning Taylor's previous relationship, although the defence challenged the relevance and reliability of parts of her testimony.
The defence questioned Dennie's motivations and argued that her account should not be treated as proof of Taylor's character. Her testimony nevertheless became one of the notable moments of the proceedings, particularly because she was discussing deeply personal experiences in a public courtroom. It was hardly the sort of appearance anyone would put on their career bucket list.
The case concerned the deaths of Jade Tristen Benning and her unborn daughter, Ivy, in Nashville, Tennessee. Jade was hospitalised on February 25, 2023, after becoming critically ill. Her daughter died two days later, while Jade died on March 6, her 25th birthday. Medical examiners attributed her death to acute cocaine toxicity.
Taylor was arrested in March 2024 and maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. Prosecutors alleged that he had deliberately poisoned Jade's drink, while the defence challenged the prosecution's interpretation of the medical evidence and the circumstances surrounding her death.
On July 1, 2026, a Davidson County jury found Taylor guilty of four murder charges connected to Jade and Ivy. He was subsequently sentenced on September 9 to two consecutive life sentences, ensuring that he would spend the rest of his life in prison. The defence indicated that it intended to appeal the conviction.
For Dennie, however, the trial was only one part of a much larger personal story. Away from the courtroom, she has continued developing a career that combines education, public engagement and community service. Rather than allowing her connection to the case to define her entire public identity, she has continued pursuing opportunities in several different fields.
Born and raised between Japan and Sherwood, Arkansas, Dennie developed an interest in education early in life. She attended Arkansas State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. During her undergraduate years, she was also involved with the university's cheerleading team, balancing academic responsibilities with extracurricular activities.
She continued her education and completed a Master of Science in Strategic Communication in December 2025. That qualification has provided another foundation for her professional work, particularly in public engagement and communicating important community issues.
Alongside her academic achievements, Dennie has developed an interest in beauty pageants. She previously earned the title of Miss Greater Jacksonville before going on to become Miss Greater Little Rock 2026. The competition gave her another platform to discuss issues that matter to her, particularly substance-use awareness and prevention.
Her pageant journey also brought her into the spotlight during the 2026 Miss Arkansas competition. She was among the competitors representing their local communities, combining the usual pageant responsibilities with a personal commitment to charitable and educational initiatives. Dennie also received recognition in the Preliminary Overall Health and Fitness category.
Away from the stage, her professional responsibilities are equally demanding. Dennie works as the Community Outreach and Engagement Manager at AARP Arkansas, where she is involved in connecting people with community programmes and opportunities. Her work reflects an interest in making public services and resources more accessible, particularly for people who may benefit from additional support.
One of her most personal projects is Purpose in Prevention, an initiative she founded to raise awareness about substance use, fentanyl prevention and youth education. The project focuses on encouraging informed conversations and helping communities understand the importance of prevention and recovery resources.
Dennie's involvement does not end with her own initiative. She also volunteers with organisations including the Wolfe Street Foundation, Peacekeepers for Women and Children First Arkansas, as well as the American Heart Association. Through these activities, she has continued supporting community programmes and initiatives aimed at helping people facing difficult circumstances.
Her connection with substance-use awareness is particularly personal. In a December 2025 interview with the Wolfe Street Foundation, Dennie discussed losing her best friend to an overdose and explained how the experience influenced her decision to become more involved in prevention work. It was a difficult experience, but one that helped shape the direction of her community advocacy.
Her efforts also received wider recognition in January 2026, when 501 LIFE Magazine selected her as one of its Five-Oh-Ones to Watch. The publication highlighted her work with AARP Arkansas, her educational achievements and her commitment to volunteering. It was another indication that her professional activities were gaining attention beyond the pageant circuit.
Dennie has also remained involved in conversations surrounding domestic violence awareness and support for people navigating challenging personal circumstances. Her volunteer activities and public appearances have allowed her to promote resources and encourage people to seek assistance when they need it. Not every contribution requires a grand stage or a microphone, after all.
When she is not occupied with work, volunteering or pageant commitments, Dennie appears to value spending time with friends and exploring new experiences. Her interests include travelling, attending live music performances and discovering different restaurants. She has also shared glimpses of her enjoyment of musical theatre, outdoor activities and trips to the beach.
Travel seems to be another source of enjoyment, with destinations such as California and New York among the places she has explored. Whether enjoying a concert, spending time with friends or escaping to the coast, these experiences offer a contrast to her otherwise busy professional schedule.
She also enjoys more adventurous activities, including swimming and skiing. It is quite a varied collection of interests for someone balancing a full-time professional role, community projects and pageant commitments. Apparently, having a packed calendar is not enough of a challenge on its own.
Apple Dennie's story is compelling because it does not stop at the courtroom door. Her testimony placed an earlier relationship in the public record, but the most revealing part of her current life appears to be what she has built beyond that chapter. A role in community outreach, a master's degree and a prevention initiative suggest someone putting her experience and platform to practical use.
Pageants may seem an unlikely companion to advocacy work, but public visibility can be useful when it gives a cause a larger audience. There is a refusal here to let one difficult period become the whole story. That said, it is worth keeping the focus fair: Dennie is not responsible for explaining every detail of the case, and her testimony should not be treated as a substitute for the jury's findings. Her next chapter deserves attention on its own terms.
Ultimately, Apple Dennie is continuing to build her career in community outreach, advocacy and pageantry, with Purpose in Prevention remaining an important part of her work. Her appearance in the Blaise Taylor trial introduced her to a much wider audience, but there is considerably more to her professional life than that connection.
As her work develops, it will be interesting to see what opportunities come next, particularly for her prevention initiative and future pageant appearances. What do you think about Dennie's journey from university student and pageant competitor to community advocate? Share your thoughts on how she has turned her public platform towards causes that matter to her.