TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on May 4, 2026

A man accused of killing Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig pleaded guilty Monday ahead of trial, the Tennessean reports. Shaquille Taylor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and to five counts of aggravated assault in a separate case and will serve a total sentence of 38 years. Ludwig was fatally struck by a stray bullet near campus in November 2023. Taylor had initially faced felony murder and evidence tampering charges, and questions about his competency to stand trial had been raised prior to the plea. Ludwig’s death later prompted the passage of a 2024 state law requiring defendants found incompetent to stand trial for a felony to be committed to a mental health facility for treatment and prohibiting them from possessing firearms.