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Man accused of killing Belmont student Jillian Ludwig will stand trial in 2026

Man accused of killing Belmont student Jillian Ludwig will stand trial in 2026
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The man accused of killing Belmont University student Jillian Ludwig will stand trial next year.

This comes more than a year and a half after a stray bullet struck Ludwig while she was walking in a park near campus.

Shaquille Taylor will face a jury on felony murder and evidence tampering charges next May.

Earlier this month a judge ruled that Taylor is competent to stand trial. In November of 2023, Metro police say Taylor was shooting at a car when one of his bullets struck Ludwig.

She was just 18 years old. Ludwig's parents spoke to us following yesterday's hearing. They say this trial date has been a long time coming.

"I am actually okay with it being 6 months out," said Jillian's parents Matt and Jessica. "We can take some time to focus on our healing and our boys. We have kind of had all this looming for so long it has been a source of stress and anxiety. It kind of gives us some peace of mind knowing that it's coming, but we also have some time to focus on us, our family, our healing and our grief."

They held a benefit concert in New Jersey where all of Jillian's friends from Belmont joined to support the Rae of Light foundation, which was created in Jillian Ludwig's memory. Taylor's trial date is set for May 4th of next year.

Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at tony.sloan@newschannel5.com.

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Students help relaunch donation drive for Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt

Young or old, we all love to play board and card games! Those games become even more important when you are indoors and don't have the ability to get outside, like patients in a hospital. Austin Pollack shares the story of students in a Nashville family who have helped re-launch the Red Wagon project to collect games for patients at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

- Lelan Statom