Judge Rules Shaquille Taylor Fit to Stand Trial for Jillian Ludwig’s Murder

A significant ruling in the case of slain college student Jillian Ludwig occurred as a Tennessee judge declared that the man accused of her murder, Shaquille Taylor, is competent to stand trial. This decision marks a pivotal moment nearly two years after Ludwig was tragically killed by a stray bullet in Nashville.

On July 15, 2025, Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Steve Dozier concluded a month-long deliberation by rejecting arguments from Taylor’s defense team regarding his mental competence. Taylor, who is 30 years old and has been diagnosed with an intellectual disability, previously faced rulings of incompetency. However, Judge Dozier determined that Taylor is now capable of understanding the charges against him and participating in his defense.

Jessica Ludwig, Jillian’s mother, expressed her emotional relief following the ruling. “It’s been brutal, just waiting and waiting, every day hoping and praying,” she stated. “It’s such a relief to know that this is finally moving forward.” The decision arrives after the tragic death of the 18-year-old Belmont University student, who was shot on November 7, 2023, while walking in the Edgehill neighborhood of Nashville.

Taylor admitted to firing shots before passing the gun to another individual. He was arrested after police reported that he fired at a car, with one bullet fatally striking Jillian in the head. The college student, originally from New Jersey and studying Music Business, was found shortly after the incident and succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.

The court’s decision comes after a multi-day competency hearing in June, during which psychologists debated Taylor’s ability to stand trial. Despite his documented intellectual disability and IQ scores as low as 56, Judge Dozier emphasized that a low IQ alone does not determine competency. Instead, he focused on Taylor’s understanding of the legal process and his ability to assist his counsel.

Jessica Ludwig described her reaction to the ruling, stating, “I was shaking. I broke down in tears. It was a surge of emotions that went through me.” Both she and her husband, Matt, have been anxiously awaiting this decision for over a month. “There was a lot of failures that led up to this,” Matt Ludwig told Fox17 Nashville, reflecting on the systemic issues surrounding the case.

The ruling not only brings a sense of hope for the Ludwig family but also highlights significant gaps in Tennessee’s legal system. Taylor had been previously accused of violent crimes but was released after mental health evaluations deemed him incompetent. In response to the tragedy, the state passed Jillian’s Law in July 2024, which mandates that felony defendants found incompetent to stand trial must receive treatment.

Judge Dozier criticized the use of remote evaluations in Taylor’s case, emphasizing that they may not adequately capture the complexities of psychological assessments. “While there is a time and place for such technologies, the nuances of psychological assessments for adjudicative purposes may strain the connection between an administrator and their subject,” he stated.

With Taylor now declared competent, the trial can proceed, with prosecutors aiming for justice for Jillian. Jessica Ludwig expressed her determination, saying, “Nothing’s going to bring her back, but in a way, this ruling might help set a precedent for other rulings to help make changes to a broken system. Keep praying; we have a trial coming up – that is the next hurdle.”