Family of Murdered College Student Furious as Killer Learns His Sentence: ‘It’s Not Enough’

A Tennessee man who admitted shooting an 18-year-old student to death in 2023 while on the street after a previous shooting has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge.

Shaquille Taylor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Jillian Ludwig, who was a freshman at Belmont University when she was killed.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated assault, according to WKRN-TV. He had been charged with first-degree murder.

Taylor will face a 35-year sentence on the murder charge with no possibility of early release and three years on the assault charge, to be served consecutively.

Family of murdered Nashville college student from NJ outraged over killer’s sentencing: ‘It should have been life’ https://t.co/XyktOPutM8 pic.twitter.com/NtWGd2corW

— New York Post (@nypost) May 5, 2026

On Nov. 7, 2023, Taylor fired six shots, one of which struck Jillian Ludwig, who was walking nearby. She died from her injuries.

“She didn’t deserve that awful fate, she deserved everything,” Jessica Ludwig, Jillian’s mother, said in court.

“Taylor deserves to be behind bars and we’re glad that is where he is headed although it is not long enough. My daughter lost her whole life, her whole bright, beautiful and promising future at only age 18. He deserves to lose the rest of his,” she said..

Matt Ludwig, the victim’s father, said he hopes Taylor “does not see life outside of prison. I know he did not intend to shoot Jillian, but he did. I have some sympathy for him. I do. I sympathize with his difficult upbringing, his challenging childhood, his life that clearly, unfortunately, was destined for crime, but he needs to be in jail forever. For us today, 38 years will have to do.”

Jessica Ludwig said of the sentence, “It’s not enough… I still think it should have been life,” according to WSMV-TV.

She said appearing in court with Taylor was difficult.

“Seeing him, facing him, is bone-chilling to me. He took everything from us,” she said.

Matt Ludwig spoke about the grief that does not go away, according to WTVF-TV.

“I still have the hair tie she was wearing and her unwashed coffee mug at my desk at home still stained with the last coffee she had on the morning of Nov. 7, 2023,” he said.

He said Taylor was not the only one he blames, noting Taylor was on the street after another shooting.

“Mr. Taylor isn’t the only one at fault here. I want to point out the perfect storm of failures in institutions and government of Tennessee, Davidson County, Nashville, and beyond,” he said.

“Do better. You literally hold the power to protect lives, and you failed miserably in this case. Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent,” Jessica Ludwig said.

“For the record, I’m not satisfied with this plea deal. 38 years surely isn’t long enough to justify what he’s taken from us and from Jill, but it will have to suffice for now,” Jessica Ludwig said.

Jessica Ludwig closed her remarks in court with a message to her daughter.

“Rest in peace, my sweet petunia. I can promise you will never, ever be forgotten,” she said.

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