LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A 20-year-old woman accused of fatally shooting a man during a gun-themed photoshoot appeared in court Tuesday to face a murder charge.
Alyssandra Blea stood silently in front of Judge Nancy Bernstein as the judge asked if she understood the charge against her. Blea shook her head but did not speak. A public defender has been appointed to represent her, and her preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 2.
According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Blea was posing with a loaded firearm on Saturday, August 23, when it discharged, striking 23-year-old Mark Gaughan. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police allege that after consulting with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, detectives arrested Blea on suspicion of open murder.
In an arrest report, Blea reportedly told investigators she believed the gun was unloaded and that it went off by accident during the photoshoot. However, authorities reviewed her social media, uncovering posts that allegedly expressed a fascination with firearms.
Investigators said her messages included statements such as:
“I wish I could shoot people with real guns and get away with it,”
and suggestions of targeting individuals in tunnels to evade police detection.
LVMPD wrote in the report that Blea appeared to have “knowledge and experience” handling and shooting firearms, casting doubt on her claim that the shooting was accidental.
She remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center without bail.
