Inset: Allysandra Blea (Law&Crime Network). Background: The block in Las Vegas where Blea allegedly shot and killed her boyfriend last week (Google Maps).
A 20-year-old woman in Nevada who authorities say “had a fascination with firearms” is accused of shooting her boyfriend dead while he was photographing her posing with a gun. Allysandra Blea was taken into custody last week and charged with one count of open murder in the slaying of 23-year-old Mark Gaughan, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded to a call reporting a man being shot in the 1000 block of Nassau Drive at about 4:47 a.m. on Aug. 23.
Blea placed the 911 call and told the emergency dispatcher that it was an “accidental shooting,” Las Vegas CBS affiliate KLAS reported.
Upon arriving at the address, first responders found a man — later identified as Gaughan — lying outside on the sidewalk and suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the neck.
Police rendered life-saving aid until emergency medical personnel arrived and took over. Gaughan succumbed to the injury and was pronounced dead on the scene. Homicide detectives took over the investigation.
“Detectives learned the victim was taking pictures of 20-year-old Allysandra Blea posing with a firearm by a vehicle,” the release states. “During the photo shoot the gun discharged and the victim was shot.”
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Investigators reportedly found Polaroid photos at the scene, one of which depicted a second woman (not Blea) holding a knife as Blea was “lying back [on the second woman] holding a black firearm that was pointed at her mouth with her finger on the trigger.” A second photo allegedly also showed Blea with her finger on the trigger of the firearm.
The second woman recounted what she remembered about the incident.
“[She] recalled Allysandra situated on her lap with the firearm, as Mark took a photo with the flash going off,” the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, citing a probable cause affidavit. “[She] then witnessed another flash go off, and Allysandra pointed the firearm at Mark. She stated that she did not see Allysandra pull the trigger, but she heard the gunshot.”
A fourth individual sleeping in the home at the time told police he had previously worked at a gun store and remembered “removing the magazine and clearing the chamber” on the firearm earlier that evening. Blea and the other woman suggested that Gaughan put the gun back together while they were getting changed prior to taking the photos.
As the investigation continued, police reportedly found some disturbing social media posts from Blea about her love of guns.
“Allysandra”s identified account revealed that she had a fascination with firearms. In several conversations with various accounts, there was talk about her love of shooting guns, owning guns, building her arsenal, and shooting people in the face,” the affidavit reportedly said. “There were several photographs of Allysandra holding various firearms (handguns, revolvers and rifles) in different poses to include the firearm pressed against her head, against stuffed animals’ heads and shooting bottles at an unknown location.”
Police also said that in one online comment, Blea wrote, “I wish I could shoot people with real guns and get away with it.”
Blea made her initial appearance in the Las Vegas Justice Court on Tuesday. A judge denied her request for bond.
