A 20-year-old Nevada woman with what police describe as a troubling obsession with firearms is facing murder charges after allegedly shooting her boyfriend while he was photographing her posing with a gun.
The Fatal Shooting
Police say Allysandra Blea, 20, called 911 early on August 23 to report what she claimed was an accidental shooting. When officers arrived at a home on Nassau Drive in Las Vegas around 4:47 a.m., they found 23-year-old Mark Gaughan lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to the neck. Despite life-saving efforts, he died at the scene.
According to detectives, Gaughan had been taking photos of Blea as she posed with a firearm near a vehicle when the gun discharged, striking him.
Photos and Witness Accounts
Investigators discovered Polaroid photos at the scene, including one showing Blea with her finger on the trigger while pointing a gun toward her own mouth, and another depicting her in a similar pose.
A second woman present during the photo shoot told police she remembered Blea holding the gun while sitting on her lap as Gaughan snapped pictures. She then saw a flash, heard a gunshot, and realized Gaughan had been struck.
Another individual in the home, who previously worked at a gun store, told police he had cleared the weapon earlier in the evening but believed Gaughan reassembled it before the photos were taken.
Disturbing Online Posts
The investigation also uncovered unsettling social media activity linked to Blea. Authorities said her accounts showed a “fascination with firearms,” featuring images of her posing with handguns, rifles, and revolvers — sometimes pressing guns against her head or stuffed animals.
In one comment, Blea allegedly wrote: “I wish I could shoot people with real guns and get away with it.”
Charges and Court Appearance
Blea was arrested and charged with open murder. She made her first appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court on Tuesday, where a judge denied her request for bond.
The death of Mark Gaughan has shaken the Las Vegas community, with investigators pointing to Blea’s online behavior as evidence of her disturbing fixation with guns. What she initially described as an “accident” is now being treated as a homicide case, and Blea faces a long legal battle ahead.
