Allysandra Blea, 20, has been sentenced to five years to life in prison for her role in the fatal shooting of Mark Santiago Gaughan, a 23-year-old male model. Blea pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and first-degree kidnapping in connection with the August 2025 incident.
During her sentencing on Tuesday, Blea, who was 19 at the time of the shooting, admitted to firing the shot that killed Gaughan during a photoshoot. Her defense argued that she was under the influence of marijuana and vodka at the time. Blea maintained that she did not intentionally kill her friend. Investigators, however, uncovered social media posts in which Blea had expressed a desire to shoot people, comments she reportedly dismissed as jokes.
The victim's mother, Caroline Gaughan, delivered an emotional statement to the court, describing the profound grief and lasting pain caused by her son's untimely death. She recalled a promise made to always stick together and shared their last exchange of messages hours before he was killed. Gaughan described her son as kind, family-oriented, and thoughtful, with dreams of becoming a military pilot and a side career in modeling.
Court documents revealed that Gaughan had recently obtained a concealed carry license, and Blea had access to his firearm. Witnesses stated that Gaughan believed the gun was unloaded at the time of the incident. The shooting was initially reported as an accident, but subsequent investigation, including the discovery of photos showing Blea and another woman posing with firearms and knives, led to a homicide ruling.
District Judge Jacqueline Bluth noted the outpouring of support for both the victim and the defendant. While letters described Gaughan as a wonderful person who deeply loved his mother, the judge also acknowledged numerous letters from family and friends portraying Blea as patient, loving, and gentle. However, the judge also cited authorities' testimony regarding Blea's disturbing online posts and photos, which depicted a stark contrast to the defendant described in character-witness letters.
Blea's paternal grandfather, Joseph Blea, has been identified as a suspect in the unsolved West Mesa murders in New Mexico, where the remains of 11 women and an unborn child were discovered in 2009. He is currently serving a 90-year sentence for rape and has denied involvement in the West Mesa case.