A woman from Las Vegas, who had an obsession with firearms and an unsettling desire to harm others, received a five-year prison sentence for the accidental shooting of her friend during a spontaneous photo shoot.
Alysandra Blair, 21, appeared somber during her sentencing on Tuesday after pleading guilty to first-degree kidnapping and manslaughter in connection with the death of 23-year-old Mark Gaughan, as reported.
Gaughan was tragically shot in the neck by Blair early on August 23, 2025, near his residence located a few miles from the Las Vegas Strip.
The night before the incident, the two spent hours drinking vodka and smoking marijuana at the home of a mutual friend, Gavin Fitzpatrick.
Before the sentencing, a witness testified that Gaughan had strong feelings for Blair, though she admitted to not seeing him in the same way. “She was just tired of him calling her his girlfriend,” the witness mentioned.
While posing with Gaughan’s gun on his truck’s hood, the weapon discharged, fatally injuring him. Blair was arrested three days after the tragic event, facing charges of public murder with a deadly weapon.
Investigators discovered two Polaroid images at the scene — one depicting Blair holding a gun and another of a girl with a knife.
At the time of the incident, Blair claimed it was an accident, insisting the gun was unloaded during their early morning photoshoot.
However, her phone revealed numerous messages indicating a fascination with firearms, including discussions about wanting to create an armory and some unsettling remarks about shooting people.
One disturbing message allegedly stated, “I wish I could shoot people with a real gun and get away with it,” while another expressed willingness to harm a prostitute and hide her body.
Following these revelations, detectives took Blair in for questioning. During the interview, she dismissed her violent messages as jokes and mentioned her grandfather’s history as a serial killer in New Mexico.
Her grandfather, Joseph Blair, is linked to the disappearances of several prostitutes and is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for sexual assault.
After receiving her sentence, Blair will serve a minimum of five years, but she could face up to life in prison depending on various factors in the Nevada corrections system.
She was also ordered to cover Gaughan’s funeral expenses, totaling more than $16,000, and pay restitution to his mother.
During the sentencing, Caroline Gaughan voiced her frustration over what she perceived as a lenient sentence for her son’s killer. “She is a danger to society,” she remarked. “While she will continue to live her life, I will be left with the pain and trauma of a life sentence that doesn’t end for me.”
Judge Jacqueline Bruce acknowledged the victim’s mother’s concerns but expressed support for the plea agreement, noting that going to trial carried substantial risks for both sides. “This is a case that should never have gone to trial,” she concluded.
