LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nearly a year after 23-year-old Mark Gaughan was shot and killed during a late-night photo shoot with friends, the woman responsible for pulling the trigger has been sentenced.
A Clark County judge sentenced Allysandra Blea to five years to life in prison Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and first-degree kidnapping in connection with Gaughan’s death. Blea was 20 years old at the time of the shooting.
During the emotional sentencing hearing, Mark's mother, Caroline Gaughan, described the close bond she shared with her only child.
WATCH | Alyssa Bethencourt shares the remarks from the victim's mother in the courtroom:
She told the court she became a first-time mother at 41 and that after her husband died, she and her son made a pact to stick together. She described Mark as kind, thoughtful and family-oriented, saying he dreamed of joining the military and becoming a pilot.
Caroline also recounted the pair’s final conversation.
In the early morning hours of Aug. 23, 2025, she texted her son asking whether he was coming home, telling him to stay safe and that she loved him.
At 4:22 a.m., Mark replied: “No, not tonight. Love you.”
Less than an hour later, prosecutors said Mark was taking Polaroid photos of Blea and another friend as they posed with his handgun when Blea pulled the trigger, fatally shooting him.
During the investigation, detectives testified they found hundreds of references to guns across Blea’s social media accounts, describing what they believed was an obsession with firearms. Investigators also pointed to posts they said raised concerns about violence.
Standing before the court, Caroline said those final words from her son have become her forever.
“My life is not easy anymore. Simple conversations from people around me about their family, their kids, their grandkids … it’s so painful. I don’t have any more life. I’m just breathing, but no life,” she told the court. “I hope this will give justice.”
Before sentencing, Blea’s attorney apologized to Mark's family on her behalf, calling the shooting a tragic accident that happened after significant alcohol and marijuana use. The attorney also described Mark as Blea’s best friend.
District Judge Jacqueline Bluth said she had never seen so many letters submitted in support of both a victim and a defendant, adding that the positive descriptions of Blea in those letters differed greatly from the evidence presented in court.
Bluth then sentenced Blea to five years to life in prison.
