Las Vegas, Nevada — A 20-year-old Las Vegas woman has pleaded guilty to first-degree kidnapping and involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a 23-year-old male model during a weapons-themed photoshoot last August.

Allysandra “Ally” Blea admitted to the charges on Tuesday as part of a plea deal. Under the agreement, prosecutors will recommend a sentence of five years to life on the kidnapping charge, to run concurrently with the manslaughter charge, at her sentencing hearing scheduled for July 28.

According to authorities, Blea and another woman asked Mark Santiago Gaughan, a model signed with the Las Vegas-based TNG Agency, to photograph them posing with firearms and knives in a home on Nassau Drive. While posing with a loaded handgun pointed toward her mouth, Blea allegedly discharged the weapon, striking Gaughan in the neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Blea initially told investigators the shooting was accidental, claiming she believed the chamber was empty and had no formal firearms training. However, police noted her social media posts showed a strong fascination with guns, including comments about wanting to shoot people, which she later dismissed as jokes.

Investigators also learned that Blea’s paternal grandfather, Joseph Blea, is a convicted rapist currently serving a 90-year sentence and has been named a person of interest in the unsolved West Mesa murders in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She reportedly mentioned this connection during questioning.

Gaughan’s family and the modeling agency described him as a vibrant, one-of-a-kind individual whose death has left a profound void. The agency posted a tribute calling him “a standout in the crowd” and offered condolences to his loved ones.

Blea’s defense attorney described the incident as a tragic accident influenced by alcohol and marijuana consumption, while prosecutors highlighted the seriousness of the charges, including the kidnapping element.

The case continues to draw attention due to the disturbing circumstances surrounding the photoshoot and Blea’s alleged obsession with firearms.