A Las Vegas woman is facing murder charges after what she claimed was an accident during a late-night photo shoot turned fatal.

On August 26, prosecutors charged 20-year-old Allysandra Blea with murder with use of a deadly weapon in connection with the shooting death of 23-year-old Mark Gaughan. Police say Gaughan, who was reportedly her boyfriend, was taking photos of Blea as she posed with a firearm near a vehicle when the gun went off.

Just before dawn on August 23, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of Nassau Drive after reports of gunfire. They found Gaughan lying on the sidewalk, mortally wounded. Paramedics attempted lifesaving measures, but he died at the scene.

In her initial account to investigators, Blea insisted she believed the gun was unloaded. According to an arrest report obtained by local outlets, she told officers the weapon discharged by mistake while she was posing. Detectives, however, quickly began uncovering evidence that painted a more troubling picture.

Court filings describe Blea’s online footprint as steeped in violent fantasies. Investigators say they discovered dozens of messages on her social media accounts in which she discussed her love of firearms, her growing collection, and even killing people. One message allegedly read: “I wish I could shoot people with real guns and get away with it.”

Other messages were more disturbing still. According to the reports, Blea joked about targeting homeless people, and in an exchange with Gaughan himself, dismissed the idea of using a dummy for target practice. She allegedly wrote that shooting “someone real” would keep things exciting, adding: “If it’s only one a night the police will remain clueless.”

Investigators also recovered multiple photos of Blea holding handguns, rifles, and revolvers. In some, she posed with the barrel pressed against her head or pointed at stuffed animals. In others, she fired at bottles lined up in outdoor settings.

After consulting with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, police booked Blea into the county detention center on suspicion of open murder. She appeared in court this week before Judge Nancy Bernstein, where she shook her head silently as she was read the charges. She has been assigned a public defender, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 2.