A Fort Bragg Murder Trial Shows the Limits of Snapchat Evidence
Investigators from the Major Crimes Task Force testify in a preliminary hearing.
FORT BRAGG, Calif. — A 17-year-old college-bound girl overdosed on fentanyl and died. Now, her dealer’s dealer is charged with second-degree murder.
The evidence includes an unused fentanyl-laced tablet found in the girl’s bedroom, bags of fentanyl confiscated from the dealer’s home, statements by the girl’s friends and her dealer, and Snapchat photos, videos, chats and location data.
Two investigators with the Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force testified Wednesday at the Ten Mile Branch of Mendocino County Superior Court about both the evidence — and its limits — during a preliminary hearing that has stretched across multiple dates since May.
At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors present their main evidence and witnesses to a judge, who decides whether the case should proceed to trial. The defense may cross-examine witnesses and suggest alternative interpretations.
Defense attorney Justin Petersen highlighted inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case, beginning with the fentanyl tablet found in the bedroom of Alyson Sanchezllanes, who died Jan. 17, 2024. Investigators testified the pill was “extremely similar” to tablets seized from Kailand Ignacio Garcia, accused of supplying the pill to Sanchezllanes’ dealer, Elohi Triplett.
But Petersen pointed out the pill found in Sanchezllanes’ room contained 37% more norfentanyl — a chemical precursor used in clandestine labs — than those from Garcia’s house. It also tested positive for trace amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and acetaminophen.
No such substances were found in the pills linked to Garcia, Petersen said, pressing investigator Alex Johnston on whether he knew how many fentanyl dealers were operating in Fort Bragg. Johnston said he did not know.
Petersen also raised the possibility that Sanchezllanes’ death was a suicide, citing testimony from a friend who said she tried to protect herself by taking only part of a pill at a time. Another friend described her as trying to quit fentanyl and even taking meth as a substitute.
Investigator David Rowan, who reviewed Sanchezllanes’ social media posts, disputed that theory, saying several people described her as upbeat. Sanchezllanes was participating in the Upward Bound college prep program, had asked for her weekly work schedule at Harvest Market the night she died, and told a co-worker to message her in the morning.
That same night, she shared a picture of the moon with the caption: “I forgot that it felt like this.”
To make the murder case, prosecutors leaned heavily on Snapchat data supporting testimony from Triplett and an associate that he had bought the pills from Garcia earlier that night and sold them to Sanchezllanes at a friend’s home near the Wiggly Giggly playground in Fort Bragg.
While Snapchat photos, videos and chats disappear after being viewed, they remain temporarily on the company’s servers until all recipients open them or they expire, allowing some content to be retrieved by law enforcement.
The app also collects geolocation data, though it is less precise than services such as Google or Facebook.
Rowan said he compiled videos tracing the movements of Sanchezllanes, Triplett, Garcia and another friend, which corroborated Triplett’s account.
Testimony ended Wednesday before Petersen could cross-examine Rowan. The preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume Oct. 1 at 1:30 p.m.