Judge Allows Murder Case Against Alleged Fentanyl Dealer to Proceed
Says Kailand Ignacio Garcia should "be held to answer" to a charge of second-degree murder
Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Clayton Brennan ruled Wednesday that Kailand Ignacio Garcia should be held to answer to charges of second-degree murder and unlawful possession for sale of a controlled substance.
Garcia is charged in the Jan. 17, 2024, death of Fort Bragg teenager Alyson Sanchezllanes, who died of a fentanyl overdose. Prosecutors allege Garcia sold drugs to her dealer, Elohi Triplet.
The ruling followed a drawn-out preliminary hearing that began March 10, 2025, according to court records.
During the hearing, defense attorney Justin Pedersen questioned whether the pills that killed Sanchezllanes came from the same batch as pills later seized from Garcia’s girlfriend’s home. He also pointed to the teen’s social media posts, where she expressed sadness and remorse about the end of a romantic relationship, as evidence she may have been suicidal.
Deputy District Attorney Eloise Kelsey said claims that Sanchezllanes was suicidal should be viewed with skepticism. David Rowan, the investigator who reviewed Sanchezllanes’ social media posts, noted that she was making plans for the future the night that she died, including participation in the Upward Bound college-prep program. Indeed, just before she overdosed she contacted a colleague who worked with her at Harvest Market about the schedule, and she asked her colleague to text her in the morning.
Brennan appeared to agree with the prosecution, noting that the teen’s expressions of depression did not prove she was suicidal, adding that “she didn’t leave a note.”
On the question of whether Sanchezllanes may have obtained fentanyl from another source, Brennan cited a toxicology report showing a tablet from Sanchezllanes’ room was “very, very similar” to tablets seized from Garcia’s girlfriend’s house.
The judge said the defense would have the opportunity to present its case to a jury.
Meanwhile, he said, “it was abundantly clear Kailand Garcia supplied fentanyl” knowing how dangerous the drug was, and that Garcia was in a position to know it would be passed along.
“It’s clear to the court that the element of implied malice is sufficiently demonstrated for the purposes of the preliminary hearing,” Brennan said.
Implied malice is significant because murder is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being “with malice aforethought,” under federal law.
Mendo Local’s previous coverage:
A Fort Bragg Murder Trial Shows the Limits of Snapchat Evidence
Fort Bragg Girl’s Fentanyl Death Tied to Snapchat Drug Deals, Prosecutors Say
