A Google executive was found dead on his yacht in Santa Cruz in November of 2013 of an apparent heroin overdose. Video surveillance and other evidence showed that he was not alone at the time of his death. Now Alix Tichelman, an alleged prostitute, has been sentenced to six years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and administering drugs. She was facing up to 15 years in prison if she had been convicted of more serious charges. A recent NBC news article indicates that Tichelman will likely serve only three years of her sentence.
Tichelman and millionaire Forrest Timothy Hayes were seen together on video footage at the Santa Cruz Harbor just before his death. Tichelman admitted to injecting him with heroin but his death was accidental, she claims. Video footage, according to multiple media accounts, indicate that she panicked when it was clear Hayes was in distress. However, she did not call for help and seemed to conceal the incident by closing the blinds on the yacht windows. Tichelman and Hayes engaged in consensual sex and drug use several times. Though she did not intend to kill him, her lack of response to his distress was deemed criminal though she has expressed remorse for her actions. She will serve her time in Santa Cruz County jail.