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US prostitute jailed after killing Google executive with heroin on his yacht

Alix Tichelman pleaded guilty to manslaughter and will serve six years.

Alix Tichelman Alix Tichelman was jailed for six years. AP AP

A CALIFORNIA PROSTITUTE charged with killing a Google executive with an overdose of heroin aboard his yacht ahs been sentenced to six years in prison.

Alix Tichelman pleaded guilty involuntary manslaughter and administering drugs, bringing a sudden and unexpected conclusion to a tawdry case that garnered national attention.

Tichelman injected Forrest Timothy Hayes with heroin in November 2013 then left without seeking help when he passed out on the yacht, authorities say. Hayes had hired Tichelman several times before, and they were doing drugs and having sex the night he died, authorities said.

Defence attorney Larry Biggam said Tichelman, 28, was relieved to have the court proceedings behind her, and she is expected to serve three years. She will be credited the year already served in jail.

“It was an accidental overdose between two consenting adults,” Biggam said.

The high-end call girl was arrested eight months after Hayes’ death. Santa Cruz police said a surveillance video at the Santa Cruz harbor showed the woman gather her belongings, casually step over Hayes’ body, finish a glass of wine and lower a blind before leaving the yacht the night before the body was discovered.

Alix Tichelman Police are also looking at an older case invloving the death of Tichelman's boyfriend. AP AP

The video also showed Tichelman panicking and attempting to revive Hayes as he slipped into unconsciousness before leaving the yacht, Santa Cruz Deputy District Attorney Rafael Vazquez said.

“There was an obvious reaction that showed she didn’t intend to kill,” Vazquez said.

The hearing Tuesday was scheduled to set additional proceedings, and Tichelman’s plea surprised Vazquez.

Vazquez began by submitting a revised complaint specifying that Tichleman’s manslaughter charge was to be involuntary rather than the more severe voluntary. Then Tichelman’s attorney told the court his client intended to plead guilty to all counts.

Vazquez said the charges were filed over the objections of Hayes’ family, who feared a public trial would further embarrass a wife and children traumatized by exposure of the Google executive’s double life. Hayes was the father of five, and two of his children are in elementary school.

Alix Tichelman Alix Tichelman, in red, acknowledges her parents as she is surrounded by lawyers. AP AP

“They just wanted this to go away,” the prosecutor said. “But we had a duty to pursue the case.”

Vazquez said none of Hayes’ family attended the hearing Tuesday, but an attorney representing them did. Christine McGuire, a Santa Cruz lawyer representing the family, didn’t return a phone call after the hearing.

Tichelman had been preparing to move out of California when she was arrested, She has wealthy parents and dual citizenship in the US and Canada.

After Tichelman was charged in California, police in Milton, Georgia, took another look at the 2013 overdose death of Tichelman’s former boyfriend Dean Riopelle, 53, the owner of a popular Atlanta music venue.

Authorities said a panicked Tichelman had called police, saying her boyfriend had overdosed on something and wouldn’t respond. Police in Milton did not immediately return a call Tuesday seeking a possible update on the situation.

Tichelman has not been charged in that death. An autopsy report listed Riopelle’s death as an accidental overdose of heroin, oxycodone and alcohol.

Read: Police charge 170 after ‘gruesome’ shootout between biker gangs >

Read: Are there secret plans in place to ‘spirit’ Aisling Brady McCarthy out of America? >

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36 Comments
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    Mute Chief
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    May 20th 2015, 9:08 AM

    If you can’t trust a prostitute to administer your heroin properly who can you trust.

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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    May 20th 2015, 10:41 AM

    Well that’s just it, isn’t it?

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    Mute John
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    May 20th 2015, 9:30 AM

    I think it’s a little harsh on her actually. He knew what he was at and he died. To blame her is ridiculous. She’s no little red riding hood but she’s no killer either. If he had been a homeless junkie would this have ever even seen a courtroom? And he was a junkie btw.

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    Mute Al Fonso
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    May 20th 2015, 9:35 AM

    I wonder what was her motive to murder someone who was, obviously, a well paying regular customer…

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    Mute Chief
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    May 20th 2015, 9:36 AM

    Did you read the last 3 paragraphs? A bit sus if you ask me. Very coincidental.

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    Mute Niall
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    May 20th 2015, 9:42 AM

    Call me old fashioned but if I saw somebody suffering from a drug overdose I think I’d call an ambulance. Not finish my glass of wine, close the blind and casually step over the person as I head on home.

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    Mute Michael Hodges
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    May 20th 2015, 9:59 AM

    Never trust a junkie.

    44
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    Mute OU812
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    May 20th 2015, 9:05 AM

    High end call girl? Are we sure?

    261
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    Mute cp
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    May 20th 2015, 9:07 AM

    Thought the same myself!

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    May 20th 2015, 9:30 AM

    You want the service to come with a warranty?

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    May 20th 2015, 9:43 AM

    Money really can’t buy you class.

    47
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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    May 20th 2015, 10:03 AM

    Hate to see the low end !!

    62
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    Mute Ross Ryan
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    May 20th 2015, 10:03 AM

    They were on a yacht and had champagne, if that’s not class I don’t know what is!

    37
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    Mute Elma Phudd
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    May 20th 2015, 10:17 AM

    Finishing your glass of wine while your client is ODing is not so classy.

    38
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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    May 20th 2015, 11:07 AM

    Class is a state of mind. $cumbags with Champagne and a yacht are still $cumbags.

    78
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    May 20th 2015, 1:24 PM

    $cumbags
    Did you see what you were doing there?

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    May 20th 2015, 1:51 PM

    No, but I’m keeping it!

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    Mute Drew
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    May 20th 2015, 9:28 AM

    If that’s what passes for a ‘high end’ call girl in that town I’d hate to see their bottom shelf economy model…

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    Mute david garland
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    May 20th 2015, 9:27 AM

    I wonder would she have spent even a night in jail if it had of been another prostitute she had of injected with heroin…

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    Mute BroadSideSkid
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    May 20th 2015, 9:44 AM

    At first glance at the first pic, I thought the pen was a syringe …

    (I know, I know, I should have gone to specsavers …)

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    Mute Lylucifer
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    May 20th 2015, 10:19 AM

    She should not be blamed for his stupidity.

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    May 20th 2015, 11:30 AM

    She administrrsd the drug. That’s the crux of the whole case.

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    Mute kevin
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    May 20th 2015, 9:43 AM

    -She is only serving her sentence in a county jail, will be out in three , will write a book , probably set up an exclusive “high end” bsdm business and make a fortune ala monica lowinski.
    - the executive was a heroin junkie who lived “on the edge” and paid the price.
    - nothing much to feel sympathetic about here.

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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    May 20th 2015, 8:58 AM

    That’s what you get for not practising safe sex I suppose!!!

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    Mute James Kelly
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    May 20th 2015, 11:58 AM

    “Involuntary manslaughter” not entirely clear on what that is as a legal concept but surely, being a repeat customer, the John knew what she was doing ?
    If so, then he and he alone is legally responsible for his actions and those of others whom he gives dominion over his body to. She must take her client as she finds him ; so for example if he had an abnormally enlarged heart (perhaps due to lifestyle ) surely she cannot be culpable in the true meaning of the word if his ticker can’t stand the pain and he expires?
    Sounds like his is playing Russian roulette with his own body and her not being privy to his underlying medical condition should not be forced to take the rap . I would have ran the trial and forced the prosecution to prove their case . I would also gamble on a very sympathetic jury giving her the benefit of the doubt over a John with a dodgy ticker. Hell, she had been in custody for a year already . Gimme those dice !

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    Mute HRH The Brummie
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    May 20th 2015, 9:40 AM

    Those eyes say it all!. SCARY

    11
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    Mute tmwtbc
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    May 20th 2015, 11:28 AM

    It’s all part of the allure!

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    Mute Conor McGee
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    May 20th 2015, 12:55 PM

    Says she has wealthy parents. Just goes to show some chicks are in it for the love of the game.

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    Mute DeShawn Jersey
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    May 20th 2015, 9:36 AM

    …And you can expect to see Ms. Tichelman on the new season of Orange Is The New Black.

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    Mute Fran McCarty
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    May 20th 2015, 1:05 PM

    She did what most prostitutes do!They do some work,and leave! Time is money. She shouldn’t get 3 years,and he shouldn’t get death!She is a bit nasty.

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    Mute Daniel Murray
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    May 20th 2015, 6:07 PM

    You’d think a Google exec could afford a better looking prostitute.

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    Mute Julian King
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    May 20th 2015, 10:49 AM

    typos: Ahs + invloving

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    Mute John Fogarty
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    May 20th 2015, 11:55 AM

    Dodgy…..she could be serial case now that they have began checking back… and if she is high end in california well that ruins the eagles song wish they all could be californian

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    Mute KalEll
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    May 20th 2015, 1:44 PM

    Beach Boys, John, Beach Boys

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    Mute Geralyn Early
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    May 20th 2015, 6:57 PM

    In the words of Gustavo ‘Breaking Bad’ “You can never trust a drug addict”!

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    Mute John Fogarty
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    May 20th 2015, 11:58 AM

    Sorry was not eagles it was roth gettin mixed up in middle age and tiredness.

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