Prostitute arrested for injecting client with heroin in fatal overdose

A prostitute was arrested in the murder of a 51-year-old Santa Cruz man who was found dead on a boat in the Santa Cruz Harbor.

Santa Cruz Police announced Tuesday, 26-year-old Alix Tichleman of Folsom was arrested in the man's death.

The man was found on the boat in November of 2013, and detectives were called to the scene because his death appeared to be suspicious.

In the investigation Tichleman was identified as a suspect after they learned she had an ongoing prostitution relationship with the man. During interviews with authorities Tichleman said she had more than 200 "client relationships," according to police.

The investigation revealed Tichleman met with the victim on the night of his death. Police say Tichleman injected the man with heroin, and he died due to a heroin overdose.

Surveillance footage shows the man going unconscious. Police say rather than helping or calling 911, Tichleman gathered her belongings - including the heroin and needles - and left.

Police say at one point she stepped over the man's body to finish a glass of wine. As she left the boat she allegedly closed the blind to hide the victim's body.

Police learned of a similar case involving Tichleman in another state.

Detectives lured Tichleman back to Santa Cruz by posing as a client. She agreed to a price of $1,000. When she arrived at the location she was arrested.

She was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail for second degree murder, destruction of evidence and transporting and providing narcotics.