A California escort and OnlyFans model has been charged in connection with the death of a client who allegedly paid her to perform fetish acts with saran wrap.
California escort labeled “Saran Wrap Killer”
Michael Dale, 55, of Escondido, California, reportedly reached out to 31-year-old Michaela Brashaye Rylaarsdam in early 2023 after coming across her advertisement on a website that authorities say is often used for escort services, according to a report by the Orange County Register.
Dale allegedly compensated Rylaarsdam with over $11,000 in exchange for private conversations and in-person visits to his residence, where she would tie him up and engage in bondage-related activities, as detailed in a police affidavit.
The Register further reported that Dale made several odd requests, including asking Rylaarsdam to wrap his body in plastic wrap “like a mummy” and use adhesive to attach a pair of women’s boots to his feet.
Investigators concluded that Rylaarsdam showed up at Dale’s home around 6 p.m. on April 17, 2023 for one of their sessions.
“Saran Wrap kiIIer”? Michaela Rylaarsdam, aka Asshley SinCal, hid her escort life until a client dıed wrapped in plastic like a mummy. Now she’s jailed, facing murdər charges in California pic.twitter.com/aqowaVRJYp
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) March 21, 2025
She later told authorities that Dale appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, but she proceeded to engage in his requested fetish activities for several hours, according to the affidavit.
Their session took a dark turn ahead of 10 p.m. that night, when a call was made to 911.
Local news outlet KTLA-TV reported that Rylaarsdam was the caller, and remained on the line with an emergency dispatcher, who guided her through CPR instructions.
A resident living in the home recounted hearing the commotion and rushing to Dale’s room, where he found the man lying on the floor dressed in sweatpants and partially encased in plastic wrap from the waist down, the Register reported.
The witness described Rylaarsdam as being extremely panicked during the chaotic scene.
Victim died of suffocation
Dale was transported to a hospital, where he was declared brain-dead the following day. Several days later, after being removed from life support, he was officially pronounced dead.
Authorities determined that Dale’s cause of death was suffocation, leading to a lack of oxygen supply to the brain.
A man who lived in the residence revealed that Dale had only recently moved in, having been a tenant for less than a week before the fatal incident occurred.
During the course of their investigation, authorities uncovered evidence indicating that Rylaarsdam had been recording the fetish activities on her phone, allegedly for use on her OnlyFans account.
Court documents state that video footage depicted Dale struggling to breathe while his mouth was obstructed by duct tape, his legs bound in plastic wrap, and his wrists restrained.
Additionally, his fingers were reportedly taped, and either a bag or more saran wrap had been placed over his head.
However, Rylaarsdam, who has since been dubbed the “Saran Wrap Killer,” denied that she had covered the victim’s head during the session.
The suspect eventually handed her phone over to investigators, who discovered what they described as several disturbing videos showing Dale visibly gasping for air while his face was obscured by materials he was unable to remove.
According to court filings, Rylaarsdam was allegedly engaging in a sex act while Dale lay motionless.
Authorities arrested Rylaarsdam last month, nearly two years after Dale’s passing.
She has been charged with second-degree murder, as prosecutors were unable to establish explicit intent to commit homicide.
The Register outlined that in order to secure a conviction for second-degree murder, the prosecution must prove that the accused acted with implied malice.
In order to be charged with first-degree murder, suspects must knowingly engaged in actions that had a foreseeable risk of causing harm or death.
California escort still practiced after client’s death
Prior to her arrest, Rylaarsdam was working as an escort and had an active profile on the website Secret Hostess, where she reportedly charged up to $1,500 for various services and boasted about her decade-long experience in the industry.
Her defense attorney, David Cohen, argued that the case lacked any indication of premeditated intent.
“There is definitely a consensual element—not only something he consented to, but something he was actively seeking,” Cohen stated in his defense of Rylaarsdam.
He also noted that his client demonstrated no effort to conceal the incident and instead took immediate action to seek medical assistance.
“I think there was no intent to kill and no attempt to cover this up,” Cohen said. “She acted appropriately when she realized this was a problem.”
San Diego County Deputy District Attorney David Jarman countered those claims, citing evidence that a bag with additional tape had been secured over Dale’s head for roughly eight minutes.
“The evidence showed that he hired her to perform bondage acts and fetish acts,” Jarman noted. “There is no indication that he asked her to obstruct his breathing, asked her to put tape over his mouth, asked her to put a plastic bag over his head.”
Cohen questioned the exact cause of Dale’s death, pointing out that toxicology reports indicated the presence of alcohol and prescription medication in his system at the time.
Rylaarsdam is currently being held in custody without bail. She has entered a plea of not guilty in Vista Superior Court.
