A Texas woman has been sentenced to two life terms for helping her fiancé carry out the murder of his ex-girlfriend in the parking lot of her workplace in 2020.
Holly Ann Elkins33, was sentenced for the murder of Alyssa Burkett24, whose crime was committed by the defendant’s fiancé, the United States Department of Justice reported in a press release.
Elkins was convicted in April of conspiracy, stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
Elkins’ now ex-fiancé, Andrew Beard37, pleaded guilty to stalking with a dangerous weapon resulting in death and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, for which he was sentenced in May 2023 to 43 years in prison.
“Month after month, Holly Elkins and Andrew Beard relentlessly harassed Alyssa Ann Burkett”They insulted her, filed false police reports, planted illegal contraband in her vehicle and, when all that failed, planned a particularly painful and bloody death,” said federal prosecutor Leigha Simonton.
The series of events that led to Burkett’s murder on Oct. 2, 2020, in Rowlett, Texas, about 20 miles northeast of Dallas, began when Elkin and Beard began a relationship in April of that year, eventually getting engaged.
Elkins dreamed of a life with him and having a mother-daughter relationship with Beard’s daughter.which is why she repeatedly tried to question Burkett’s suitability as a mother.
“When that failed, Ms. Elkins incited Mr. Beard to take Ms. Burkett’s life,” prosecutors said in the news release.
Multiple acts of harassment
Elkins grew frustrated by Beard’s continued association with Burkett, writing, “Your baby’s momma owns you,” “you choose to be submissive to her, I don’t know, for lack of a better term,” and “I don’t want or need any s–t from anyone.”
This way began a campaign to harass Burkett in the summer, shortly after she moved into Beard’s home, authorities said.
Elkins and Beard placed a GPS tracker on Burkett’s vehicle and then called 911 using a fake name, falsely claiming that Burkett’s car was driving erratically on the interstate.
Elkins also falsely reported to police that Burkett’s mother attacked herHe even scratched his chest to support the lie, prosecutors said.
Elkins and Beard also paid a private investigator to dig up dirt on Burkett and her new boyfriend. They later planted drugs and a gun in the victim’s vehicle. Beard called police, lying that Burkett was “selling drugs out of his car.”
Prosecutors said Elkins directly planned the murder and established Beard’s alibi. She and her fiancé purchased the vehicle to be used in the attack on Sept. 13, 2020, and also purchased shotgun shells and a knife on Sept. 19, 2020, authorities said.
He lied to the police
A week before the murder, Elkins texted Beard saying: “I hope you take care of it”She also asked him to be “at her service” and said that if he didn’t, she wasn’t sure their relationship could continue.
Google records show that shortly after that text exchange, Andrew Beard began searching for information on how to get gunpowder off his hands, prosecutors said.
On Oct. 2, 2020, Beard was wearing dark makeup when he shot Burkett in the head while she was behind the wheel of her car in the parking lot of her workplace.
As the victim staggered out of the car, Beard stabbed and cut her 44 timesprosecutors said. Burkett’s co-workers found her covered in blood and gasping for air outside the front door of the office, where she died as they tried to save her life.
Meanwhile, Elkins had been at Beard’s home with Burkett’s son. He later told investigators that Beard was at the residence when the murder occurred.
The authorities They discovered the suspicious vehicle abandoned near Beard’s home. Investigators also found evidence showing that it had been painted with brown paint.
As if that weren’t enough, a fake beard contained DNA that matched Beard’s, and there was dried blood recovered from the vehicle that contained DNA that matched Burkett’s.
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