Insets, clockwise from left: Andrew Beard (Dallas County Jail), Alyssa Ann Burkett (Final Resting obituary), Holly Ann Elkins (KDFW).
A Texas woman learned her fate for helping her fiance carry out the killing of his ex-girlfriend, slaughtered in her workplace parking lot in 2020 by the fiance, who was disguised as a Black man in dark makeup and a black rain suit.
Holly Ann Elkins, 33, was sentenced on Thursday to two life terms in the killing of Alyssa Burkett, 24, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced in a news release.
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Elkins was convicted in April of conspiracy to stalk, stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. Elkins’ now-former fiance, Andrew Beard, 37, pleaded guilty to stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced in May 2023 to 43 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.
“Month after month, Holly Elkins and Andrew Beard relentlessly harassed Alyssa Ann Burkett. They called her despicable names. They filed false police reports. They placed illegal contraband in her vehicle. And when all that failed, they plotted a particularly painful and bloody death,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “We can never bring back what Ms. Burkett’s family has lost. We can never heal the pain her young daughter has had to endure. But we can give them this measure of justice. Holly Elkins and Andrew Beard will never terrorize their family again.”
The series of events leading to Burkett’s Oct. 2, 2020, killing in Rowlett, Texas, about 20 miles northeast of Dallas, began when Elkin and Beard started a relationship in April of that year. They eventually got engaged. Elkins dreamed of a life with him and having a mother-daughter relationship with his child, prosecutors said. Elkins repeatedly tried to call into question Burkett’s fitness as a parent.
“When that failed, Ms. Elkins goaded Mr. Beard into taking Ms. Burkett’s life,” prosecutors said in the news release. They said she labeled the victim a “c—,” a “dumb b—-,” and a “garbage s— mom.”
Elkins grew frustrated at Beard’s continuing association with Burkett, writing, “your BM [baby mamma] owns you,” “you continue to put BM first,” “you choose to be idk for lack of a better term submissive to her,” and “I don’t have want or need any bulls— from anyone.”
She began a campaign to harass Burkett by the summer, shortly after she moved into Beard’s home, authorities said.
Elkins and Beard put a GPS tracker on Burkett’s vehicle and later called 911 using a fake name, falsely claiming Burkett’s car was driving erratically on the interstate. Elkins also falsely reported to police that Burkett’s mother attacked her. Elkins even scratched her own chest to support the lie, prosecutors said. Elkins and Beard also allegedly paid a private investigator to dig up dirt on Burkett and her new boyfriend. Later, they planted drugs and a gun in Burkett’s vehicle. Beard called the cops, lying that Burkett was “selling drugs to Black men out of her car,” prosecutors said.
When questioned by police, Burkett vehemently denied selling drugs, Law&Crime previously reported. She told officers she believed Beard planted them, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Elkins directly planned for the murder and established Beard’s alibi. She and Beard bought the vehicle to use in the attack on Sept. 13, 2020, and she bought makeup for the killer’s disguise the following day, authorities said. Elkins and Beard bought shotgun shells and a knife on Sept. 19, 2020, officials said.
A week before the murder, Elkins texted Beard, saying, “I hope you handle it,” prosecutors said. She requested that he be “ride or die” for her and said if he would not, she was not sure the relationship could continue. Google records show that shortly after that text exchange, Andrew Beard began conducting searches for how to remove gunpowder from 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 her work parking lot. As she staggered out of the car, Beard grabbed her and stabbed and slashed her 44 times, prosecutors said. Burkett’s co-workers found her covered in blood and gasping for air in front of the office’s front door, where she died as they tried to save her life, prosecutors said.
Elkins, meanwhile, had been at Beard’s home with Burkett’s child. She later told investigators Beard was at the residence when the murder happened, authorities said.
Authorities discovered the suspect vehicle abandoned near Beard’s home. Investigators also found evidence showing he had disguised his race, including two bottles of liquid foundation makeup, partially burned wipes with brown residue, a burned metal cylinder consistent with a makeup brush container, and a dark prosthetic beard with apparent makeup on the inside. The fake beard contained DNA that matched Beard, authorities said. Dried blood recovered from the vehicle contained DNA that matched Burkett, officials said.
Burkett was a loving mother with a good grasp on life and a bright future, her obituary said.
“Alyssa was strong-willed, ambitious, fiercely determined, and driven. She had many friends, and she was a natural leader among them. Alyssa was well-loved among her friends and family. Her presence will be deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved her.”
Law&Crime’s Alberto Luperon contributed to this report.
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