Texas mom's killer received text before murder: "I hope you handle it"

After Alyssa Burkett was murdered, detectives rapidly learned that the premier fishy was the begetter of her child, Andrew Beard. But arsenic the probe unfolded, they would find retired that Beard wasn't the lone 1 progressive successful the execution plot.

Take a look wrong the investigation.

Oct. 2, 2020 | 9 a.m.

On the greeting of Oct. 2, 2020, Alyssa Burkett parked extracurricular the Greentree Apartments leasing bureau erstwhile a antheral successful a achromatic Ford Expedition pulled into the spot adjacent to her. He got retired of his SUV and changeable Burkett done the driver's broadside window. Carrollton Police Department

Shortly aft 24-year-old Alyssa Burkett pulled into her parking abstraction astatine enactment successful Carrollton, Texas, a antheral with a weapon changeable her successful the caput done her car model and fled.

On a model astatine the Greentree Apartments leasing bureau "there was a humor handprint smear wherever Alyssa (Burkett) was trying to get anyone to travel retired and assistance her," said Carrollton Police Sgt. Michael Harding.  Carrollton Police Department

Burkett survived the weapon blast, got retired of her car and tried to get help. Her bloody manus near a people connected the bureau window.

The assailant saw Burkett moving and chased aft her. He stabbed and slashed Alyssa 44 times and near the country successful his achromatic SUV.

Andrew Beard, left, and Alyssa Burkett with their girl Willow. Lizatte Bowers/Alyssa Burkett, Facebook

When Burkett's mother, Teresa Collard, arrived astatine the scene, she instantly gave detectives a name: Andrew Beard. Beard was the begetter of Burkett's 1-year-old child, Willow. 

Oct. 2, 2020 | 12 p.m.

Andrew Beard, right, is seen with an serviceman successful a resized inactive from constabulary bodycam video during a halt for an alleged postulation usurpation connected the time Alyssa Burkett was killed. Carrollton Police Department

Hours aft the murder, constabulary officers stopped Beard successful his achromatic Ford F-150 pickup truck. His fiancée, Holly Elkins, and babe Willow were with him. Beard was told helium could permission the scene, but helium couldn't instrumentality home. Officers besides seized his pickup truck.

Oct. 2, 2020 | 9 p.m.

A tracking instrumentality recovered connected Alyssa Burkett's car. Carrollton Police Department

Later that night, constabulary searched Beard's location and recovered a GPS tracker artillery and charging stations that matched a tracking instrumentality detectives discovered nether Burkett's car earlier that day.

The weapon silencer recovered successful Andrew Beard's home. Carrollton Police Department

Investigators besides uncovered what they believed to beryllium an unregistered weapon silencer. 

Oct. 3, 2020 | 12 p.m.

Vials of acheronian colored constitution and a brace of chopped up hiking boots were recovered during a hunt of Andrew Beard's pickup truck. Carrollton Police Department

The adjacent day, detectives searched Beard's achromatic F-150 pickup motortruck and recovered a backpack. Inside, they uncovered 2 bottles of acheronian brownish makeup, and a brace of men's hiking boots that had been chopped into pieces and were soaking successful bleach.

Oct. 3, 2020

Police learned Andrew Beard had bought the achromatic SUV specifically to perpetrate the murder. Carrollton Police Department

Later that night, constabulary located that achromatic Ford SUV the assailant drove to the scene. It was recovered abandoned little than a mile from Beard's house.

During a hunt of Andrew Beard's SUV, Carrollton Police recovered portion of his disguise: a fake beard. Carrolton Police Department

When detectives searched the SUV, they recovered a fake beard smeared with acheronian brownish makeup.

Oct. 5, 2020

Three days aft Alyssa Burkett was killed, Beard turned himself successful to Carrolton, Texas, police. Carrolton Police Department

When Beard learned determination was a warrant for his arrest, helium turned himself successful to the Carrollton Police Department. He was charged with murder.

Oct. 6, 2020

Beard's fiancée, Holly Elkins, voluntarily went to talk with detectives astatine the Carrollton Police Department.

Holly Elkins is interviewed by Carrollton Police detectives Jeremy Chevallier and Michael Harding. Carrolton Police Department

During the interview, Elkins told investigators that Beard was astatine location with her connected the greeting of the murder. She besides described herself arsenic a "stage 5 clinger girlfriend," and said she would person known if Beard near the location that morning.

Oct. 6, 2020 | 1:30 p.m.

Some of Holly Elkins' net searches. Carrollton Police Department

After her interview, investigators said Elkins made the pursuing net searches:

"Can I not beryllium brought to tribunal if I person a psychiatrist note?"

"vulnerable patients going to court"

"contact psychiatrist successful Dallas"

"Can I not beryllium subpoenaed to jailhouse if I person a intelligence issue?"

Oct. 29, 2020

Beard spent 2 weeks down bars earlier helium was released connected bond. Carrollton Police Det. Jeremy Chevallier said helium was disquieted astir babe Willow's safety, truthful helium reached retired to the national authorities to instrumentality the lawsuit nether national firearm laws.

Because detectives recovered an unregistered silencer during the hunt of Beard's home, the national authorities agreed to instrumentality the case.

Andrew Beard was rearrested and charged with cyberstalking utilizing a unsafe limb resulting successful death. Carrollton Police Department

Eight days aft helium bonded out, Beard was rearrested and yet charged with cyberstalking utilizing a unsafe limb resulting successful death.

July 15, 2022

In June 2022, Beard pleaded blameworthy to cyberstalking and utilizing a unsafe limb resulting successful death.  

A twelvemonth and 9 months aft Alyssa Burkett was killed, Andrew Beard spoke to the FBI arsenic portion of a plea deal. FBI

One period later, helium spoke to the FBI arsenic portion of a plea deal. And helium had a batch to accidental astir Elkins' engagement successful Burkett's murder.

"…It was…'this is however you're gonna bash this,' it was, '… you're gonna deterioration this acheronian constitution …' That was her plan…that's however it's gonna beryllium done," Beard told the FBI. 

May 24, 2023

Beard was sentenced to 43 years successful national prison. 

June 21, 2023

After speaking with Beard, the FBI spent astir a twelvemonth gathering a lawsuit against Elkins.

Investigators recovered net searches and a Walgreens receipt that connected her to the crime.  

Text messages betwixt Holly Elkins and Andrew Beard. Carrollton Police Department

They besides dug into substance messages betwixt Elkins and Beard. In a substance sent to Beard 1 week earlier Burkett's murder, Elkins wrote, "I anticipation you grip it I'm not coming location to b**s***"

Elkins was indicted connected 3 charges: conspiracy to stalk, stalking utilizing a unsafe limb resulting successful superior bodily wounded and decease and brandishing a firearm successful narration to a transgression of violence.

July 6, 2023

Holly Elkins was arrested by national agents astir 3 years aft Alyssa Burkett's death. Johnson County Sheriff's Office

Elkins was arrested astatine the Miami airdrome by national agents aft returning from a travel to the Dominican Republic. 

April 9 – 16, 2024

Andrew Beard and Holly Elkins with Willow, the girl Beard shared with Alyssa Burkett. Lizette Bowers

Elkins' proceedings began astatine the national courthouse successful downtown Dallas. After six days, the lawsuit went to the jury.

April 17, 2024

Holly Elkins Stephen Green

The assemblage deliberated for astir an hour-and-a-half earlier they recovered Elkins blameworthy connected each counts. On Aug. 15, 2024, Elkins was sentenced to 2 beingness terms. 

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