Her Ex’s Fiancée Plotted To Kill Her So She Could Have Her Dream Life
On October 2, 2020, 24-year-old Texas mother Alyssa Burkett was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend, Andrew Beard.
But over the course of the investigation into her killing, authorities realized Andrew was only one half of the story and his fiancée, Holly Elkins, was the “puppet master” behind the slaying.
Alyssa and Andrew shared a 1-year-old daughter named Willow together, and in the months prior to Alyssa’s death, they were in a tense custody battle. Following Willow’s birth in July 2019, Andrew filed for primary custody.
“Andrew, he made more money than [Alyssa]. She was afraid that he wanted Willow, and he was gonna get her,” Alyssa’s sister, Madison Grimes, said.
However, by the spring of 2020, tensions supposedly subsided between Alyssa and Andrew, and they came to a visitation and child support agreement. Then Andrew began dating his fiancée, Holly Elkins, in early April 2020.
Holly spent her first weekend with Andrew and his daughter, Willow, later that same month. And in May, they were even shopping for engagement rings.
Come June, though, Holly was reportedly frustrated by Andrew’s association with Alyssa. Referring to Alyssa as his “baby mamma” or “BM,” Holly wrote, “Your BM owns you,” and, “You continue to put BM first.”
After Holly moved in with Andrew in the summer of 2020, she started a “campaign to harass” Alyssa, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Texas.
First, in June, Holly and Andrew put a GPS tracker in Alyssa’s car, and a month later, Holly called 911. Using the fake name “Amber,” Holly filed a false report that Alyssa had been on the interstate, driving erratically.
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Two months later, in August, Holly filed another false report, claiming that Alyssa’s mother had attacked her. Holly even scratched her own chest in an attempt to prove the lie.
Five days went by, and Holly and Andrew hired a private investigator to “dig up dirt” on Alyssa and her new boyfriend. The investigator didn’t find anything incriminating, according to his trial testimony.
Next, in September, Holly and Andrew planted a gun and drugs in Alyssa’s car. Afterward, Andrew used a fake name to call the police and accuse Alyssa of selling drugs out of her vehicle.
September 10, 2020, was when Holly and Andrew visited a sporting goods store together to prepare for Alyssa’s murder.
They bought a black rain suit. Four days later, Holly proceeded to buy dark makeup at a drugstore. Finally, on September 19, the pair went to a big box store to buy a Camillus knife and .410 shotgun shells.
A week before Alyssa was killed, Holly reportedly texted Andrew and stated, “I hope you can handle it.” She gave him an ultimatum, saying he had to be “ride or die” for her. Or else she wasn’t sure their relationship could continue.
Little time passed before Andrew went on Google and started researching how to remove gunpowder from his hands.
The murder plot culminated on October 2. Alyssa was sitting in her car in the parking lot of her job when Andrew, who was dressed in a black rain suit and disguised as a Black man, shot her in the head with a shotgun.
Andrew reportedly began to drive away, assuming she was dead, but Alyssa staggered out of her vehicle and ran toward her office. At that point, Andrew exited his car, chased her with a hunting knife, and stabbed and slashed her 44 times.
Alyssa’s coworkers found her gasping for air while covered in blood outside their office’s front door, and she ultimately died.
While the murder was unfolding, Holly remained at Andrew’s home with Willow in an effort to create an alibi.
When Alyssa’s mother, Teresa Collard, heard of the crime and arrived at the scene, she immediately told investigators a name to look into: Andrew Beard. Within a few hours, police pulled Andrew over in his F-150 pickup truck, which they seized.
Holly and Willow had been inside the car at the time, and investigators told Holly and Andrew they were free to leave. However, they couldn’t go home.
Police searched Andrew’s house and discovered GPS tracker batteries and charging stations. They matched the tracking device investigators had found under Alyssa’s car.
The following day, a search of his car revealed two bottles of dark foundation, which investigators believe he used to disguise himself as a Black man during Alyssa’s murder.
Andrew ended up surrendering at the Carrollton Police Department on October 5, 2020 and was charged with murder, spending two weeks behind bars prior to being released on bond.
He was later rearrested and charged with cyberstalking using a dangerous weapon, resulting in death, and pleaded guilty in June 2022. As part of a plea deal, Andrew also spoke with the FBI and discussed Holly’s role in Alyssa’s killing.
The FBI spent around one year building a case against Holly. According to prosecutors, her motive was that she “dreamt of a life” with Andrew, in addition to a mother-daughter relationship with Willow.
Andrew was ultimately sentenced to 43 years in prison upon pleading guilty to cyberstalking, resulting in death, and using a firearm for a violent crime.
Then, in April 2024, Holly was convicted of conspiracy to stalk, stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. She received two life sentences.
“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,” stated 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 to endure. But we can give them this measure of justice. Holly Elkins and Andrew Beard will never terrorize their family again.”
Now, Alyssa’s family is trying to shield her daughter, Willow, from the tragic crime while still keeping Alyssa’s memory alive.
“I hope that when she learns what happened, she doesn’t let it tear her apart,” Alyssa’s sister said.
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