Woman arrested in Miami, charged in connection to Dallas Co. murder of former fiance's ex-girlfriend
The former fiancé of a Rowlett man who shot and stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death in 2020 has been charged with helping to orchestrate the brutal slaying, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Holly Ann Elkins, the 32-year-old ex-fiancée of Andrew Charles Beard, was indicted last month on three charges: conspiracy to stalk, stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in serious bodily injury and death, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
Elkins was arrested on Thursday in Miami and made her initial appearance in Miami on Friday afternoon.
According to the indictment, Elkins allegedly helped plot the Oct. 2, 2020 killing of Andrew Beard's ex-girlfriend, 24-year-old Alyssa Ann Burkett, with whom Beard shared a child.
Beard previously pleaded guilty to cyberstalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and is serving his 43-year sentence.
The indictment alleges during in the summer of 2020, Elkins and Beard purchased a GPS tracking device and installed it on Burkett's vehicle.
According to the indictment, on July 25, 2020, Elkins allegedly phoned the police using a fake name and falsely reported she saw Burkett's car driving dangerously.
Less than a month later, she allegedly falsely reported Burkett's mother assaulted her in Burkett's presence.
On Sept. 2, Elkins and Beard allegedly planted illegal drugs and a pistol with an obliterated serial number in the trunk of Burkett's vehicle in order to have her arrested, the indictment states. That same day, Elkins allegedly texted Beard a photo of Burkett's license plate number so he could provide it to police in a false report that claimed Burkett was selling drugs out of the car.
According to the indictment Beard then called police using a fake name and reported that Burkett was selling drugs to men at the apartment complex where she worked, providing the license plate number on the photo Elkins sent.
Sept. 13: Elkins and Beard allegedly purchased a van to carry out a planned attack on Burkett.
Sept. 14: Elkins purchased makeup for Beard's disguise.
Sept. 19: Elkins and Beard allegedly purchased .410 shotgun shells and a Camillus knife.
Oct. 2: Beard, disguised as a Black man, shot Burkett in the head while she sat behind the wheel of her car in her work parking lot. As she staggered out of the car, Beard grabbed her and stabbed her 13 times. She died in the parking lot as he raced away from the scene.
During the murder, Elkins allegedly remained at Beard's home with Burkett's child in an attempt to establish an alibi. A few days later, in an interview with law enforcement, Elkins falsely claimed Beard was home at the time of the murder.
If convicted, Elkins faces up to two consecutive life sentences in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas Field Office, the Carrollton Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives' Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Tromblay and Andrew Briggs are prosecuting the case.