CARROLLTON, Texas — A jury found a Rowlett woman guilty of helping to orchestrate the murder of her former fiancé’s ex-girlfriend in 2020, federal officials announced Wednesday.
Holly Elkins, 32, of Rowlett, helped her former fiancé, Andrew Beard, who, on Oct. 2, 2020, fatally shot and stabbed his ex-girlfriend Alyssa Ann Burkett, 24, with whom he shared a child, in a Carrollton parking lot, officials say.
Elkins was indicted in June 2023 on charges of conspiracy to stalk, stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence in connection with Burkett’s murder. Elkins was convicted of the charges after a seven-day trial and now faces up to life in prison, federal officials say.
Beard, for his part, pleaded guilty to stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in 2022 and was sentenced to 43 years in prison in May of 2023, officials say.
“Holly Elkins and Andrew Beard constructed a campaign of terror aimed at Alyssa Ann Burkett, the mother of Mr. Beard’s young daughter. After months of harassment and stalking, this campaign ended in the incredibly violent murder of Alyssa at the hands of Mr. Beard with Ms. Elkins’s full participation and knowledge in the planning and ensuing attempted cover-up,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton in a statement.
Prosecutors argued that Elkins tried to call Burkett’s fitness as a parent into question and eventually goaded Beard into killing Burkett.
Elkins, who began a relationship with Beard in April of 2020, became frustrated with Beard’s continued association with Burkett by June of that year and began a campaign to harass Burkett that summer, prosecutors said. That included helping Beard to place a GPS tracker on Burkett’s vehicle.
Then, Elkins placed a 911 call using a fake name and falsely claimed Burkett’s car was driving erratically on an interstate and falsely told police Burkett’s mother had assaulted her, federal officials say.
Elkins also helped Beard plant drugs and a gun in Burkett’s vehicle in September of 2020, officials say, and Beard called in a fake tip to police.
Beard and Elkins bought a black rain suit from a sporting goods store Sept. 10, 2020, and .410 shotgun shells and a Camillus knife from a big box store on Sept. 19, 2020, officials say.
Then, on Oct. 2, 2020, Beard shot Burkett in the head while she sat in her car in the parking lot outside of where she worked, officials say. As Burkett staggered out of the car, Beard grabbed her and stabbed her 44 times.
Burkett’s coworkers testified at trial that they found Burkett in front of her office front door, and she died as her coworkers tried to render aid.
Elkins remained at Beard’s home in Rockwall with Burkett’s daughter during the murder, and she later claimed Beard had been there with her, officials say.
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