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Alyssa Burkett was a 24-year-old mother who was murdered on October 2, 2020, in Carrollton, Texas. She was found stabbed and shot to death outside her workplace.
The case gained significant media attention due to the involvement of her ex-boyfriend, Andrew Beard, father to her young daughter, and his fiancée, Holly Elkins.
The crime was the result of a prolonged series of events, including stalking, harassment, and a contentious custody dispute over their child. Beard was allegedly responsible for carrying out the assault, while Elkins was involved in the orchestration and attempted cover-up. Both were subsequently convicted and given long prison sentences.
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This case will be featured on Snapped: Killer Couples on Oxygen on April 20, 2025. The episode explores what happened to Alyssa Burkett, the events leading up to her death, and the legal outcomes of the case, providing full context based on available facts.
The day Alyssa Burkett was attacked
On the morning of October 2, 2020, Alyssa Burkett arrived at the Greentree Apartments leasing office in Carrollton, Texas, where she worked. Only minutes after parking, a man driving a black Ford Expedition pulled in behind her. As per CBS News, on November 19, 2024, Andrew Beard, identified later, approached Burkett's vehicle and fired into her through the driver's side window.
Even after being shot in the head, Burkett managed to survive the first shot and stepped out of her car to seek help. However, the perpetrator, in blackface and an imitation beard, got out of his vehicle once again and pursued her.
According to the CBS News article, dated November 19, 2024, he stabbed and cut her 44 times with a hunting knife, killing her. The brutality of the attack shocked both witnesses and the community.
Alyssa's mother, Teresa Collard, came to the crime scene shortly afterwards and immediately identified Andrew Beard as the suspect. Beard and Burkett had a contentious custody battle over their one-year-old daughter, Willow.
Reported by People on October 6, 2020, Beard had requested primary custody following Willow's birth in July 2019, which had strained the relationship between the ex-partners.
The plot behind the murder
The killing was not a spontaneous act but the culmination of a planned scheme by Andrew Beard and his bride-to-be, Holly Elkins. Over several months, the couple stalked and harassed Burkett.
As reported by Fox 4 news, dated August 15, 2024, Elkins, characterized by prosecutors as the "puppet master," repeatedly called police to falsely report Burkett for aggressive driving and drug dealing.
The couple allegedly planted illegal drugs and a gun in Alyssa Burkett's car in an attempt to get her arrested. As per CBS News on November 17, 2024, before the murder, Elkins texted Beard saying that she hoped he would "handle it" and he was her "ride or die."
Fox 4 News reported on April 17, 2024, that on the day of the attack, Elkins remained home with Burkett's daughter. She did so to create an alibi and falsely say that Beard was with her when the murder took place.
Following the killing, Andrew Beard first turned himself in to police and was arraigned for murder. He later pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and possession of a deadly weapon used in a fatal attack.
According to CBS News, in his plea agreement, Beard disclosed Elkins' alleged involvement in masterminding the crime, including planning the disguise and assault.
Legal outcomes and sentencing
The trial and investigation uncovered the entire scope of the events. Holly Elkins was arrested in Miami in July 2023 and later convicted of alleged masterminding the killing.
According to FOX 4 News, prosecutors identified her as the primary planner, alleging that she stalked and harassed Alyssa Burkett. They claimed that she planted evidence on her and assisted in plotting the killing.
In April 2024, a federal jury convicted Elkins, and in August 2024, she was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison. Andrew Beard pleaded guilty in June 2022 and is serving a 43-year federal prison term. As per CBS News, his cooperation with the FBI contributed to revealing Elkins' participation and the elaborate crime planning.
The case brought a sense of closure to Alyssa Burkett's family. Her mother, Teresa Collard, now looks after Willow. She was just 14 months old at the time of her mother's death. Collard expressed relief at the outcome after a prolonged and difficult process, as reported by FOX 4 News.
For more details on the case of Alyssa Burkett, watch Snapped: Killer Couples on Oxygen on April 20, 2025.
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