A week before Texas mom Alyssa Burkett's murder, the killer received a text: "I hope you handle it"
CBS News traces the murder of Alyssa Burkett and the evidence that tied Andrew Beard and Holly Elkins to the plot.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
CBS News lays out how investigators connected Alyssa Burkett's killing to Andrew Beard, then expanded the case to his fiancée, Holly Elkins, using phone records, searches, physical evidence, and a damaging text message.
Police treated the case like a puzzle with lots of clues: a hidden tracker, makeup, a fake beard, and text messages. Those pieces helped them show that the attack on Alyssa Burkett was planned ahead of time, not just something that happened by accident.
Analysis
What happened
CBS News presents the case as a step-by-step timeline. Alyssa Burkett was shot outside her workplace in Carrollton, Texas, on Oct. 2, 2020. After the gunshot, she got out of her car and tried to get help, but the attacker chased her down and stabbed and slashed her repeatedly. Her mother immediately named Andrew Beard, the father of Burkett's young child, as a possible suspect.
How investigators built the case
Police quickly found physical evidence that pointed toward planning, not a spontaneous attack. They recovered a GPS tracker battery and charging equipment that matched a device found under Burkett's car. They also found what investigators believed was an unregistered gun silencer in Beard's home. In Beard's truck, detectives later found dark makeup and hiking boots that had been cut apart and soaked in bleach. Police also located the black SUV used in the attack and found a fake beard smeared with makeup inside it.
Beard was first charged with murder, later turned over to federal authorities, and eventually pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and using a dangerous weapon resulting in death. After that, he told the FBI that Holly Elkins had been involved in the planning and described her role in the disguise and execution of the attack.
The reporting says investigators then dug into Elkins' internet searches, a Walgreens receipt, and text messages between her and Beard. One message sent a week before the murder told Beard to handle it. Elkins was later arrested, tried in federal court in Dallas, and found guilty on all counts. She was sentenced to two life terms in August 2024.
Key points
- Alyssa Burkett was shot and then attacked again outside her workplace in Carrollton, Texas, on Oct. 2, 2020.
- Investigators said physical evidence linked Andrew Beard to tracking, disguise, and vehicle evidence connected to the killing.
- Beard later pleaded guilty in federal court and received a 43-year prison sentence.
- CBS News says text messages, internet searches, and a Walgreens receipt helped build the case against Holly Elkins.
- Elkins was convicted on federal charges and sentenced to two life terms.
The case shows that careful police work can uncover hidden evidence and hold multiple people accountable, not just the person who pulled the trigger. It also demonstrates that federal charges can be used when local evidence suggests a broader stalking or weapon-related crime.
The story also shows how long justice can take in a complex murder case, with years passing between the killing, arrests, plea deals, and sentencing. It is a reminder that victims' families can face a long wait before every alleged participant is identified and prosecuted.
