IHolly Ann Elkins received two consecutive life sentences for her role in the meticulous murder of her fiancé’s ex-girlfriend. Holly Elkins was found guilty on charges including conspiracy to stalk, stalking using a dangerous weapon resulting in death, and brandishing a firearm about a crime of violence. Her sentencing took place yesterday under the gavel of U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Elkins' former fiancé, Andrew Beard had earlier pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced to a somewhat lighter but still substantial sentence of 43 years in federal prison. "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," said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton, as per the U.S. Department of Justice.
The narrative that unfurled in the courtroom described how Elkins and Beard embarked on a campaign of incessant torment against Alyssa Ann Burkett, who bore Beard a daughter. The evidence revealed that the couple's deep-seated hostility toward Burkett included tracking her movements, falsifying police reports, and smearing her character. Elkins, aiming to solidify her place beside Beard, impelled him toward the murder, deeming Burkett a "c**t" and a "dumb b**ch" among other vile descriptors. The triggers for these acts seem to have sprung from a combination of jealousy and twisted aspirations for a life that Elkins envisioned with Beard and his child.
Elkins' engagement in the stalking escalated rapidly; from monitoring Burkett via GPS tracking to actively plotting physical harm. In haunting coordination, the pair went on to purchase items intended for the execution of Burkett, including a black rain suit and disguise elements. It culminated on October 2, 2020, with Beard, dolled up in disguise and donning the black rain suit, ferociously shooting and repeatedly stabbing Burkett while she stayed behind at Beard's Rockwall home, supposedly crafting an alibi. Ms. Burkett breathed her last amid her colleagues' desperate attempts to save her life.
