Prosecutors described Holly Ann Elkins as the puppet master for helping plot the 2020 killing of 24-year-old Alyssa Burkett.
ROWLETT, Texas — A North Texas woman has been given two life sentences Thursday for helping her former fiancé plot the killing of his ex-girlfriend, federal officials announced Thursday.
Holly Ann Elkins was found guilty in the death of 24-year-old Alyssa Burkett.
According to evidence presented at trial, Elkins helped her former fiancé, Andrew Beard, who, on Oct. 2, 2020, fatally shot and stabbed his ex-girlfriend Burkett, with whom he shared a young daughter.
Beard pled guilty and was sentenced to 43 years in federal prison in May 2023.
Burkett was murdered at a Carrollton apartment complex where she worked.
Prosecutors argued that Elkins tried to call Burkett’s fitness as a parent into question and eventually goaded Beard into killing Burkett. Elkins stalked and harassed Burkett for months. Prosecutors said she helped plant drugs and a gun in her vehicle and called police on her, falsely claiming Burkett was a drug dealer.
“Month after month, Holly Elkins and Andrew Beard relentlessly harassed Alyssa Ann Burkett,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “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.”
One week before the murder, Elkins texted Beard saying “I hope you handle it.” She requested that he be “ride or die” for her and said if he was not, their relationship would end, according to evidence presented in court.
Shortly after that text exchange, Google records reveal that Beard began conducting searches for how to remove gunpowder from his hands.
“We can never bring back what Ms. Burkett’s family has lost. We can never heal the pain her young daughter has had to endure. But we can give them this measure of justice,” Simonton said.
Then, on Oct. 2 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.
At the trial, Burkett’s new boyfriend at the time of her death testified that he believed Ms. Elkins was the “puppet master” behind the murder.
“Holly Elkins and Andrew Beard will never terrorize their family again,” Simonton said.