A custody battle over a baby girl took a horrifying turn when Andrew Beard killed Alyssa Burkett, the mother of his daughter, in 2 October 2020, after months of escalating conflict. His fiancée, Holly Elkins, was later convicted over her role in the plot, with prosecutors arguing that Beard had been driven to prove his loyalty to her, even if it meant killing his child's mother.
The case became even more disturbing when investigators uncovered messages allegedly sent by Elkins from Mexico, including the words, 'I hope you handle it.' Behind the shocking exchange was a young mother who had repeatedly told loved ones she feared for her life, only to be murdered outside the apartment complex where she worked.
A Custody Battle Turned Hostile
Alyssa met Beard through a dating app in 2019, when she was 22, and gave birth to their daughter, Willow Ann, on 23 July that year. Although their relationship had been brief, they shared custody, but the arrangement became increasingly strained as Beard continued seeking primary custody of the child.
The dispute brought repeated court hearings and mounting financial pressure for Alyssa, who feared Beard's greater resources would give him an advantage. By March 2020, the parents had agreed on visitation and child support, but tensions returned after both began new relationships and Beard started dating Elkins.
The Fiancée's Loyalty Test
At first, Elkins appeared keen to build a friendly relationship with Alyssa, even promising to have a healthy dynamic with her and her new partner. However, the atmosphere changed as the custody dispute intensified, and Alyssa began telling family and friends that Beard seemed to know where she was and what she was doing.
In September 2020, someone using the name Frank Marrow called police and reported drugs, a gun and cash in Alyssa's car, where officers subsequently found the items. Investigators concluded that the items had been planted, while Beard later told the FBI that Elkins had devised the scheme as part of their efforts to gain an advantage in the custody dispute.
The Messages From Mexico
According to Beard's later account to investigators, Elkins wanted him to prove himself worthy of her love and directed the planning of the murder. In a message sent on 25 September 2020, a week before the attack, she allegedly wrote, 'I hope you handle it. I'm not coming home to BS.'
Beard replied that this was his goal, and Elkins warned that it would be a 'whole different conversation' if she did not feel he was 'ride or die.' She had also reportedly told him she did not want a 'pushover', with prosecutors later presenting the messages as evidence that the killing was connected to his efforts to prove his loyalty to her.
A Disguised And Deadly Attack
On the morning of 2 October 2020, Alyssa arrived at the Greentree apartment complex in Carrollton, Texas, where she worked as an assistant property manager. A man in a black SUV shot her through her car window before returning with a hunting knife and attacking her as she tried to reach her co-workers.
Investigators later found a fake beard and traces of Alyssa's blood inside the abandoned SUV, while dark foundation recovered during the investigation was believed to have been used in the disguise. Police also discovered notes matching details from the earlier emergency call and tracking-device evidence, helping investigators build their case against Beard and Elkins.
The Convictions That Followed
Beard eventually pleaded guilty and received a 43-year federal prison sentence in May 2023. He told the FBI that Elkins had directed the planning, and prosecutors argued at her 2024 trial that he may have carried out the killing alone but had not planned it alone.
A jury found Elkins guilty on all counts on 17 April 2024, and she was sentenced to two consecutive life terms on 15 August that year. In December 2025, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overturned her firearm conviction and the second life sentence, while upholding her other convictions and leaving her with a life sentence for cyberstalking and five years for conspiracy.
Alyssa's Daughter And Legacy
For Alyssa's family, the legal outcome could not undo the loss of a young woman who had been determined to build a better life for her daughter. She had returned to college after Willow's birth, and relatives described how deeply she loved her child and wanted to give her a secure future.
After Alyssa's death, her mother, Teresa Collard, adopted Willow and continued to keep her mother's memory alive through photographs, family stories and visits to her grave. One of the most heartbreaking moments came when Willow asked whether her mother could return and whether there was a phone number in heaven, a question that captured the lasting cost of a crime rooted in a bitter custody dispute and a chilling demand for loyalty.
