Three years after a young mother was killed at work, federal authorities have announced another arrest in the case.
Andrew Charles Beard is currently serving a 43-year sentence after he cyberstalked his ex-girlfriend 24-year-old Alyssa Burkett and stabbed her to death in the midst of a custody dispute.
Russell Forsyth said not a day goes by that he doesn’t think of his granddaughter.
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“Alyssa was such a bright light,” said Forsyth.
The little girl she left behind just turned four.
“On Mother's Day, she said she had a gift for her mother, and she wanted to see if we could take it to Heaven and give it to her,” he said.
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With the case seemingly behind them, Forsyth said news of an additional arrest this week came as a shock. Friday, beard’s ex-fiancé, Holly Elkins, appeared in a Miami federal court over charges connecting her to the case.
Federal authorities said Elkins helped Beard stalk Burkett and helped him purchase the van, shotgun shells and knife used to carry out the crime, along with makeup he used to disguise himself.
During the murder, investigators said Elkins remained at Beard’s home with Burkett’s daughter. She later falsely claimed to police that Beard was with her at the time.
“He was under the influence of Holly Elkins. And what she did you know, even though she didn't participate in the murder itself, seems as bad if not a little bit worse than what he did,” said Forsyth.
Now family waits to see if more justice will be served as they prepare to mark three years without Alyssa.
