A US Magistrate today ordered 33-year old Andrew Beard of Rowlett to stay in jail on a federal charge. U.S Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver made the finding in a brief court hearing as Beard now has to fight criminal cases in both Dallas County for murder and U.S District court for Unlawful Possession of an Unregistered Silencer.
Beard was arrested for the Oct. 2 shooting and stabbing death of Alyssa Burkett, an apartment manager at the Greentree Apartments in the 1100 block of MacArthur in Carrollton.
He shocked Burkett's family when he came up with $1,000,000 dollar bond to get out of state jail. Within days, federal authorities locked Beard up on a charge of illegal possession of a silencer. At today's hearing Beard was ordered held without bond.
According to an arrest affidavit, police believe Beard used makeup to darken his skin before he used a black 2004 Ford Expedition to drive to the apartment complex, then confront Burkett. One witness said she "heard a vehicle come to a quick stop outside her office window. (the witness) looked out and saw a male suspect exit what she thought was a black truck and approach Burkett's vehicle, which was parked in front of the office. The man, dressed in black clothing, shot toward the driver's side of Burkett's vehicle." said police in the affidavit.
The two share a child and Burkett had been awarded custody just days before, the affidavit says.
Carrollton Police homed-in on Beard when they discovered the 2004 Expedition abandoned and facing the wrong way in the 5500 block of Onset Bay Drive, Rowlett. It is about 1/3 of a mile from Beard's home, the affidavit says. What's more police say they have surveillance video showing the Expedition driving past an area home about 30-minutes after the attack. The Carrollton scene and Beard's home are about 26 miles apart, the affidavit says.
Police say they found blood, a prosthetic beard and brown makeup in the SUV.
Investigators believe Burkett, her boyfriend and other family members were in fear of Beard immediately before her death.
Hours after his arrest, prosecutors were alarmed that Beard had managed to post the bond, considered high. But before he could be released, Beard had to meet all the conditions of bond, including a provison that no weapons be in his possession. Court documents show that police saw, but did not seize, 18 firearms when they searched Beard's home. A judge ordered the bond be held insufficient until the weapons were removed.
Police say the silencer was seen at the time, giving federal authorities the ability to file their case in a jurisdiction where the bond conditions are much different.
Beard does not have any court dates in either Dallas County or Federal court.
