On November 18, ABC's 20/20 will premiere her episode titled . Prosecutors say in the spring of 1999, six months before the shooting, Celeste chose murder over divorce as the best way to cash in on Stevens fortune. That's what landed her a life sentence and a featured role in the first ever "Snapped" episode. The Twin Brothers Are, Is Summer Walker Expecting Twin Babies? Beard is behind bars for the murder of her millionaire husband. We dont know if Kristina has reached out to her at all. The judge ruled the tape was authentic and admissible. When Tarlton was arrested for drunk driving and Johnson bailed her out, Beard, angered by the relentless phone calls, demanded that Tarlton stop contacting the couple. Tarlton has kept to herself and has not participated in any of the shows about her story. Thats because the sisters believe they were completely ignored by Celeste not only did they hardly receive any love or compassion from her, but Jennifer cant even recall the last time they hugged. The people who know me and know my story have been very, very supportive of me, and I would not have been able to make it without these people, she said. By 1999, the depression got so bad that Celeste claimed she was suicidal. I spent a lot of time watching every video footage I could find of Celeste and going down every rabbit hole of the case and just really trying to wrap my head around this woman, she said. Following her release, she moved to San Antonio, Texas, and reports mention that she was taken off parole in August 2021. Celestes daughters also testified against their mother and, in turn, reaffirmed Traceys testimony. When Celeste Beard was charged with murdering her husband, Beard's twin daughters had to decide if they would bringing forward a crucial piece of evidence in court that could be used against her. He was released from the hospital on January 18, 2000, but had to be readmitted soon after. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. They hated Steven. First, some backstory: Celeste was a waitress at a Texas country club when she met her future husband, Steve Beard Jr., a retired TV executive. But neither the prosecutors nor the judge or jury believed that Jennifer and Kristina were motivated by money; they merely wanted justice. Reports claim that she met her birth mother just once while her father regularly abused her, which led her to allegedly attempt suicide. Now theyre revealing more details about their mother, Celeste Beard, whos currently serving a mandatory life sentence at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Lane Murray Unit in Gatesville. The three of them were explicitly named in Stevens will, alongside his children from his first marriage, so Celestes conviction guaranteed the girls a share of their mothers inheritance an estimated $2 million. They met at a mental hospital.". But ABC's Who Do You Believe? I was willing to shoot him, and I went and did it., Tracey then said that she walked into Steves room, stood at the foot of his bed, raised her gun and took aim where I was supposed to take aim and pulled the trigger. Secrets of a Gold Digger Killerpremieres Sunday, June 13, at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime. Months after Stevens death, Celeste married for the fifth time. He was amusing. Tracey: Until you brought it up, yes. As of January 2019, Kristina testified that Jennifer was unable to work due to her injuries. "If I couldn't help her out, she'd be homeless," Kristina said. Celeste Beard Johnson is pictured after getting her associate degree in prison. Celeste Beard Johnson, then 17 years old, and her first of many husbands, welder Craig Bratcher, gave birth to identical twins Jennifer and Kristina in the early 1980s. According to several online reports, Chris Beard was married to Leslie Beard, who is an American journalist and author. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. I truly got attached to him, she once remarked about her stepfather, adding that he treated the twins like family in addition to giving them with much-needed stability. In November 2017, Jennifer was shot multiple times by her then-roommate Randall Gaston Jones at their Halloween party in Austin, Texas. DeGuerin says it was Tracey who was the manipulator. Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death Thats quite a fall from the fairy-tale life, says friend Marilou. Tarlton confessed to the shooting and was arrested at home six days after the shooting, was charged with assault. They both believed Tracey and their mother were more than just friends. The people who know me and know my story have been very, very supportive of me, and I would not have been able to make it without these people.. Even with the reconciliation, Celeste started slipping into depression. Celeste was a waitress at a country club in Austin and used to serve Steven his nightly cocktail. According to Johnson and several witnesses, Tarlton tried to kiss her after she had passed out during her daughters' 1999 high school graduation. Distractify is a registered trademark. Menu. However, Celeste's life was in Tarlton's hands who "finally agreed to testify against her friend" in exchange for a reduced prison sentence. Based on Tarlton's statement, Johnson was arrested on March 28, 2002. For Celeste, who had two twin daughters and had been married multiple times, Beard "represented what she was looking for: stability, wealth and someone to take care of her," according to ABC. Mari Gilbert Is Getting a Closeup in Lifetimes The Long Island Serial Killer, Lifetime's 'A Murder to Remember' Tells the Chilling True Story of Candra Torres, Lifetimes Death Saved My Life Is a Ripped From the Headlines Tale of Pseudocide. Is 12 Desperate Hours Based on a True Story? The show featured interviews with Celeste, her two daughters, and other people in the case. However, the couple soon reunited, and Steven did not go through with the divorce proceedings. Now they're revealing more details about their mother, Celeste Beard, who's currently serving a mandatory life sentence at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Lane Murray Unit in Gatesville. Their age gap especially raised eyebrows for Celeste's twin daughters from her first marriage, Jennifer Beard and Kristina Fritz. . Four years later, Johnson was convicted of capital murder and injury to an elderly individual, and sentenced to life in prison. Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Keto Diet Questions And Answers, Big Brother Season 23 Episode 13 Release Date & Spoiler. ever be able to tell you just how much I love you. On his death, the half interest in the homes, the tangible personal property and the club memberships, and $500,000 would go outright to Celeste," says Kuperman. Jennifer Beard and Kristina Fritz, Beard's daughters, decided to testify against their. Shortly after the shooting, police arrested Tracey Tarlton, who was a family friend, in connection with the murder after they linked her personalized shotgun to the shell that was found at the scene of the crime. A family photo showing Steven Beard, Celeste Beard and her daughters Kristina and Jennifer. Celeste Beard was convicted of murdering her millionaire husband in 2003. deeply sorry for that. However, she still kept the information about Celestes involvement from the police hidden, at least for a while. Reports claim that she met her birth mother just once while her father regularly abused her, which led her to allegedly attempt suicide. She thought her luck had changed for the better when she met millionaire and TV tycoon Steven Beard at a country club in Austin, Texas, where she worked as a waitress. In a recent episode of Who Do You Believe?, Jennifer and Kristina Beard finally light on the events of nearly 25 years ago as they saw them. Once Steven agreed to her terms, she moved in with the millionaire and married him in February 1995. Celeste Beard loved money more than she loved anything else. Celeste was never charged in connection with the alleged murder for hire plot. I hate to admit it, but the only reason why they could have turned on me was for the money. True crime has definitely reached a place where finding a new way to approach it is fairly difficult. The twins claimed their mother married Beard only because of his money, reports say. That part was true. But, it was her supposed lover who pulled the trigger. I think, in her mind, she did it for her family, her children. Stevens family was against the marriage and claimed that Celeste was marrying him just for his money. This empty promise directly contributed to Tarlton shooting Steve Beard. A jury found Celeste Beard Johnson guilty of capital murder. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. I do not agree, for a minute, that theyre motivated by money. -In the 1991 film "Boyz N the Hood," actor Lloyd Avery made his acting debut as a member of What Happened to the Daughters of Celeste Beard? Beard, a retired Fox Broadcasting executive and self-made multi-millionaire more than twice her age, was a widower whose wife had died of cancer. Four years after they were married, Steve would be shot in their home by someone wielding a 20-gauge shotgun. They then even went as far as to claim that their mother would often drug Stevens food or drinks to ensure she could sneak out to Traceys at night. I wanted what my kids are getting., During the trial, prosecutors Gary Cobb and Allison Wetzel brought forward a piece of evidence, a recording from Kristina's phone that captured Celeste screaming and saying I hired somebody to kill Tracey.. Celeste Beard Johnson's story was a twisted one: meet a rich elderly widower, marry him, live a life of luxury, and after he tries to put a stop to your outrageous spending, kill him or rather, convince a close friend to do it for you. ', Get to Know the Real Life Story Behind Secrets of a Gold Digger Killer, A Doctor by Day and Musician by Night 'Dateline' Examines the Murder of Buddy McCutcheon. } Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) display: block; Kristina, who has made a successful career as Kristina Fritz in California, claims that her sister is unable to work and consequently relies on her for financial support. Pour en savoir plus sur notre utilisation de vos informations, veuillez consulter notre Politique relative la vie prive et notre Politique en matire de cookies. Celestes argument was that her children were greedy and deceptive. Meanwhile, Stevens condition was quite critical though doctors managed to fix his wound to the best of their abilities. The girls also said they had suspicions about Celeste and Traceys friendship. But if Celeste goes free, Steven Beards will calls for the girls to get significantly less. 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