She was saying psychological, horrible stuff, said Kristina. Celeste Beard Johnson was convicted of capital murder in 2003 and given a life sentence. He was released from the hospital on January 18, 2000, but had to be readmitted soon after. 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. Months after Stevens death, Celeste married for the fifth time. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) According to Kristina, who has established a good life for herself in California as Kristina Fritz, her sister can not even work anymore and thus relies on her for financial support. One of the victims regrettably died, while Jennifer apparently required 10 surgeries to heal from the wounds to her stomach, which left her short of breath. What would make Celestes own children betray her? People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. They. They thought he was old. New information is revealed by each, and both parties are shown footage from the other side. "[3] She claimed that her adoptive parent, Edwin Johnson, physically abused her as a child and that she attempted suicide during puberty. Julie sounded off about the case in a recent interview withKGET. On June 13, 2021, Lifetime aired Secrets of a Gold Digger Killer, a TV film that featured Julie Benz as Celeste. According to reports, Celeste made him agree to adopt both of her daughters. On November 18, ABC's 20/20 will premiere her episode titled . He was incredibly wealthy and, at 70, was significantly older than Celeste. Tarlton confessed to the shooting and was arrested at home six days after the shooting, was charged with assault. Tarlton remained silent until July 2000, when she read in a local newspaper that Johnson had remarried six months after Beards death and realized that their relationship was a sham. All of Celeste Beards possessions from her years of wealth and extravagant spending now fit in a single, small closet. The Austin American-Statesman reported that in October 2017, a man dressed as Santa Claus for a Halloween party he helped throw, shot and killed a partygoer. As per the girls accounts, when their parents marriage failed, their mother jumped from state to state with them and tied the knot several times along the way, which soured their bond. She is serving her sentence at Lane Murray in Gatesville, Texas, and will be eligible for parole in April 2042, at the age of 80, according to Oxygen. Weitzel, lead prosecutor, disagrees. In 2022, ABC aired two episodes titled "What the Sisters Saw - Part 1 & 2" on the show Who Do You Believe?. Obviously, I was a horrible mother. While the latter noticed her mother didnt seem upset, her sister began recording what she believed to be abusive phone calls from her, telling her shed hired someone to kill Tracey, soon leading them to connect the dots. There were times where we would get dropped off in a foster home and not even understand what happened., She had her moments where she seemed like she was nice, said her other daughter, Kristina Fritz. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. #inline-recirc-item--id-a6126aac-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-a6126aac-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { He was amusing. Meanwhile, Stevens condition was quite critical though doctors managed to fix his wound to the best of their abilities. But ABC's Who Do You Believe? Offers may be subject to change without notice. [14], The case was covered on such news documentaries and true crime programs as American Justice, Snapped (1st episode), Deadly Women, Vengeance: Killer Millionaires, Reasonable Doubt, and ABC's 20/20. Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated Tarlton, on the other hand, was paroled in November 2011, after spending more than a decade behind bars, according to KENS5. Thus, to cure her depression, she chose to enroll herself in Saint Davids Pavilion, a mental health facility. Source: Twitter/@whodoyouabc (video still). Celeste is innocent, and its all on my shoulders, says DeGuerin, Celestes lawyer. He later died in January 2000 of a blood clot. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Tarlton would go on to shoot Steven, which she said was upon Celestes request. 911 operators received a frantic call from the victim himself, who begged for help. Jennifer and Kristina testified against their mother during her murder trial in 2002, citing all of the information above. I dont wake up one single day without feeling shamed still held for what I did, she toldKENS 5-TVlater that year. But you dont know whats going to happen.. The jury awarded Celeste Beard a life imprisonment sentence in 2003. In 2006, Celeste Beard tried to appeal her conviction and claimed that the evidence presented in her original trial was inadequate for the guilty verdict, but to no avail. Once the shotgun was linked to the murder through the cartridge found at the crime scene, police knew they had found their shooter and arrested Tracey. I did love Tracey, as a friend, says Celeste. CELESTE Beard Johnson has spoken out several times since she was convicted of killing her husband and continues to maintain her innocence. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. According to the Daily Mail, Steven gave Celeste a $35,000 (roughly 27,000) allowance each month. DeGuerin: Is there a single journal entry in which you say, It finally happened. I saw her break apart the sleeping pill and put it in his baked potato, says Jennifer. ', 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. Celeste Beard's daughters Jennifer Beard and Kristina Fritz during an interview. Celeste got life in prison for her part in the crime, while Tarlton who testified against Celeste got 10 years in prison and 12 years of probation. The police were quick in their investigation to find the shooter. On October 2, 1999, an intruder broke into Beards home in the early hours of the morning and fatally shot him, ABC News reports. The transition out of prison and into freedom was tough but some folks in the city of San Antonio, Tex. 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. True crime has definitely reached a place where finding a new way to approach it is fairly difficult. I really got attached to him, the latter once said about her stepfather, admitting that apart from providing the twins with some much-needed stability, he also treated them like family. 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. Steven was a widower and was recovering from the death of his wife of 45 years. Jennifer Beard and Kristina Fritz, Beard's daughters, decided to testify against their. On October 2, 1999, an intruder broke into Beard's home in the early hours of the morning and fatally shot him, ABC News reports. He disgusted her.. Tracey: Until you brought it up, yes. Secrets of a Gold Digger Killerpremieres Sunday, June 13, at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime. Four years after they were married, Steve would be shot in their home by someone wielding a 20-gauge shotgun. Speaking to ABC News correspondent John Quiones from her jail cell, she told him that what she wanted more than anything was to speak with her daughters. Their marriage drew raised eyebrows not only from the community, but also from Celeste's twin daughters, Kristina and Jennifer, who said their mother married Beard only because of his money. Beard's two daughters testified against their mum in trial, and claimed she had sought a . In fact, Celeste once bought a card that said, To the one I love. But she didnt give it to her husband, Steven. Copyright 2023 Distractify. While he was genuinely looking for companionship, she was only after his money, according to Jennifer and Kristina, whom hed legally adopted a month before they turned 18. Tracey shot Steven Beard for her own selfish and sick reasons.. When authorities spoke with Jennifer and Kristina, they could only think of one suspect: Tracey Tarlton. On October 29, Jennifer along with two others, were shot numerous times by her then-roommate Randall Jones at her Halloween party in Austin, Texas. Their attorney, David Kuperman, refused to allow police to interview Beard while he was hospitalized, due to his grave condition. The latest episode of 20/20 tells the story of Celeste Beard, a woman who would go on trial for the murder of her husband, a self-made millionaire named Steven Beard. Celeste Beard Johnson (born February 13, 1963), more commonly known as Celeste Beard, is an American convicted murderer who is serving a life sentence at the Lane Murray (SHU) in Gatesville, Texas, for the 1999 murder of her millionaire husband, Steven Beard. Once Steven agreed to her terms, she moved in with the millionaire and married him in February 1995. She had to undergo more than ten surgeries but survived.[23]. [13] Tarlton received a 10-year reduced sentence in exchange for testifying against Johnson, and was released on parole in August 2011 and lives in San Antonio. Not in my case. As of January 2019, Kristina testified that Jennifer was unable to work due to her injuries. Each case is divided up into two episodes one episode is comprised of the accused individual telling their side of the story, while the second episode is from the victims perspective. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Celeste's defense team used money as a motivation for Kristina and Jennifer to lie during the trial. One of the victims sadly didnt survive, and Jennifer reportedly needed ten surgeries to recover from the wounds directly to the stomach, leaving her struggling with stamina. It was kind of hard to keep up because she was always lying about something, adds daughter Kristina. }, First published on May 12, 2003 / 2:37 PM. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. "It's not right that I'm spending the rest of my life in prison, and there is no evidence against me. The Mogul's New, How Rich Is The Island Boys Net Worth? Right? Spiky TV's senior news writer is Stephan Gibbs. With the victim dead, Tracey faced a murder charge. She needed me. However, the couple soon reunited, and Steven did not go through with the divorce proceedings. Johnson is also the mother of twin daughters, Kristina and Jennifer. Johnson moved in with Beard after he convinced her that he would legally adopt her daughters. So I just started taping our conversations when they would get out of hand.. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { In arecent episode ofWho Do You Believe?, Jennifer and Kristina Beard finally light on the events of nearly 25 years ago as they saw them. "She bought herself cars and jewelry, sometimes spending between $15,000 and $30,000 on daily shopping sprees.". Celeste was eventually voluntarily admitted to the mental health department of a hospital in Austin, Texas, where the family was living. I testified against Celeste for justice for Steve, Jennifer told ABC News. The prosecution focused heavily on the alleged relationship between Celeste and Tracey. In terms of the twins current whereabouts, while both Jennifer and Kristina choose to keep their personal lives out of the public these days, we do know that they suffered another tragedy in 2017. 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. [22], In 2017, Celeste's daughter, Jennifer, was wounded after a shooting while attending a Halloween party. } You always hear blood is thicker than water. Each case is divided up into two episodes one episode is comprised of the accused individual telling their side of the story, while the second episode is from the victim's perspective. Before his passing, the self-made millionaire could call 911 for help, telling the operator that "my guts are in my hands." Born in 1963, Johnson, 59, is known as a convicted murderer. In November 2017, Jennifer was shot multiple times by her then-roommate Randall Gaston Jones at their Halloween party in Austin, Texas. The judge ruled the tape was authentic and admissible. The Christopher Hoefling Murder -The 2017 murder of Christopher Hoefling in Evansville, Indiana is the topic of theInvestigation Discoverydocumentary series"The Murder Tapes" Season 7 Episode Lauren Harpe From Survivor 44 -Since its debut in 2000, 'Survivor' has become one of the most popular television programs ever. [5], On October 3, 1999, Beard was shot in the stomach while he was asleep at their home in Westlake Hills, Texas. The twins would also testify that their mother would tell them she married Steven for his money, that he disgusted her, and then when he died she would get all of his money. They additionally claimed that their mother would frequently drug Stevens food or drinks in order to sneak out to Traceys late at night. That part was true. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. KENS 5 Newsreported that Tarlton was paroled in August 2011 after spending over a decade behind bars. The transition out of prison and into freedom was tough but some folks in the city of San Antonio, Tex. has managed to do just that. Scorned Lover's Week: Texas vs. Celeste Beard, "Marriage, Money and Murder Vol. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. "She was Celestes friend, and they hung out quite a bit, Jennifer said. She was extremely outrageous and it was challenging for me., She went on: You watch [Celeste] in an interview and she still claims her innocence and shes so believable, Benz says. As of the time of this writing, Jennifer Beard has not seen her mother since the trial. He was incredibly wealthy and, at 70, was significantly older than Celeste. Tarlton was determined that getting rid of him was the only way the women could be together. However, there is hope. Johnson moved in with Beard after he convinced her that he would legally adopt her daughters. Thats quite a fall from the fairy-tale life, says friend Marilou. I wanted a mom, Kristina told ABC News. ever be able to tell you just how much I love you. 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. Following her release, she moved to San Antonio, Texas, and reports mention that she was taken off parole in August 2021. Watch Live: Closing arguments underway in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. She loved Celeste but Celeste didnt love her, says Lofton, who says Tracey was out to punish Celeste for refusing her sexual advances. The victim. 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. "You always hear blood is thicker than water. Celeste Beard loved money more than she loved anything else. "They're the ones that talked behind his back. On October 2, 1999, millionaire Steven Beard was shot while he was asleep in his home in Texas. ABCs Who Do You Believe? is as chaotic as it is engaging as a docuseries that looks deep into compelling real-life instances from all sides of an incident (without any noticeable bias). Her alleged lesbian lover, Tracey Tarlton, was convicted of murder after she shot Steven with a shotgun and he died three months later from complications. They were married on February 18, 1995, with Beard's family and friends suspicious that Johnson had married him for his money. If you want to know more about Celeste and where she is today, we have got you covered. 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. Steven did not die on the spot and was shifted to a hospital. Distractify is a registered trademark. Celeste suffered from depression and met Tracey, who was an alcoholic, while they were both being treated. So what was Celeste's role in this murder? View our online Press Pack. If I couldnt help her out, shed be homeless, Kristina said. 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. Shes been diagnosed as having delusions, as hearing voices that arent there, as seeing things that arent there., DeGuerin made the case that Tracey had a mental condition that created rich fantasies that led to murder: The sexual relationship existed solely in Traceys mind. Celeste Beard. Although Tracey would eventually confess to shooting Steve, she quickly informed authorities that Celeste had asked her to do it. Jones later pleaded guilty to one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault, and at his sentencing hearing, Kristina testified that her sister needed 10 surgeries to recover from two wounds to the stomach and that she couldnt work and had trouble walking, as theStatesmanreported in 2019. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Celeste, in the film, clearly sees Steven as a ticket to a better life, for her and her daughters. Before his passing, the self-made millionaire could call 911 for help, telling the operator that "my guts are in my hands.". 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