How Celeste Beard Orchestrated Her Millionaire Husband's Murder

There are many examples of murders that are masterminded by one person but carried out by another: Charles Manson convinced his followers to commit deadly crimes in Los Angeles. In 2021, a man in Utah paid someone to murder his adopted child’s biological parents. Celeste Beard manipulated an extramarital lover to kill her husband for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.

Born in California, Celeste was adopted young, never knowing her biological parents. She later described enduring physical abuse throughout her childhood, and by age 17, she was a mother to twin daughters and married to a man she claimed was abusive. She moved around frequently and married twice more during her 20s.

In 1993, Celeste was 30 years old and working as a waitress at the Austin Country Club in Texas. There, she met Steven Beard, a 69-year-old business tycoon and TV executive whose net worth was roughly $12 million. Steven’s wife of 45 years had recently died of cancer, and he and Celeste soon began dating and living together. They married on February 18, 1995. Steven even helped settle the custody battle for Celeste’s daughters, eventually adopting them himself.

However, Steven soon filed for divorce—though eventually withdrew the request—due to Celeste’s extreme spending. Even though she received a $10,000 monthly allowance, within four years of marriage she’d spent over $1 million. Celeste threatened suicide when Steven said he’d take away her credit cards, and in 1999, he placed her in St. David’s Pavilion mental health facility to treat her depression.

While there, Celeste became acquainted with another patient: Tracey Tarlton, the manager of Austin’s largest independent bookstore. Celeste flirted relentlessly with her and, once both women were discharged, they continued their emotional and physical relationship, which became apparent to Celeste’s family and Tarlton’s co-workers.

On the night of October 2, 1999, Steven was asleep at home when he felt a sudden pain in his abdomen. He dialed 911 in a panic, realizing he’d been shot, and his intestines had spilled out. He also called out to Celeste for help, but she didn’t appear until police showed up to take Steven to the hospital.

The night of the shooting, police found spent shotgun shells near Steven’s bed and drawers ransacked throughout the bedroom, yet nothing was missing, ruling out robbery as a motive. When friends and family were questioned as to who might want to hurt Steven, almost everyone mentioned Tarlton. She admitted she owned a shotgun during questioning. When it was tested, investigators concluded the gun matched the crime weapon.

Tarlton was arrested six days after Steven’s shooting. By February 2001, her assault charge was elevated to murder.

Steven ended up staying in the hospital for almost four months. Celeste had been visibly frantic when she’d first seen his condition, and she remained by his side during the entire stay. Steven was finally released on January 21, 2000, but just four days later, he died from a blood clot caused by complications from the shooting.

Tarlton initially kept quiet about her motive for the murder and connection to Celeste. However, she soon learned Celeste wasn’t as conspicuous or loyal. Not only did Celeste spend hundreds of thousands of dollars during her husband’s recovery, but she also remarried six months after his death.

Upset their relationship had possibly been a farce, Tarlton and prosecutors struck a deal that allowed her to testify about Celeste’s involvement. Tarlton claimed she was led to believe the only way she and Celeste could be together was by killing Steven, whom Celeste characterized as emotionally abusive to the point it nearly caused her to die by suicide.

Celeste was subsequently arrested on March 28, 2002. Her trial brought about many revelations, including that Celeste stood to gain $6 million from Steven’s death and that she was vocal about marrying him for his money. Witnesses stated Celeste repeatedly made rude and threatening comments about Steven. Celeste’s daughters provided audio tapes that portrayed her as intimidating and erratic. The tapes also confirmed Steven wanted a divorce due to her overspending.

Celeste’s defense argued that her daughters and Tarlton were unreliable, opportunistic witnesses. Celeste herself claimed she had no part in Steven’s death, yet Tarlton gave examples of how the two attempted his murder several times before the shooting. It also came out that Celeste may have hired someone to kill Tarlton after she testified against her, though Celeste was never charged in connection with that alleged plot.

Ultimately, Celeste was found guilty of capital murder on March 19, 2003.

Celeste was convicted under the Texas law of parties, which allows the prosecution of individuals who are a significant party to a crime even if they didn’t physically commit it. Because prosecutors didn’t seek the death penalty in Celeste’s case, she received a life sentence and is ineligible for parole until 2042, when she’ll be 79 years old.

Celeste’s story has been featured in true crime programs ranging from A&E’s American Justice to ABC’s 20/20. She’s currently incarcerated at the Dr. Lane Murray Unit, a women’s prison in Gatesville, Texas, and continues to maintain her innocence, claiming recently on the series Interview with a Killer that law enforcement, Tarlton and her own daughters knowingly framed her as the mastermind behind her husband’s murder.

Due to testifying against Celeste, Tarlton received a reduced sentence of 20 years. She was released on parole in 2011, and since then has worked to rebuild her life with help from the San Antonio community.