by Kathryn Casey
For all of you who read my book She Wanted It All, on the Celeste Beard case, don't miss "Women Behind Bars" on WEtv tonight, 8 C.T. The program will reexamine the case, including a prison interview with Celeste. I don't need a crystal ball to predict that she'll be hell-bent on convincing each and every one of you that she's an innocent woman. Will she succeed? If you're unfamiliar with the case, here's the nuts and bolts: Celeste was a thirty-something, thrice-married waitress when she m
et Steve Beard, a recently widowed, 70-year-old, multimillionaire, at the Austin Country Club. Before long, she was living in Steve's house, and they eventually married. He built her a mansion, and gave her jewels, clothing, everything she ever wanted. But, somehow (get ready to be surprised), it was never enough. In the end, this is one of those cases that's stranger than fiction. (If I'd written this one as a novel, no one would have believed it.)
et Steve Beard, a recently widowed, 70-year-old, multimillionaire, at the Austin Country Club. Before long, she was living in Steve's house, and they eventually married. He built her a mansion, and gave her jewels, clothing, everything she ever wanted. But, somehow (get ready to be surprised), it was never enough. In the end, this is one of those cases that's stranger than fiction. (If I'd written this one as a novel, no one would have believed it.) There's Celeste's bizarre treatment of her twin daughters, her affair with her former husband, her sexual liaisons with Tracey Tarlton, a smart but troubled gay woman she meets in a psychiatric hospital, Celeste's suicidal threats, and Tracey's tragic decision to help Celeste free herself from Steve, whom Celeste described as controlling and abusive.
In the end, Steve wasn't as Celeste described him, and police ended up knocking on Tracey Tarlton's door. So watch WEtv tonight, and let me know if Celeste succeeds in convincing you that she's not a murderer.
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20 comments:
She looked like a sweet woman, but I still think Celeste is guilty as sin.
I missed the original airing of this show. It will be on again tonight at 11pm for anyone who missed it or wants to watch it again.
Kathryn, you looked great on camera.
I wish they had given an update on the twins, but all in all it was a good show.
Hey Sibby,
Glad you enjoyed the show. The last I heard, the twins were doing well. Kristina was in college and Jennifer started her own business. I know they're grateful to everyone who wishes them well. They certainly deserve all the best after having to endure Celeste for their mother.
I am wondering if the twins were so unhappy why they didn't just leave. they were after all 17 which is the legal age for females in Texas. Lets be honest and admit that the money had something to do with it. Well now due to their mom and her marriage to Steven they are rich. They didn't earn the money did they. I just think that they can afford to be generous and try and forgive their mother. I personally do not think much of men that insist on using their money to buy affection of someone they know would otherwise not give them the time of day. Goodlooking women do not marry old men except for money. I have seen not so goodlooking women and ones who just do not want to be alone marry much older men who are not rich but nice looking ones. No way. It doesn't make send. And if it doesn't make sense it usually not true. Just a thought.
young beautiful women have been marrying very rich fat old men for centuries only to find that they can't stand to be with them shortly there after. Many times they rid themselves of them by diviant means,usually poisoning him. IF Celeste wanted to kill'em she could have come up with a better way than discharging a shotgun into his big fat belly, that is unless she really wanted to make him suffer,go figure,
The only ones who really had something to gain in this matter were the greedy daughters. Celeste had previously threatened to divorce Stephen if he did not adopt the girls and set them up a trust fund. Unfortunately they got ALOT more if mom was out of the way. Additionally, why does someone who actually is proved to have murdered someone (Tracey) get less of a sentence for changing their story two years later than someone convicted of supposedly inticing them to murder. The whole Texas system is a political machine.
You must not have read the book. Celeste spent the twins" trust fund.
I just finished your book while on vacation. It is an excellent read. I learned a lot about this case from TV but bought your book to get more background. In my opinion, the book is very detailed. Anyone who took the time to actually read the book could not believe that the twins had an ulterior motive.
FYI - Ann Rule is my favorite author and I have read EVERYTHING she has written. You are definitely of the same caliber.
Thank you for a thorough and well researched book.
Wow. Looks like this has started up again. I hadn't noticed all these comments.
To clear a couple of things up:
1) Celeste never had Steve set up a trust fund set up for the girls, and there was no evidence that she threatened to divorce him if he didn't set one up for them. Just not true. Sorry.
2) Celeste did, however, go through her own trust fund money, the $500,000 Steve gave her to invest for her future. She spent it in six months, and didn't have a clue where it went. Squandered half a million.
The squandered $500,000 is rather an important point, because from that time on, Celeste wasn't entitled to anything from Steve other than her personal posessions, if they divorced. And he periodically did threaten divorce. Once that money was gone, the only way Celeste could cash in, get a chunk of Steve assets, was if Steve died.
To the final anonymous, from today at 3:50, you're welcome, and thank you. Ann is a friend and one of my favorite authors, and it's a dear compliment to be mentioned in the same paragraph with her. I appreciate it very much. And I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the book!
I just finished watching ashow about this case on Investigation Discovery. I can't say what is true or what isn't. I can say however, that if my friend told me to kill his wife and I did and then spent ten years in jail while he serves forty that that is absurd, unfair, and just straight lunacy among many other things. It is just absolutely mind-boggling. I just can't find the words to describe how F*CKED UP the sentencing in this case is.
can anyone tell me or send me to any links where I can watch the interviews of Celeste Beard? I have read that her story is on discovery and dateline but I can not find any video and I would really like to watch what this women has to say for herself. Thanks
Just finished the book also and it was fantastic. I've read about every true crime book out there and I could not put this one down. So well written and just drew you in. The one thing that irks me is that lunatic has a myspace page up and running..and actually has 87 friends. Who in their right mind would want to befriend or converse with Celeste Beard? She was a horrible mother and a manipulative, uncaring human being.
This woman is a hunan being. From what I have seen about the case, as many questons are raised as are answered.
Very sad for all invoved.
You are really being blindsided by Kathryn Casey....she couldn't have presented Celeste in any more of a negative way. Celeste is not perfect but she certainly should not be serving more time than Tracey Tarlton who was freed almost a year ago and is the actual murderer....how fair is that?
yes....go in to YouTube and search Celeste Beard, Celeste Johnson and Beard Murder.
I am glad I Am not the only one that feels this way....lets help Celeste find justice!
I found the book you wrote really couldn't have been more negative and one sided. I know Celeste was not perfect but don't you even find it slightly unfair how you depicted her and made the actual murderer look like she was more stable when in fact the courts proved Tracey unstable and here she is walking the streets?.....I don't think Celeste should have been given anymore time than the actual murderer and I will stand strong to see she gets justice. Celeste also admits her faults but by no means should or has she admitted to anything that was not true. I wish her daughters would see that although..yes she has been unstable and wrong.....she has admitted her faults and her genuine interests were always to make sure the twins were Secured and had stability to make up for their earlier life and her love is absolutely genuine. I hope they can give her another chance.....she is a much different person today and she and her children should make some sort amends. People do learn from their mistakes and deserve a chance....and fire Celeste....she does not deserve to live without hope! (And No..I am not her family member in case you wondered!)
I meant "As For Celeste....she does not deserve to live without hope!"
I've read a lot about this case, read the book and watched and read multiple other angles, etc.
Leaving the murder out of discussion for a moment, the destruction and pain Celeste caused others during her life is absolutely astounding to me. Her marriages and damage to her husbands , behavior to others and lack of any motherly love or true parenting. She claims she had nothing to do with the murder but her past behavior indicates a true level of manipulation right up there with Manson. She could get people to do what she wanted because of her ability to manipulate, plain and simple. Her past proves that over and over again. There's no disputing her level of histrionics to manipulate. The fact that she threatens to kill herself so often is paramount to knowing who this women really was and what she would do and say to get those around her to do what she wanted.
She then marries someone she has nothing in common with on any level (age, experience, monetarily or socially, physically, etc.) She is exposed to more money that she has ever seen and her behavior indicates a lack of any semblance of gratitude for her new wealth. She goes to a psych treatment facility to deal with depression? No she goes because she has to find something to blame for her behaviors on and again manipulates her husband to believe all of her errant ways are due to childhood abuse.
There is not one redeeming feature about Celeste that would give me reason to indicate her innocence of her husbands murders. She manipulated someone that she knew had mental issues just like she manipulated most of her relationships in her life, even her own daughters. She might not have pulled that trigger and she can deny her involvement all she wants but, it's 100% clear to me she orchestrated her husbands murder!
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