One of Us, On E! Tonight

by Women In Crime Ink

What's even more fun than a program entitled Billionaire Crime Scenes? Watching a WCI regular dish on an amazing case. Tonight, 10 p.m. ET, explore murder among the wealthy on the E! channel. WCI's own Kathryn Casey will offer insight into the the bizarre case of Celeste Beard, a 32-year-old country club waitress who married a multimillionaire TV tycoon, only to convince her gay lover to shotgun him down! For those of you who haven't yet read it, the Beard case is explored in depth in Casey's fascinating book: SHE WANTED IT ALL.

Without a doubt, the Beard case has it all: sex, money, madness. "This is the strangest case I've ever covered," says Casey. "And that's saying something!" Casey, who has a book signing tonight at Murder by the Book in Houston, will have her TiVo set. If you're not close enough to drive over for the signing, turn on E! and settle in for a treat. In addition to the Beard case, the program will feature the cases of New Yorker Robert Durst, Edmond Safra and Ted Maher, Charlie White and Darin White, Susan Cummings and Roberto Villegas, Ted Ammon and Danny Pelosi.

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WEtv Takes on Celeste Beard

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 met 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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