Celeste: The Celeste Beard Johnson Story

Texas multi-millionaire and media mogul, Steven Beard, was shot as he slept. He died of a serious blood infection, sepsis, months later. His team of doctors offered proof that Beard died of natural causes, unrelated to the gunshot wound. The medical examiner, Dr. Bayadro, a self-proclaimed expert, with a history of testimonial redactions, told a different version as to the cause of death. The psychotic lesbian family friend, Tracey Tarlton, confessed to the shooting; her motive was to fulfill her delusions of a romantic future with her imaginary lover, and wife of the victim, Celeste Beard. Tarlton was offered an early release deal by the prosecution in exchange for a “believable testimony” to implicate Celeste in the crime. Celeste’s twin daughters told conflicting testimonies, knowing if they could gain a conviction of their mother, that they would stand to gain millions of dollars from the estate. Other witnesses lied for self preservation. The circumstantial evidence presented was all the prosecution had to shore up their weak case. This highly publicized case drew national attention as the media converged on the courthouse to report all the events of the seven week long trial. Celeste Beard Johnson is imprisoned for life and has continually maintained her innocence, while the real killer roams free. For the first time, Celeste Beard Johnson exclusively tells her story to the authors, Nancy Hall and W.R. Mesiano. This tawdry, twisted tale is bigger than the State of Texas