Is there a new episode of 20/20 this week (December 17, 2025)? Explained

Yes, there is a new episode of ABC's 20/20 season 48, airing this week. The long-running investigative news magazine will broadcast a fresh installment titled "Ride or Die" on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. ET.

This marks a shift from its typical Friday slot, likely due to holiday programming adjustments. The episode explores a chilling 2020 murder case from Carrollton, Texas, where 24-year-old mother Alyssa Burkett was shot and stabbed to death in a parking lot. 

What began as a routine morning at her job turned into a deadly ambush, revealing a web of jealousy, custody disputes, and a twisted plot involving her ex-boyfriend and his fiancée. Burkett, who shared a young daughter with her ex, had expressed growing fears for her safety in the months leading up to her death, including suspicions of being tracked and harassed. 

Through interviews with family, detectives, and evidence from the investigation, the program uncovers how personal grudges escalated into violence, highlighting the dangers faced by those navigating family court battles. 

ABC’s 20/20: The life and early warnings of Alyssa Burkett

Alyssa Burkett was a 24-year-old assistant property manager, living in Carrollton, Texas, who was known for her warm, caring, and devoted family-oriented nature. In July 2019, she gave birth to a baby girl named Willow Ann with boyfriend Andrew Beard, who was then 33.

However, things didn't work out well between them, and a split did occur by early 2020. Initially, both of them agreed upon a joint custody arrangement and support for their child in March 2020, though their animosity was simmering.

Alyssa started dating another guy, and Andrew began dating Holly Elkins, a 28-year-old woman, who got engaged to Andrew within a short period, according to CBS News. In spring 2020, Burkett started to notice disturbing trends.

She felt she was being watched, and she grew concerned about the ways Beard would set up custody exchanges. Drugs and a pistol showed up in the trunk of her car in September 2020. A mysterious telephone call came into 911, a man who identified himself as ‘Frank Marrow’ to accuse Burkett of selling drugs. Burkett was certain it was Beard, as per CBS News.

Burkett even recorded a video message for her loved ones, detailing the ugly custody fight and urging them to stay strong if something happened to her. Her sister, Madison Grimes, later found the video, which captured Burkett's raw fear, as per CBS News.

The day of the ambush in ABC's 20/20

It was October 2, 2020, and around 9 a.m., when Burkett arrived at the Greentree Apartments leasing office in Carrollton, where she was an employee. She parked her car in the parking lot, as she always did to begin her day. Shortly after, a man driving a black Ford Expedition parked next to her car.

He was described as an African-American man wearing dark clothes by eyewitnesses to the incident. The man stepped out of the vehicle and fired one shot from a gun into her driver's side window, wounding her in the arm, as reported by CBS News.

Burkett stumbled out of the car, clasping her wound and fleeing to the office to seek assistance. The attacker chased her down, knocking her to the ground. He proceeded to stab her 44 times in her chest, neck, and arm regions using a hunting knife.

Onlookers were able to hear her cries and dialed 911, but they were too late, and she had already been pronounced dead at the nearest hospital due to the damage caused by the gunshot and stabbings.

Burkett's mother, Teresa Collard, who was taking care of Willow that day, rushed to the site upon receiving the heartbreaking phone call. Willow, who was merely 15 months old, was actually with Beard for a scheduled visitation that morning, adding to the tragedy for the family.

The police cordoned off the area where the crime occurred, pointing out the perfection of the ambush and the nonchalant manner in which the gunman escaped in his SUV, which he left nearby. Burkett was attacked in a crowded parking lot during daylight hours, thus pointing towards the pipeline attacks not being random but personal, as per CBS News.

ABC's 20/20: Unraveling the plot through evidence

Hours after the murder, Carrollton police stopped Beard's F-150 truck during a routine check. A search uncovered key clues: GPS tracking devices matching one found under Burkett's car, two bottles of dark foundation makeup, and an unregistered firearm silencer.

At his home, detectives found handwritten notes on an envelope listing Burkett's license plate, work address, and the alias "Frank Marrow" used in the earlier drug tip call. The black Ford Expedition was found abandoned less than a mile away with Burkett's blood, a fake beard, and smudges of the same dark makeup Beard had bought to disguise himself as a Black man, just like eyewitness descriptions, according to CBS News.

Beard turned himself in on October 5, 2020, and was indicted for murder. He was initially released on bond but was rearrested days later on federal weapons charges. During questioning by the FBI, Beard confessed to the killing but implicated Elkins as the mastermind.

Text messages from Elkins' phone detailed her deep-seated hatred of Burkett, whom she referred to using derogatory names, blaming her for messing up their "perfect family." One message, while Elkins was on vacation in Mexico a week before the murder, said:

"I hope you handle it. I'm not coming home to BS." Beard responded, "That's my goal."

Phone records indicated Elkins researching trackers, ammunition, and knives. She had pressured Beard, demanding he prove his loyalty in their "ride or die" relationship by eliminating the custody obstacle. After Beard's confession, Elkins fled to Michigan but was tracked through her digital footprints.

These pieces of evidence turned what had appeared to be the work of a lone attacker into a coordinated conspiracy driven by jealousy and control, as CBS News reported.

ABC's 20/20: Justice and the path forward

The events led to quick but complex court proceedings. In November 2022, Beard pleaded guilty to cyberstalking resulting in death as part of a plea bargain agreement with federal authorities. Then, on May 23, 2023, Beard received a 43-year prison sentence after his actions caused Elkins to declare him Elkins' monster.

Willow is now back in Collard, where she is in possession of custody and will be adopting Willow herself, as per CBS News. Elkins, who had been on the run, was arrested on July 25, 2023 at the Miami International Airport upon her return to the country from the Dominican Republic.

With charges of conspiracy to stalk and stalking by means of a dangerous weapon resulting in death, Elkins pleaded not guilty to the crimes. Elkins’ one-week trial began in April 2024 with the testimonies of Detective Sgt. Michael Harding and Detective Jeremy Chevallier regarding the conspiracy.

Only 90 minutes passed before the jury condemned Elkins on all charges. Elkins got two life sentences without the possibility of parole in August 2024, according to CBS News.

Watch ABC's 20/20 season 48, episode 10, releasing on December 17, 2025.