In October 1999, retired Austin TV executive Steven Beard woke in his home to a shotgun wound in his stomach. When police traced the bullet, it led somewhere nobody expected: a local bookstore manager with no connection to Steven at all, but a very close one to his wife, Celeste. Morgan and Kaelyn follow the clues in one of Texas's most jaw-dropping murder cases: a bond forged in a psychiatric treatment facility, a $12 million fortune bled dry by compulsive spending, and twin daughters who took the stand against their own mother. By the end, one woman would confess to pulling the trigger, and the other would be convicted of putting the gun in her hand. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:34 October 2nd, 1999 4:02 Who is Steven Beard? 7:44 Who is Celeste Johnson? 9:59 The Marriage 12:22 Clues #1 The Bedroom 14:36 Clue #2 Celeste’s Reactions 20:05 The Kids 21:06 Clue #3 The Gun Match 22:19 The Arrest 23:13 Steven’s Decline 25:50 Clue #4 The Truth About The Marriage 30:21 Psychiatric Treatment 31:34 Clue #5 What Everyone Else Knew 33:48 Clue #6 Celeste’s Motive 37:28 Clue #7 The Confession 42:53 Clue #8 The Hitman Plot 46:47 The Trial 51:17 The Verdict 54:59 Loose Ends 56:35 Activism 59:00 Missing Person of the Week: Rajah Adriana McQueen 1:00:15 Outro Episode Sponsors: Save up to 61% off with free gifts with code CLUES at https://www.gruns.co Get started now at ⁠⁠https://www.HelloAlma.com/CLUES We’ve partnered with Minky Couture to bring our listeners an exclusive 50% OFF discount! That’s right—50% OFF! Use code CLUES at checkout for 50% off all full-priced items. Head to https://www.minkycouture.com, use code CLUES, and get into the BEST. BLANKET. EVER. Upgrade today with Zenni! Go to https://www.Zenni.com/PODCAST and use code PODCAST15 for 15% off your first order, plus free shipping on all US orders over $65. The styles sell out, so don't sit on it. Start with a demo at https://www.ElevenLabs.io/Clues Some crimes are solved by a single clue — one overlooked fingerprint, a missing puzzle piece, or a detail hiding in plain sight. Clues, a Crime House Original from PAVE Studios, takes you deep into the world of notorious crimes and forensic breakthroughs. If you're obsessed with forensic twists, cold cases, and the relentless pursuit of justice— hit subscribe and uncover your next true crime obsession. New video episodes drop every Wednesday! #Clues #CluesPodcast #MorganAbsher #KaelynMoore #Crime #CrimePodcast #PAVEStudios Subscribe to never miss a moment!: https://www.youtube.com/@CluesPod?sub_confirmation=1 ABOUT CLUES: Hosted by Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore, Clues unpacks the cases that gripped the world—from chilling murders to serial killers. Each episode dissects the evidence, retraces investigative breakthroughs, and follows the trail of clues that cracked the case—or left it hauntingly unsolved. Clues is a Crime House original, powered by PAVE Studios. WHERE TO LISTEN: Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0EdKvs7lvnDVgh0MQE1jis Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clues-with-morgan-absher-and-kaelyn-moore/id1792283951 STAY CONNECTED WITH CLUES: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cluespodcast/?hl=en Follow Morgan: https://www.instagram.com/morgsyabsher/?hl=en Follow Kaelyn: https://www.instagram.com/itskaelynmoore/?hl=en ============================= Copyright Notice: This video and my YouTube channel contain dialog, music, and images that are property of Clues Podcast. You are authorized to share the video link and channel, and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to my YouTube Channel is provided. © 2025 Clues Podcast