By Investigative Reporter Tammy Rose
FREEPORT, Texas — Weeks before Rebecca “Becky” Beard vanished in March 1986, she allegedly confided in a man who now says she feared two people were following her and intended to kill her.
In an exclusive interview with investigative reporter Tammy Rose, Barry Williams recalled an evening with Beard that ended with an unsettling request. She wanted him to remain outside her home until she safely entered and closed the door.
Williams also described a man he said had become obsessed with Beard and wanted to control her personal life.
The account comes as investigators continue examining leads in the nearly 41-year-old murder case. A recent excavation near a Brazoria County cemetery failed to locate Beard’s remains.
Barry Williams recalls Becky’s warning about two men
Williams said he met Beard through an automobile business where she worked. The two eventually went out for drinks at a Freeport-area nightclub he identified as Chevy’s.
During their evening together, Williams said Beard told him two men had followed her around the area.
She believed they intended to kill her.
Williams recalled that Beard appeared sober and serious when she described her fears.
“She wasn’t drunk talking or nothing like that,” Williams said.
He acknowledged that he did not fully appreciate the warning at the time.
Looking back, he said her expression and the seriousness of her statements have stayed with him.
Williams said he had several businesses in the community and wanted no involvement in a potentially violent confrontation.
Becky allegedly wanted freedom from a controlling man
Williams described another troubling aspect of their conversation.
According to his account, Beard believed the two men worked for a man who had become obsessed with her.
Williams said the man did not want Beard spending time with others or pursuing an independent life.
He described someone who wanted Beard available whenever he demanded her attention.
But Williams said Beard wanted to move forward with her own life.
The interview does not establish the man’s identity or verify Beard’s reported concerns. No evidence presented in the interview connects the unidentified man or the alleged followers to her murder.
Still, Williams’ recollections provide another account of Beard’s personal circumstances before she vanished.
A final ride home and an unusual request
Williams recalled taking Beard home around 1 a.m. after their evening together.
He said he pulled into her driveway and waited as she approached the house.
According to Williams, Beard specifically asked him to remain until she entered and someone closed the door.
Her sister, Carol Mize, participated in the interview and helped Williams revisit details from that evening.
Williams recalled seeing someone open the door and waiting until the women entered the house.
He said he then backed out of the driveway and left.
The request stood out because Beard appeared concerned about reaching the safety of her home.
Williams said he never saw her again.
However, the interview does not establish the precise date of that encounter. Williams’ account places it before Beard’s disappearance, rather than necessarily on the night she vanished.
Witness description raises questions about Becky Beard’s clothing
During an exclusive interview, Barry Williams described the clothing he recalled Rebecca “Becky” Beard wearing when they went out together several weeks before her disappearance.
However, his description caught the attention of Beard’s sister, Carol Mize.
Mize had previously helped investigative reporter Tammy Rose recreate an image of the outfit she remembered her sister wearing the night she disappeared in March 1986.
While listening to Williams describe Beard’s clothing, they noticed that his account appeared to match the outfit Mize associated with the night her sister vanished.
The similarity stood out because Williams said he last saw Beard several weeks before her disappearance.
The apparent discrepancy raises questions about the timing of Williams’ recollection. It remains unclear why his description of an earlier encounter appeared to match the clothing Beard’s sister remembers from the night she disappeared.
Becky Beard vanished after visiting the Excalibur Club
Beard was 22 years old when she disappeared from Freeport on March 1, 1986.
She left behind a young daughter and a family that has spent four decades searching for answers.
Investigators focused on several people and locations during the original investigation.
In 1995, Paul Taylor Jr. pleaded guilty to Beard’s murder and received a life sentence.
Despite the conviction, investigators never recovered her remains.
Taylor has provided information about possible burial locations over the years. Searches have failed to locate Beard.
Williams’ interview does not establish an alternative account of the murder. However, it adds information about what Beard allegedly feared before she disappeared.
New cemetery search ends without finding remains
The Williams interview follows another development in the investigation.
In October 2026, search personnel returned to an area near a Brazoria County cemetery after renewed interest in a witness’s allegations.
The woman claimed she witnessed Beard’s burial in 1986.
Investigators previously questioned her credibility because of inconsistencies in her statements.
A nearby property owner later contacted Rose about activity involving former Brazoria County District Attorney’s Office investigator John Blankenship.
Texas EquuSearch assisted with a search that lasted approximately four hours.
According to a source familiar with the operation, searchers found no remains.
The excavation did not establish the witness’s allegations or resolve the question of Beard’s burial location.
Attorney General allows investigative records to remain withheld
Public records remain another obstacle in the search for answers.
In an August 28, 2026, ruling involving the Beard investigation, the Texas Attorney General allowed Brazoria County to withhold certain investigative information under the Texas Public Information Act.
The ruling required the release of basic information.
A separate ruling dated October 29, 2026, addressed Brazoria County request 26-2686.
The Attorney General again permitted the county to withhold submitted information under Section 552.108(a)(1) of the Texas Government Code while requiring the release of basic information.
Four decades later, questions remain
Williams’ account introduces another perspective on Beard’s life before her disappearance.
His recollections include her reported fear of two men, allegations involving a controlling relationship, and an unusual request for protection when he drove her home.
The interview also raises questions about the timing of their last encounter and the clothing Williams remembers.
Those details require corroboration.
For Beard’s family, the central question remains unchanged.
Where are her remains?
Nearly 41 years after she disappeared, investigators have yet to answer it.
Watch the exclusive interview with Barry Williams.
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