Beyoncé music theft case ends in guilty plea
Published May 12, 2026
Beyoncé’s unreleased music, stolen in a brazen Atlanta theft, was at the center of a courtroom drama Tuesday as Kelvin Evans pled guilty, avoiding trial.
Evans admitted responsibility and was sentenced to five years, with two years in custody and the remainder on probation.
A second charge was merged into the first count under the plea deal.
His probation terms require him to stay away from the crime scene, avoid contact with the victim, and commit no further violations.
The charges stemmed from an incident reported July 8, 2024 in which Evans allegedly broke into a 2024 Jeep Wagoneer belonging to Beyoncé choreographer Christopher Grant “with the intent to commit theft.”
Grant reported finding a shattered window and missing items including two suitcases and hard drives containing watermarked tracks, unreleased music, show footage plans and set lists for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour stop in Atlanta.
The theft made headlines in 2025 when police confirmed the drives contained sensitive material tied to Beyoncé’s performances.
With Evans’ guilty plea, the case closes, but questions remain about whether Beyoncé’s stolen music was ever recovered.
