Suspect in Beyoncé Tour Theft Pleads Not Guilty in Atlanta Court

A suspect in the theft of essential items from a member of Beyoncé’s tour crew has pleaded not guilty in an Atlanta court. The incident occurred on July 22, 2023, when Beyoncé was in the city for her “Cowboy Carter” tour, which took place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

While visiting the nearby Krog Street Market, choreographer Christopher Grant and one of the dancers parked their rental car in a parking deck. Upon returning after approximately an hour, they discovered that the trunk window had been smashed and two suitcases were missing. The stolen suitcases contained critical materials for the tour, including setlists, footage plans, and hard drives filled with unreleased music from Beyoncé.

According to the police report, Grant informed officers that he was also carrying sensitive personal information for the artist. The report specified that the stolen hard drives included watermarked music, along with past and future setlists. In addition to the hard drives, other stolen items included clothes, designer sunglasses, laptops, and a pair of AirPods Max headphones.

Authorities identified Kelvin Evans, 30, as a suspect in September 2023. His connection to the crime was established following his arrest for an unrelated parole violation the previous month. Digital tracking capabilities enabled law enforcement to link him to the stolen devices, which were later recovered while he was incarcerated.

After posting a bond of $20,000 in October 2023, Evans was released from Fulton County Jail. He appeared virtually in court on January 7, 2024, where he entered a plea of not guilty to charges of entering an automobile with intent to commit theft and criminal trespass.

Evans is scheduled to return to court on February 11, 2024, for a case management hearing. As the legal proceedings unfold, the impact of the theft on Beyoncé’s tour and her team remains a point of concern for fans and the entertainment community alike.