A man accused of stealing unreleased music and other items tied to Beyoncé’s tour in Atlanta on Wednesday entered a not-guilty plea in a Fulton County courtroom. The hearing came nearly six months after the July theft that drew national attention.
Forty-year-old Kelvin Lanier Evans appeared virtually before Judge Paige Reese Whitaker in Fulton County. He faces charges including entering an automobile with the intent to commit theft and criminal trespass. His attorney formally entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.
“There was a conference between counsel outside of the courtroom,” the judge said before the plea was recorded. Little else was said by Evans during the brief hearing.
Stolen Items Included Hard Drives, Electronics
According to police, the incident occurred on July 8, 2025, when a rental vehicle belonging to members of Beyoncé’s touring party was broken into inside a parking deck near the Krog Street Market. The vehicle’s rear window was smashed and numerous items were taken.
Investigators say the stolen materials included hard drives with what authorities described as unreleased music and tour plans, multiple laptops, Apple AirPods, clothing and accessories. According to the police report, the hard drives contained “personal sensitive information” related to the artist.
In a released 911 call from the night of the theft, one member of the touring group told dispatchers, “I work with someone who is, like, of a high status, and I really need my computer and everything.”
Police identified Evans as a suspect in September 2025, months after the break-in. He was arrested by Hapeville police on Aug. 26 on a parole violation unrelated to the Beyoncé case. He was later indicted by a grand jury on the Atlanta theft charges.
Surveillance video captured the break-in, and police tracked evidence through various leads, including tracking signals from some stolen Apple devices, authorities said. The suspect vehicle was identified as a red 2025 Hyundai Elantra seen near the scene.
Evans was released on a $20,000 bond in October after initial booking in the Fulton County Jail. He remains in custody at a Sumter County facility in connection with other matters, his attorney noted during Wednesday’s hearing.
The judge scheduled a follow-up case management hearing for Feb. 11, where attorneys on both sides are expected to discuss evidence and future trial dates.