TX - Terri 'Missy' Bevers, 45, killed in church/suspect in SWAT gear, Midlothian, 18 Apr 2016 #46

[Laughing]

Nothing against the doctor - I’m sure he is good at what he does. But he can only be helpful here if gait analysis can be helpful here.

We have a suspect who is probably dressed in an outfit they don’t normally wear. @No it's not has estimated that the shoes are much larger than what would be proportional to height. If SP normally wore size 7 but on this night wore a size 14 or perhaps even larger, that would impact SP’s gait a great deal. And that is just the shoes. Now throw in shin guards. Then throw in a tactical belt with potentially numerous things hanging from it.

Here is an example from another case - the Rob Limon murder. An indistinct figure is seen on video surveillance limping into the shop where Limon is working alone. He shoots and kills Limon. You could have sent the footage to Dr. Nirenberg and it would have done you no good. Why? Because the killer was faking the limp.

SP may not be faking the way that they walk, but their gait is influenced by what they’re wearing.

One more analogy. I am a hitman trying to get my target to open their front door so I can shoot them. I dress as a clown, with all the makeup and wig and the oversized clown shoes. I have balloons tied to my waist and I also have one of those clown horns dangling from my belt. The target’s Ring doorbell captures me walking up the front walk to the door. If you were the detective on the case, would you send that footage to a forensic podiatrist?

Gait analysis is only going to be helpful in a case in which the suspect is wearing clothing/shoes similar to what they wear every day, and walking in a way that is authentic to how they normally walk.

bbm

A physical therapist or podiatrist may well be able to distinguish an actual limp from a feinted limp.

And, hiding my gait fault for a short distance is achievable.

Agree that the shoes/boots on SwatPerp are bigger than needed.

Waiting for SP to brag to the person willing to call the tipline!

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[Falling Down]

bbm

A physical therapist or podiatrist may well be able to distinguish an actual limp from a feinted limp.

And, hiding my gait fault for a short distance is achievable.

Agree that the shoes/boots on SwatPerp are bigger than needed.

Waiting for SP to brag to the person willing to call the tipline!

jmho ymmv lrr

I agree re: the gait, and the foot wear does appear oversize and would greatly affect the gait of this person. Like some other cases in recent years, the "outfit" appears to be part of a disguise.

JMO

 

[No it's not]

Hear Ye! Hear ye! Please lend me your ear!

Here's a video from CBS with Gayle King reporting. It is dated April 20, 2016 or just two days after Missy's murder.

The SP video has audio but LEO cut the audio away from the one released to the public, for reasons only known to them.

In the first few seconds of the video, I can hear the sound of SP walking (clomping) and then opening the Double Dutch Door.

Squeaking of the door opening can be heard again a little over a minute into the video, jmho. Hope you'll listen to agree, disagree, augment....

You may wish to stop the video just before it ends so you can listen again or else CBS will begin reporting the latest news.

@Jethro4WS if you're around, hoping you'll check this out for its veracity. Where can we find more video with audio like it?

Police release more video in search of Texas church murder suspect

DeDee, I am late to the discussion, but wanted to point out, that the edited HD version of the MPD clip -published by MPD- of SP walking over into the South hallway has a lot of background noise, which may have been picked up by CBS:

-Nin

 

[Amateurpi1]

Nothing against the doctor - I’m sure he is good at what he does. But he can only be helpful here if gait analysis can be helpful here.

We have a suspect who is probably dressed in an outfit they don’t normally wear. @No it's not has estimated that the shoes are much larger than what would be proportional to height. If SP normally wore size 7 but on this night wore a size 14 or perhaps even larger, that would impact SP’s gait a great deal. And that is just the shoes. Now throw in shin guards. Then throw in a tactical belt with potentially numerous things hanging from it.

Here is an example from another case - the Rob Limon murder. An indistinct figure is seen on video surveillance limping into the shop where Limon is working alone. He shoots and kills Limon. You could have sent the footage to Dr. Nirenberg and it would have done you no good. Why? Because the killer was faking the limp.

SP may not be faking the way that they walk, but their gait is influenced by what they’re wearing.

One more analogy. I am a hitman trying to get my target to open their front door so I can shoot them. I dress as a clown, with all the makeup and wig and the oversized clown shoes. I have balloons tied to my waist and I also have one of those clown horns dangling from my belt. The target’s Ring doorbell captures me walking up the front walk to the door. If you were the detective on the case, would you send that footage to a forensic podiatrist?

Gait analysis is only going to be helpful in a case in which the suspect is wearing clothing/shoes similar to what they wear every day, and walking in a way that is authentic to how they normally walk.

Hi Gumshoe, I enjoy reading and appreciate your analysis. I used to be dead set on this being a targeted murder but now I’m 50/50 on targeted vs untargeted. But for me it’s less frustrating to focus on who MB knew who might want her killed. Even though I see that by now LE probably would have found the person/people. Unless they have told no one as you’ve mentioned.

Do you remember when LE was questioning someone with the initials LV? I guess he was cleared but do you know if he was cleared through DNA or by what means he was cleared? He and his wife were friends with MB and BB and he was former LE as well for those who don’t know.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

Hi Gumshoe, I enjoy reading and appreciate your analysis. I used to be dead set on this being a targeted murder but now I’m 50/50 on targeted vs untargeted. But for me it’s less frustrating to focus on who MB knew who might want her killed. Even though I see that by now LE probably would have found the person/people. Unless they have told no one as you’ve mentioned.

Do you remember when LE was questioning someone with the initials LV? I guess he was cleared but do you know if he was cleared through DNA or by what means he was cleared? He and his wife were friends with MB and BB and he was former LE as well for those who don’t know.

Thanks for your input!

Yes, I remember LV quite well. I don’t know by what means they cleared him. Not sure how much we can discuss here - LV is a good example of people in the outer periphery of this case who most people don’t even know about because the only place to read about them is in the cesspool known as FB Groups.

 

[No it's not]

I agree re: the gait, and the foot wear does appear oversize and would greatly affect the gait of this person. Like some other cases in recent years, the "outfit" appears to be part of a disguise.

JMO

Yes! Look for example at how SP is standing in front of the Dutch doors. What an awkward angle to reach for the
lower part of the door. Almost like they already passed the door while making sure to opening up without hitting their shoes.

Comes to mind now the opening scene from the video, where SP is tapping along the wall. Could be the perp may have broken into the kitchen in some kind of a gear, left (?) and came back dressed in police gear including the oversized now wet shoes, enters right away through the broken door and is seen exiting room 8 while being cautious not to slip and fall. Oversized is already a problem, wet and oversized now is a dilemma.

ALL IMO

-Nin

 

[No it's not]

Yes, I remember LV quite well. I don’t know by what means they cleared him. Not sure how much we can discuss here - LV is a good example of people in the outer periphery of this case who most people don’t even know about because the only place to read about them is in the cesspool known as FB Groups.

I have been following LV and TV in depth and would also like to know, how they have been cleared. LV is most likely too tall. And I am sure MPD will not let us know. ;--)

-Nin

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

I have been following LV and TV in depth and would also like to know, how they have been cleared. And I am sure MPD will not let us know. ;--)

-Nin

No they won’t. But it’s an interesting rabbit hole to go down. And sometimes a rabbit hole ends up being right next to another rabbit hole that’s even more interesting.

 

[No it's not]

No they won’t. But it’s an interesting rabbit hole to go down. And sometimes a rabbit hole ends up being right next to another rabbit hole that’s even more interesting.

I have built entire rabbit condominiums ending up as high-rises with a city network of underground rabbit subways..

-Nin

 

[dizzychick]

It could be a hat, my eyes are playing tricks on me and all I’m seeing is a plastic Halloween skeleton.

I don't know why but I got this feeling that car was trolling for a cheater and totally unrelated to Missy. Just a thought.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Do you believe that a person with a specialized license plate would drive around a business with 150 cameras if the driver was a bad actor intending to commit a crime that night? And that this driver would then drive to another property that also posted having video surveillance?

If the Altima is connected, don’t you think it’s more likely that the driver switched out the plates first in order to minimize risk?

Good point Gumshoe Stories, it is indeed strange and curious behaviour. Some possibilities .... it may not have crossed his mind at all that LE would be poking around at SWFA checking out their CCTV. He didn't commit a crime there at SWFA and this car wasn't seen at the church. Maybe the number plate was altered in some way with tape, not hard to change the appearance of some letters - night driving on a rainy night, and easily removed after. Another thought about the car, maybe it's an elderly infirmed person's car that he can get access to? So many possibilities. I don't think he's the brightest button in the sewing box, just my opinion, going by the church surveillance video, and perhaps it's a totally random attack, whoever was unlucky enough to walk through that door was going to be his target.

 

[SteveS]

Regarding the gait being faked, it is a possibility, to be sure. But it is only a theory about the gait, not a fact. Personally, I think the "possible fakery" angle is being way overthought right now, but time will tell.

Another very real possibility remains that the gait is what it is - ie, it's real, and what you see is what exists. And when the perp is discovered, it will be a telltale piece of evidence.

But, in either event, the podiatrist's expertise has already been very helpful, and will continue to be so. He was the one who educated LE, and those chasing the case, to the fact there are distinctions in out-turned gaits that can be differentiated. He also educated LE, and those chasing the case, to the possibility of fakery or something temporary as part of what is seen.

So at the end of the day, if LE finds the perp, I think the podiatrist's expertise and testimony will prove to be vital to their case. And I think the dismissiveness being offered here as to his value to LE is way off base. But we'll see what happens when the case is (hopefully) resolved one day.

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

And if the person that police arrest turns out to be as opposite to BWH as night is to day, how convincing do you think gait analysis from the same expert will be to the jury?

 

[x_files]

This has always really puzzled me, it's a dark-ish church, MB is alone and hears a noise and goes towards it This shocks me because typically our instinct is to turn AWAY from whatever it is and wait for someone else to show to check it out with us. My thought has always been MB recognized a voice and wasn't in fear and that's why she went towards it. I could be totally wrong , but she had a gun in her truck, it's so hard for me to fathom she walked towards a sound/sight instead of turning and going back to her truck for the gun and then possibly checking it out. What was it that sent her TOWARDS it?

any audio on the footage? did someone call her name?

 

[x_files]

NIN, if SP had time to draw his gun in anticipation of a confrontation, I feel that he would have used that time to flee... but only if he was not there to commit murder. JMO

For the record, I do believe SP's gun was drawn by the time he encountered MB.

Did the police state anything of value was stolen? Because I don't recall SP taking any money or anything of value. Was he digging through drawers? looking for money?

 

[Mandeth]

I also think the killers of Terri Bevers not only attempted misdirection by faking the church burglar act, but they very likely also created misdirection by using the video cameras to make it seem like only one person was in the church before Terri arrived. The video is a lie, from a sociopath. Everything the killers said in the video was a lie. Even the gait and the build of the prowler were probably lies. The reverse of what the killers communicated is true. Such as: No random burglar. Not an unplanned attack and murder. No connection to cops. More than one intruder. The killer knew her.

The person wearing the police gear was not in good enough shape to assure Terri could not escape them. Things could've went wrong and she could've got loose and ran. So I believe at least one person prevented her from escaping the room she died in while another attacked.

<modsnip>

 

[SteveS]

And if the person that police arrest turns out to be as opposite to BWH as night is to day, how convincing do you think gait analysis from the same expert will be to the jury?

He will still be vital to LE's case - only in a different way.

The podiatrist didn't say BWH was the only possible match to the gait seen on video. Yes, it would be problematic if he had said such a thing, but he did not! No problem on that front.

Nor did he say that the perp must have that gait. No problem on that front either.

Nor has he ever been willing to testify in a case whose only evidence would be gait match. No problem there either.

So unless the podiatrist's gait analysis of BWH was wrong in saying he was a match, where his expertise is called into question, then his ability to identify a match isn't any sort of negative in a trial of someone else. In fact, his ability to explain the issue and why the perp on trial does or doesn't match would be crucial.

Fact is, the perp's widely-mentioned "gait" - whether a match, or a non-match - will somehow be part of a trial. So his expertise that has already been helpful will continue to be not only helpful, but vital, in LE's case. Trusting they have one, that is.

 

[No it's not]

The following is only my opinion based on the SWFA CCTV specifically

Sorry GS, you can make up hypothetical situations (which are only hypothetical, not real, of course) in which you think the podiatrist might be somewhat less useful than in other possible outcomes -- but that doesn't make him (a) not helpful already, and (b) not potentially helpful then, either. He just might have to be useful in a different way than you have been expecting.

1 The podiatrist didn't say BWH was the only possible match to the gait seen on video. No problem on that front.
2 Nor did he say that the perp must have that gait. No problem on that front either.
3 Nor has he ever been willing to testify in a case whose only evidence would be gait match. No problem there either.
4 Unless you have proof that the podiatrist's gait analysis of BWH was wrong in saying he was a match, then his ability to identify a match isn't any sort of negative in a trial of someone else

Fact is, the perp's widely-mentioned "gait" - whether a match, or a non-match - will somehow be part of a trial. So his expertise that has already been helpful will continue to be not only helpful, but vital, in LE's case. Trusting they have one, that is.

And yet I am wondering how many gaits the podiatrist would not have excluded, if he had been presented let's say 40 to 50 gaits. 10? Or still only 1?

-Nin

 

[SteveS]

any audio on the footage? did someone call her name?

We are told there was none.

The podiatrist speculated MB heard something, based on the reaction he saw in the video, but that response could have been triggered by something visual, or remembered, rather than audio. So we have no way of knowing what she did or did not hear that night, if anything at all.

 

[SteveS]

I also think the killers of Terri Bevers not only attempted misdirection by faking the church burglar act, but they very likely also created misdirection by using the video cameras to make it seem like only one person was in the church before Terri arrived.

Interesting idea, but "evidence based on lack of evidence" arguments (in this case, the idea that there must have been multiple perps in the building because we don't see multiple people) are always the weakest and least likely to be true.