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

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JnRyan said:
The family believes she was tracked on social media - i.e., targeted. Interesting because they may heard more from LE than we have heard. I can see that possibility, but I don't believe it is the most likely one. I think this was an intruder that if they had a grudge it was against the church and not Missy. The boot camp fitness class was usually held outdoors that time of year but due to the rainy weather was being held indoors. (Missy told everyone through Facebook about the change in advance. I don't know how private the FB was, though.) I believe this person was there to just cause some damage and then leave. The reason for the SWAT gear might have been because this person had been there before during a Sunday sermon and noticed the cameras inside - added "entertainment" value for this person when the church and LE view the footage. The location and time was also ideal for this. Very early in the morning when they didn't expect anyone to be there, church does not have residences very close to it and the road in front isn't really a residential road but a highway entering town. Hence less chance of being noticed by someone outside the church. If this was a targeted event I would have expected the killer to strategically stage themself in one of the rooms with a window to watch for Missy's vehicle instead of casually walking around? If this was a targeted event, why wouldn't the killer use a gun? Trying to kill someone up close with a blunt object just doesn't seem like it could be a sure thing if Missy throws what she has at the intruder and runs. And they are going to try to catch a fit person wearing light gym clothes while they have SWAT-type gear and boots? The location of the church and time makes it much more likely that a small caliber gun like a .22, .25 or even .32 would not be noticed. It was inside a semi- isolated structure with no immediate occupied structures nearby. At 0500 the sound of the gunshots would be muffled by (1) the closed church, (2) distance to nearest residences, (3) rainy weather and (4) closed automobiles passing by with the road noise/engine to mask the noise. I'll bet I could have emptied an 9-shot .22 revolver loaded with .22 shorts in that church at that time and no one would have been the wiser. I think it is likely this person was some young person pulling what they intended to be a prank. They encountered Missy - both of them surprised by the other - and struck Missy intending to incapacitate her. Striking someone on the head and hoping to render them unconscious without serious injury is not like in the movies.

Playing devil's advocate to my own theory. Did the killer know about the cameras outside covering the parking lot? If so, did they know they weren't working? Did they not bring a gun inside because in case they were caught they could just say they were pulling a prank on the church and the lack of a gun avoids more serious charges? (Some burglars don't carry one for this same reason.) Did this person not have access to a gun because they are a juvenile or young adult?

But all my theories and opinion. LE may have said otherwise to the family based on what they have not revealed.
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It was only missy's small group of followers on facebook who would have been alerted to the change of venue. Not like a tv add or a bright flashing light out the front of the church stating the exercise class.

The aimlessly wandering around seems to be more about the church itself than finding a siege
hiding waiting spot etc.

It bothers me though that if it was random why it isn't solved, For the same reasons if it was targeted. (breadcrumbs)
Burglers are usually repeat offenders and always on cops radar for current crimes.

An otherwise good law abiding church going citizen with some kind of upset with that church??
Vandalizing the property the mission?
Surely there would again be breadcrumbs leading to a disgruntled ex/parish member?
Big step to brutally murdering someone who takes you by surprise.

moo
 
Wondering if there is a nearby film rental services where a SWAT outfit could be found?
You might almost think the perp was putting on a show for the cameras, imo, speculation.
Film Friendly Texas Community | Midlothian, TX - Official Website
''Lights! Camera! Action!
The City of Midlothian has been officially recognized by the Texas Film Commission as a film-friendly community. This means that Midlothian has approved a film production ordinance, sent in potential location photos to the state database and attended a training workshop. Midlothian is now better positioned to attract filming opportunities.''

Re post of extended cctv.
 
dub said:
BBM now they're saying the killer is 6'0 tall? I thought the most recent range was 5'2-5'7, and early on they had a third range right? I don't remember exactly what it was, maybe something like 5'7-5'10?

Where did that come from, and how are they having such a hard time narrowing the height to less than a 10 inch spread despite all the video?

(For what it's worth, and I'm hardly an expert in this, but he definitely looks to me like he's around 5'9-5'10" and I will be surprised if he ends up being too far off of that).

ETA: I just realized I reflexively said "he", I do strongly believe this was a man and always have, but I'm certainly not 100% on that.
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I agree. If he's six feet tall those church doors must be nine feet high. 5'6" looks about right.
 
k-mac said:
It was only missy's small group of followers on facebook who would have been alerted to the change of venue. Not like a tv add or a bright flashing light out the front of the church stating the exercise class.

The aimlessly wandering around seems to be more about the church itself than finding a siege
hiding waiting spot etc.

It bothers me though that if it was random why it isn't solved, For the same reasons if it was targeted. (breadcrumbs)
Burglers are usually repeat offenders and always on cops radar for current crimes.

An otherwise good law abiding church going citizen with some kind of upset with that church??
Vandalizing the property the mission?
Surely there would again be breadcrumbs leading to a disgruntled ex/parish member?
Big step to brutally murdering someone who takes you by surprise.

moo
Click to expand...
Surprising what a young person would do for a lark. At 18 or 19 I might have broken into a church that had video surveillance. Except I probably would have worn a Guy Fawkes mask with a cape, gloves and my black flat brim hat. Instead of vandalism, I would have danced for the cameras, made obscene gestures to the cameras and maybe even tried a moonwalk move or two. Maybe even leave a mark of some type on the doors, like Zorro. I seriously doubt I would have tried to injury anyone though so the similarity ends there. I don't believe I would have left a trail behind either.
 
Refreshing the early basics of the case.
8 things we know about Missy Bevers' murder | wfaa.com
''April 21, 2016
1. Terri "Missy" Bevers was found dead inside Creekside Church of Christ just before 5 a.m. Police have not released her cause of death, but a search warrant released Thursday says she died from a "head wound" and the killer used an "unknown instrument."

2. Bevers was at the church early because she was teaching a Camp Gladiator boot camp class. She lived in nearby Red Oak with her family and was formerly a public school teacher and worked with students with special needs.

3. Police are trying to identify a person wearing SWAT-like tactical clothing that was labeled "Police." The suspect was vandalizing the church for about 30 minutes before Bevers arrived and was caught on surveillance cameras. Investigators said they hope someone recognizes the person's distinctive walk, and they now stress that they don't know if the killer is a man or a woman.

4. Investigators say the suspect used a pry bar to smash glass and open a side door at the church. The building doesn't have an alarm, and outside surveillance cameras weren't working

5. Brandon Bevers, Missy's husband, told the media Tuesday that couple had been together for 20 years and have three daughters -- ages 8, 13 and 15. He says he doesn't think she was targeted.''
 
Razz said:
So if she was targeted, who would have known she would be setting up inside the church early that particular morning because of the weather? That should trim suspects down to 2 handfuls?
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I can't remember if she had a large following on FB or any other social media platform or if her profiles were open or private. Does anyone remember?
 
CocoChanel said:
These are my IMHO comments/questions prompted by reviewing the video again after all this time:
- perp does not seem in a hurry, walking casually through the halls.
- can’t watch it without commenting on the ‘duck walk’ gait of the perp, verrrry distinctive I think.
- perp seems to WANT to get into all the doors being checked, but checked for WHAT?
- when perp enters through the first unlocked door we see, is he/she bringing out something like a hammer when reentering the hall?
- when one of the doors appears to be locked perp pauses there and seems to be looking for keys to try to open it, but is unsuccessful.
- why does the perp decide to break the glass on the first door or structure after coming through the entrance into another hall? While we can’t see exactly what is being broken, we can see glass falling around the perp.
- when I have ever bundled up for cold weather like a ski-trip or snow day, with multi-layers of protection, my range of motion is reduced significantly, and I am not as adept physically as I would be unencumbered. That does not seem to play a factor in this perp committing this heinous crime while wearing layers of SWAT gear. He/she seem unconcerned that they might have a huge fight on their hands when coming upon poor Missy. But I guess swinging a weapon of some sort on an unsuspecting and most likely paralyzingly terrified victim would give a criminal confidence. UGH.

This case is maddening. If it was someone who knew Missy, who would assumedly NOT be a hardened criminal, how have they eluded ID and capture by LE? Just plain old dumb luck? So frustrating to think that is the case here.
Click to expand...

the being unencumbered, walking casually, and seemingly unconcerned with potential fight is what makes me believe this is someone with police/army background or someone who pretends to be a cop in their other life
 
dotr said:
Refreshing the early basics of the case.
8 things we know about Missy Bevers' murder | wfaa.com
''April 21, 2016
1. Terri "Missy" Bevers was found dead inside Creekside Church of Christ just before 5 a.m. Police have not released her cause of death, but a search warrant released Thursday says she died from a "head wound" and the killer used an "unknown instrument."

2. Bevers was at the church early because she was teaching a Camp Gladiator boot camp class. She lived in nearby Red Oak with her family and was formerly a public school teacher and worked with students with special needs.

3. Police are trying to identify a person wearing SWAT-like tactical clothing that was labeled "Police." The suspect was vandalizing the church for about 30 minutes before Bevers arrived and was caught on surveillance cameras. Investigators said they hope someone recognizes the person's distinctive walk, and they now stress that they don't know if the killer is a man or a woman.

4. Investigators say the suspect used a pry bar to smash glass and open a side door at the church. The building doesn't have an alarm, and outside surveillance cameras weren't working

5. Brandon Bevers, Missy's husband, told the media Tuesday that couple had been together for 20 years and have three daughters -- ages 8, 13 and 15. He says he doesn't think she was targeted.''
Click to expand...
“The suspect was vandalizing the church for about 30 minutes before Bevers arrived and was caught on surveillance cameras.”

that leads me to believe missy was in wrong place at wrong time . Not targeted, awfully unlucky

moo
 
MIDLOTHIAN (CBS11) – Midlothian police released the search warrant issued the day after Terri “Missy” Leann Bevers, 45, was killed inside the Creekside Church of Christ last month. It states that Bevers suffered “multiple puncture wounds found on her head and chest” that “are consistent with tools the suspect was carrying throughout the building.”

Furthermore, the warrant describes the assailant as wearing “a black helmet, black balaclava, dark pants, dark long sleeve shirt, black gloves, and a black vest with Police in white lettering on the front and back.” It also states the suspect is seen “walking throughout the building holding a hammer, breaking windows and going through offices.”

Warrant Details How Missy Bevers Died

This is what makes me hesitate. The weapon used to kill Missy was the hammer Swat Guy used to break windows, etc. I don't think he went there to kill Missy. She interrupted his scene. He freaked.

My opinion.
 
A church I used to attend was in a desperate financial state and rented its meeting hall to an exercise group. This created a shocking amount of anger with a few parishioners. These parishioners loathed the idea of scantily- dressed people dancing to loud music in the church building.

The fact that the killer didn't hide somewhere in the church and wait to pounce on Missy makes me believe the killer was familiar with the church and didn't have a specific target.
 
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LadyL said:
the being unencumbered, walking casually, and seemingly unconcerned with potential fight is what makes me believe this is someone with police/army background or someone who pretends to be a cop in their other life
Click to expand...

I get a totally different impressions from the figure:

I see an unathletic female, perhaps with "duck feet", trudging beneath the weight of the Swat gear as she paces around the church in a rage. In short, the individual does not seem to wear the uniform and gear. Rather the gear seems to wear on her.

But..... your impression is as equally valid is mine.

insearchoflight said:
“The suspect was vandalizing the church for about 30 minutes before Bevers arrived and was caught on surveillance cameras.”
Click to expand...
I don't see a lot of vandalism in that thirty minutes. Rather, I see the minor vandalism being incidental to something else.

Though your impressions are very valid, the perhaps the vandalism could be explained by:

- The perpetrator becomes enraged at the victim and wants to confront her. Not all rage leads to objective thinking. Aware of the victim's physical prowess, she obtains the swat stuff. Perhaps the gear builds her own confidence- and also has the practical benefit of serving as a disguise.

- The perpetrator arrives at the church and is a bundle of energy- nervous and angry at the same time. As the tension mounts before the victims arrival, she starts to pace nervously and thinking of the reasons behind the planned confrontation, "blows off steam" by swinging the hammer at items.
 
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gliving said:
MIDLOTHIAN (CBS11) – Midlothian police released the search warrant issued the day after Terri “Missy” Leann Bevers, 45, was killed inside the Creekside Church of Christ last month. It states that Bevers suffered “multiple puncture wounds found on her head and chest” that “are consistent with tools the suspect was carrying throughout the building.”

Furthermore, the warrant describes the assailant as wearing “a black helmet, black balaclava, dark pants, dark long sleeve shirt, black gloves, and a black vest with Police in white lettering on the front and back.” It also states the suspect is seen “walking throughout the building holding a hammer, breaking windows and going through offices.”

Warrant Details How Missy Bevers Died

This is what makes me hesitate. The weapon used to kill Missy was the hammer Swat Guy used to break windows, etc. I don't think he went there to kill Missy. She interrupted his scene. He freaked.

My opinion.
Click to expand...

Multiple puncture wounds from a hammer on her head and chest seems personal to me.
 
FromGermany said:
Does anybody know, in which Sports Missy was interested in? Which sports events might she have visited, with Brandon or without him? I don't speak of her professional Fitness sports.
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The big three professional teams in the area are Rangers Baseball, Cowboys Football and Mavericks Basketball.

I can, however, say in the general sense that many fans, perhaps even a significant majority, never attend a game in person due to either the expense (especially Cowboys Football tickets) or a feeling that the effort of travel, parking etc. is not worth the effort.

Of course, a lot of fans do actually attend games in person. I don't know if the victim did.
 
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