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

[gitana1]

Note that police never said six feet publicly. We only have word from BB that they said it privately.

I believe these are the possibilities:
1. Police really thought the killer was around 6 feet at that time.
2. They purposely said a height that was way taller than the killer, so they could check for a puzzled look on BB’s face. If he had hired someone to kill Missy, he would know it was a shorter person and his face would give it away when they said six feet.

Is there any evidence of any sort that could suggest the husband might be involved? I watched the interview and I instantly recognized that many would find it problematic. But frankly, I recognized the signs of grief around his mouth. He also seemed in some shock. And he was pretty candid about various personal things like where his wife would be buried.

 

[RANCH]

It might have been an estimate at the time. But he did mention that they measured based on door posts and stuff.

So the six feet height was based on measurements. I wonder why they changed their estimate to 5' 2" to 5' 7" later on? That's quite a bit of difference from six feet.

This is why I'm confused on what is real and what is not. JMO

 

[worm]

Is there any evidence of any sort that could suggest the husband might be involved? I watched the interview and I instantly recognized that many would find it problematic. But frankly, I recognized the signs of grief around his mouth. He also seemed in some shock. And he was pretty candid about various personal things like where his wife would be buried.

I was a bit mixed about it when I watched.

 

[Lhughessk]

If Brandon's facial expression was something that LE deemed to be improper then what? Take it to the grand jury as evidence. Not going to happen.

Brandon was automatically a suspect in this case and he even stated that fact publicly. LE didn't need to lie to him about the killers height to get a "guilty" reaction from him in order to investigate him as a suspect. JMO

“If his facial expression was improper then what?” Well, then they could have looked at him even more closely, of course. It’s pretty simple. Police use lying tactics all the time, like telling a suspect that the victim isn’t dead after all and is in the hospital and beginning to talk. And I never said they NEEDED to do it in order to begin investigating him as a suspect. Or go straight to a grand jury. Those are straw men of your own creation.

 

[RANCH]

“If his facial expression was improper then what?” Well, then they could have looked at him even more closely, of course. It’s pretty simple. Police use lying tactics all the time, like telling a suspect that the victim isn’t dead after all and is in the hospital and beginning to talk. And I never said they NEEDED to do it in order to begin investigating him as a suspect. Or go straight to a grand jury. Those are straw men of your own creation.

My point is that LE should have looked at Brandon very closely as a suspect without lying to him about the height of the killer. No tactics needed. Just investigate.

 

[gitana1]

Great to see thread open again.

Have come to the thoughts that these are the options :-
- a random intruder is possible. IF the church was robbed/ had stuff missing.
- a lovers spouse as there is evidence of her mucking around with someone.
- a stalker?
- scorned or unhappy husband.

These days I am leaning toward the random intruder because a vindictive killing had to have built up and left crumbs to find.

But a random intruder is likely a serial offender and likely has left laying around crumbs of his own.

Another case of LE hiding behind we can't risk the investigation by releasing information.

moo

I’ve always wondered about someone possibly obsessed with her. Or with a grudge.

 

[gitana1]

And it's going to happen over and over from now on because of masks.

Criminals have worn masks for a millennia.

 

[Lhughessk]

But plus or minus 1.53 inches if we go to the plus side is 5.9 1/2.

With gear on. Conservatively, a helmet and boots are going to add 3 inches. I’ve spoken to a military guy who said his own gear added 3.5 inches. But let’s just say 3 inches. That means the suspect is potentially as tall as 5’6.5” barefoot. Possibly as short as 5’3.5”.

My point is that LE should have looked at Brandon very closely as a suspect without lying to him about the height of the killer. No tactics needed. Just investigate.

Well, they were looking at him extremely closely in the beginning. He was interrogated by the FBI and administered a polygraph. Financial records pored through. Alibi checked and rechecked. Those things don’t have to be mutually exclusive from using a bit of subterfuge to see how he reacts. Especially when we are talking about it happening in the first couple of days.That interview with BB we are referencing is from Tuesday, the day after the murder.

 

[RANCH]

I’ve always wondered about someone possibly obsessed with her. Or with a grudge.

I thought that for a long time too. More recently I've thought about someone who wanted her out of the way so they could have Brandon to herself. JMO

 

[RANCH]

The main issue I have with LE constantly lying to the public and potential suspects during an investigation is if this case goes to trial the defense can bring up all of the lies in front of the jury.

Is the State lying about this evidence like they did to the public during the investigation?

That could cause reasonable doubt and an acquittal.

 

[Lhughessk]

More on the killer height. The attached photo is from the awning entrance. Notice the two cameras. The one above the Exit sign is the one that captured the killer trying to pry into the door before giving up. That’s probably shooting down from 10 feet. The other camera is the one that points down to the Dutch door room. I would guess it’s probably around 9 ft high. Measuring true height of the suspect is difficult even for an expert, because you have to account for not only distance from the camera but also the camera angle. In older threads, BatBrat did a lot of work on this over many hours to arrive at a barefoot height of 5’10” which is several inches taller than MPD came up with. Then again, she didn’t go to the church and physically take measurements in the way that MPD and Tarrant County were able to do on 5/12/16.

 

[gitana1]

These 2016 comments still resonate with me in 2021, imo. rbbm.
Former Officer Suggests More Was Going On Than Burglary In Midlothian Church, Oak Farms Dairy
April 18, 2016 rbbm.
''MIDLOTHIAN (CBS11) – A murder suspect’s strange behavior and SWAT costume are raising questions questions about the motive behind a deadly church break-in.''

“It is going to raise the awareness of the police department that there may be something more here than just a burglary or even a murder. Something else was going on here and they’re going to try to uncover it.”

Intriguing.

 

[gitana1]

Me too. While church burglaries are all too common thanks to the opioid epidemic, usually these types of robberies are quick break and grabs of whatever is going to be the quickest route to cash - the collection plate, equipment, whatever. They may cover their face but a leisurely stroll all around the premises while in full on SWAT gear with nothing (that we know of) of value taken? No, I don't think it was a robbery.

I also think, like Elizabeth Barraza, that the location and time of the crime requires very specific knowledge of the victims whereabouts and plans. While in today's world of living our lives on social media, that information is much more readily available, I still don't think this was a random predator who stalks 430am fitness classes in the hopes of getting an instructor off guard.

IMO opinion, whoever killed Missy knew her and targeted her, or was directed by someone who did. Whoever did it though, certainly did not seemingly leave a digital trail that has yet been discovered.

And they were super confident. Didn’t seem at all rattled.

 

[gitana1]

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

You never know. Look at the BTK serial killer. He was an upstanding church member.

There’s lots of weirdos out there. For me, I get this grudge/obsession vibe. And for all we know, LE has this person on their radar but just doesn’t have enough for an arrest.

 

[gitana1]

“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

That makes sense. So possibly Missy surprised this person and they freaked out and hit her with the hammer. Who was that angry with the church? And why?

 

[worm]

I’ve always wondered about someone possibly obsessed with her. Or with a grudge.

I’ve been thinking stalker a lot. Given her looks, job, and online presence, it’s very possible. I don’t know anything about her personality but she may have “overly nice” to somebody who took it as flirting? That happens often also. The messages I’ve heard she got adds to my notion of it.

 

[gitana1]

The most difficult homicides to solve are ones where the killer has no association with the victim.

Smart thought.

 

[gitana1]

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.


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.

Do we have 30 minutes of video?!?

 

[Rollsballs]

what is IED?

Improvised Explosive Device

 

[RANCH]

You never know. Look at the BTK serial killer. He was an upstanding church member.

There’s lots of weirdos out there. For me, I get this grudge/obsession vibe. And for all we know, LE has this person on their radar but just doesn’t have enough for an arrest.

I wouldn't be surprised if police talked to the killer and suspects they are the killer but don't have enough for a conviction. JMO