TX - Terri 'Missy' Bevers,45, murdered in church/person in SWAT gear,18 Apr 2016 #20

[Waxmom]

I didn't see anything listed that had been stolen-wouldn't a burglar be grabbing/piling things to take to vehicle? They likely came across a computer or two, some electronics of value, etc, in all that time moseying around-and wouldn't someone who wanted to get in/get out grab some valuables move with a little more speed? Anything is possible, maybe they were just looking for something specific (box of cash/jewels, who knows?!?), and when they didn't find it they decided to spend a few minutes bludgeoning someone to death before leaving. Seems a bit extreme for someone breaking in with no specific goal in mind, imho.

 

[Elle Vader]

Just catching up on the disappointing news my thoughts 1) I’m not familiar with police work and I do believe they are working hard, but it seems kind of premature to me to clear family, friends, co-workers as I imagine those categories include a fair amount of people and 2) related to that, when they say “not suspect(s)” do they mean as not being the actual murderer or of having any involvement? I would think it’s the latter but if you don’t have a suspect can you really say that many people weren’t involved at all? How can you be so sure?
It’s boggling because they believe she was targeted, yet the people closest to her have been eliminated so who does that leave left and why…..

No one has been cleared. During the press conference it was mentioned that no one is currently a suspect--not family, friends, or co-workers. This is often said by police when one of these people is very much a target by police (not saying that is the case here, just that it happens quite frequently). They cannot announce someone is a suspect until they have enough evidence to arrest so no one will be named a suspect until they are ready to pick them up and arrest them. It does not mean anyone has been cleared, or that anyone of these people was not involved in some way. It also does not mean that they were. IMO

 

[PibblePal]

If they truly do not know who SP is, I see them increasing the reward substantially very soon.
JMO


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[Batbrat]

When I saw the press release, I found myself shaking my head in confusion. I spend many days analyzing the video, researching, and measuring. I'm now left wondering how law enforcement attained their height estimates. The reason I wonder, is because I have arrived at pretty different numbers. So I spent all day yesterday re-measuring and re-estimating. I concluded that the doors in the church must either be very short (lower than 80"), or LE's numbers are inaccurate. Here are my own results:

So based on my calculations, I believe the subject to be at least 5’8” or taller - not the 5’2”-5’6” reported in the MPD press release on May 20.

To begin, please keep in mind I do not know the exact height of the doors installed in the Midlothian Church. But from research on standard and fire-rated door installation heights in public or commercial buildings, plus researching other photographic evidence of the church interior (which contains people, ladders, and other objects of scale), I estimated most of the interior doors to be at minimum 84” (2134mm) in height, giving an approximate doorway height of 87-88” including frame. The doors may be even taller, but are unlikely to be shorter.

Using these estimations, I have calculated various measurements on 5 isolated frames from the surveillance video, each where the subject is standing directly adjacent to a doorway or inside it. If the height of the doorways is indeed 84” (2134mm) or above, with a standard hardware installation of approximately 950-1000mm, then I have calculated the following heights for the subject in the videos:

Based on a 84" Door Installation minimum (87”-88" total height incl. frame)

Image 1: 73.2” - 74.2” (6’1”- 6’2" with shoes and helmet - subtract 2-3”, you get 5’10” - 6’0" actual height)

Image 2: (see below)

Image 3: 71.2” - 72.2” (5’11” - 6’0” with shoes and helmet - subtract 2-3”, you get 5’8” - 5’11” actual height)

Image 4: 71.2” - 72.2” (5’11” - 6’0” with shoes and helmet - subtract 2-3”, you get 5’8” - 5’11” actual height)

Image 5: 71.2” - 72.2” (5’11” - 6’0” with shoes and helmet - subtract 2-3”, you get 5’8” - 5’11” actual height)


Based on an estimated alcove height of 90”

Image 2: 72.8” (6’0” with shoes and helmet - subtract 2-3”, you get 5’9” - 5’10" actual height) in image 5, I believe the alcove height is at least 2-3 inches higher than the interior doorways.

At no point did I ever find the height of the subject to be under 5’8”, and I consistently attained 5’8” or taller using a 84" door estimate. Any door installation or frame extending over 84” would make the subject even taller.

Again, based on my own observations and calculations, I am a little skeptical of law enforcement's released height estimates regarding the subject in the video analysis. I believe my own estimates err on the conservative side, based on commercial installation standard minimums. By my calculations, LE estimates of 5’2”-5’6” would put the door installation heights at the Midlothian Church below 80” (6’6”-6’8” meaning a 6'2" opening - ??) in height, which is unusually short for this type of installation.

 

[Paulas88]

Maybe car in the surveillance video had a stolen license plate? And, NOW the LE needs the publics help to visually identify.

 

[TeaTime]

A realization came to me last night after reading a member's description of the SWFA parking lot cameras. She and her husband identified roughly 30 (?) surveillance cameras directed on the parking lot/building of the sporting goods/gun shop and that is when I realized that this Altima and its plates have been long known to LE - since the early stages of this investigation. SMH

The gun shop sits on a lonely section of Hwy 287, a prime target for burglary from all sorts of people (including illegals, drug smugglers and terrorists) and vulnerable because Midlothian is a small city with a small PD serving a large area geographically. If the store was hit, and the alarm alerted, chances are the perps would escape before LE could arrive and LE would rely on the cameras to ID them. The sheer number of cameras at SWFA supports a conclusion that security surveillance was priority and one could conclude (as have I) with reasonable certainty that capturing the license plates of perps, day or night, would be crucial. It is therefore my opinion that the SWFA cameras are quite capable and do indeed capture license plate numbers on vehicles in the parking lot. Otherwise, what purpose would they serve? None. A toothless dog that doesn't bark is not a watch dog.

So why has LE stated that they could not ID the car? To keep SWATPERP (hereinafter SP) calm while also giving the public some information about the progress of the investigation. The 'we can't ID the car" is for SP. The "we have a car" is for the public.

Think of what they have released to the public and how it is is heard by SP. "The suspect is 6' tall, with an awkward gait. We can see a bit of a car in the church parking lot but not enough to ID it." SP relaxes knowing the gait is noticeable but the 6' tall height is off by 9 inches (just a number for the theory) and the car is not identifiable, therefore suspicion will never be cast in SP's direction.

Meanwhile LE is talking to SP, nailing down the story and SW is chatting it up with LE and without counsel because, in SW's mind, LE has no clue as to the ID of person or vehicle; "[T]hey are stupid, I am smart."

The next announcement was 'no one on the search warrant is a suspect at this time' and SP is 'between 5'8" and 5'9" tall. SP is relieved - LE is clueless.

However, LE has known specifics and has been putting all the ducks in a row for the DA while keeping SP calm by publicly claiming ignorance of any details.

Yesterday (?) they adjusted the height to 5'2" to 5'7" (which even I could have determined just looking at the video so really no special equipment was needed except for court), squeezing SP a bit more, shaking SP's confidence and they sort of ID the vehicle as a 4 - 6 year old light colored Nissan Altima, squeezing even more. LE claims they do not have the plate number. I say they do because it would be a serious lapse of security judgment to have cameras that were useless unless enhanced by some super special process that takes days/weeks to complete.

The newly released details also make SP's spouse, family and friends suspicious as in "I recognized the gait, but the height was way off so it can't be XYZ but now, XYZ's height fits as does the car".

I believe that SP is, and has been, on LE's radar and under surveillance, visually and electronically since the earliest days of the investigation and LE is slowly and methodically tightening the noose.

This all my opinion, I have no citations, just a logical train of thought.

 

[Marah]

Are they really saying this is the last lead? After this, they have nothing? Wow. Shocking.

“The last remaining lead involves a car that pulls into the SWFA Sporting Goods parking lot at approximately 2 a.m. They’re seen pulling into the parking lot and leaving just a few minutes later,” Johnson said. “We believe that car is a 2010 to 2012 Nisan Altima, it’s light in color – possibly silver.”


IMO it's looking like a robbery gone wrong again. They were casing a sport goods store before going for the church. And really, they could have figured the height out a long time ago.


http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/05/20/...are-suspects-in-murder-of-fitness-instructor/

 

[MerryB]

I posted a comment yesterday asking a question about license plates and then received a private message from a moderator reprimanding me for doing so because the family was announced as being "cleared" at yesterday's MPD news conference.

I believe the underlying message from LE is that they are looking at someone else (someone we may not be aware of at this point) as the perp, but aren't ruling out a possible connection between that unknown person and the current "cast of characters" until they have more info.

 

[TexasEx]

That search-warrant language about a financial-drug investigation is perplexing. The crime sounds personal, as if prompted by jealousy, but then why was that language in the SW? Did Missy Bevers know something that someone didn't want her to know? I hesitate to comment on this case online -- and already would like to delete one of my posts -- because she was someone's mother and daughter, and because it creeps me out that the perpetrator(s) could be reading the forums. No one around me knows or wants to talk about it, however, and my family doesn't want to hear about it. Suffice to say I have more thoughts about the possibility this relates to an investigation that predated the murder. Anyone else?

 

[arkansasmimi]

The Winner for earliest Suspect Height estimate goes to...... :drumroll:

:congrats:
Thread 1 Page 1 Post 14
04-19-2016, 07:54 AM#14 cattlekate http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...AT-gear-18-April-2016&p=12476807#post12476807

That person is short compared to the door. If the door is 80 - 84 inches tall, that person looks a little over 5 feet. I think it's a woman. Missy posted on Facebook the night before, April 17 at 7:55 pm, the time and place of the workout. Missy stated she had to get up at 3:30 am to prepare for the 5 am workout. She has 1861 friends on Facebook, but it's public so anyone could see the workout time. The killer roamed the church for a half hour before Missy showed up. Pretty clear Missy was targeted.

:fireworks:

 

[kareylou]

Are they really saying this is the last lead? After this, they have nothing? Wow. Shocking.

No, that is an incomplete quote. He is saying that is the last lead of the leads that they obtained from gathering surveillance footage from nearby businesses.

 

[makista]

I agree. A "perceived" slight could start a snowball of anger and resentment that Missy may have no idea was happening.

With the height change I am again leaning towards the perp being a female..and also in the video where the left hand looks ungloved
I noticed the way the hand is kind of lifted while walking rather than just hanging along side the body. Something about that movement
looked more feminine to me.

I'll also add, the AC Kevin Johnson looked really tired when I started the presser. It was the first thing I noticed. I have no doubts many lost
hours of sleep have been had. We have several friends in LE and I can tell you these types of cases stay with them after quitting time.
I do hope they can make an arrest soon. For Missy's family and the families of all the LE peeps working on the case as well.

Women kill for primarily two things. !) anything to that comes between them and their security 2)Anything that comes between them and what they love.(partner, children) It's definitely a personal murder. I wonder if they interviewed mothers of Missy's kids friends? I know her passion for exercise took her out of the home. Was it excessively?

 

[kareylou]

That search-warrant language about a financial-drug investigation is perplexing. The crime sounds personal, as if prompted by jealousy, but then why was that language in the SW? Did Missy Bevers know something that someone didn't want her to know? I hesitate to comment on this case online -- and already would like to delete one of my posts -- because she was someone's mother and daughter, and because it creeps me out that the perpetrator(s) could be reading the forums. No one around me knows or wants to talk about it, however, and my family doesn't want to hear about it. Suffice to say I have more thoughts about the possibility this relates to an investigation that predated the murder. Anyone else?

I think that is boilerplate language; they include it in every search warrant applied for by that particular person. I don't think it means that there is a financial-drug aspect to the killing.

 

[Mollyandme]

A realization came to me last night after reading one of our members' description of the SWFA parking lot cameras. She and her husband identified roughly 30 (?) surveillance cameras surrounding the building and parking lot of the sporting goods/gun shop and that is when I realized that this Altima and its plates have been long known to LE - since the early stages of this investigation. SMH

The gun shop sits on a lonely section of Hwy 287, a prime target for burglary from all sorts of people (including illegals, drug smugglers and terrorists) and vulnerable because Midlothian is a small city with a small PD serving a large area geographically. If the store was hit, and the alarm alerted, chances are the perps would escape before LE could arrive and LE would rely on the cameras to ID them. The sheer number of cameras at SWFA supports a conclusion that security surveillance was priority and one could conclude (as have I) with reasonable certainty that capturing the license plates of perps, day or night, would be crucial. It is therefore my opinion that the SWFA cameras are quite capable and do indeed capture license plate numbers on vehicles in the parking lot. Otherwise, what purpose would they serve? None. A toothless dog that doesn't bark is not a watch dog.

So why has LE told us they could not ID the car? To keep SWATPERP calm while also giving the public some information about the progress of the investigation. The 'we can't ID the car" is for SWATPERP. The "we have a car" is for the public.

Think of what they have released to the public and how it is is heard by SWATPERP. "The suspect is 6' tall, with an awkward gait. We can see a bit of a car in the church parking lot but not enough to ID it." SWATPERP relaxes knowing the gait is noticeable but the 6' tall height is off by 9 inches (just a number for the theory) and the car is not identifiable, therefore suspicion will never be cast in SWATPERP's direction.

Meanwhile LE is talking to SWATPERP, nailing down the story and SWATPERP is chatting it up with LE and without counsel because, in SW's mind, LE has no clue as to the ID of person or vehicle; "[T]hey are stupid, I am smart."

The next announcement is 'no one on the search warrant is a suspect at this time' and SWATPERP is 'between 5'8" and 5'9" tall. SWATPERP is relieved. LE still has no clue. SWATPEPR changes some behavior and begins to be more cautious but is not yet panicked.

However, LE has known specifics and has been spending time putting all the ducks in a row for the DA while keeping SWATPERP calm by publicly claiming ignorance of any details. Yesterday (?) they adjust the height to 5'2" to 5'7", squeezing SWATPERP a bit more, shaking SW's confidence and they sort of ID the vehicle as a 4 - 6 year old light colored Nissan Altima, squeezing even more. However, LE claims it does not have the plate number. I say they do because it would be a lapse of security judgment to have cameras that were useless unless enhanced by some super special process.

The newly released details also make SW's spouse, family and friends suspicious as in "I recognized the gait, but the height was way off so it can't be XYZ but now, XYZ's height fits as does the car".

SWATPERP is and has been on LE's radar and under surveillance, visually and electronically.

This all my opinion, I have no citations, just a logical train of thought.

I think this a very rational and logical train of thought. I think you are one million percent correct IMO. This was a very well thought out post and really captures what I believe has been going on in the investigation, thank you for this post. I couldn't agree more, you have laid out your opinion in a thoughtful and articulate manner that is also logical and plausible.

 

[Marah]

Whoever spent at least 20-30 minutes (JMO and estimation after talking with builder expert) jimmying the panic hardware off that door was very, very determined to get into that church that night. Very, very motivated.
(JMO, IMO...)

How did they get into the church and still be dry? do you think they dressed in the church??

 

[Kairi'sMom]

When I saw the press release, I found myself shaking my head in confusion. I spend many days analyzing the video, researching, and measuring. I'm now left wondering how law enforcement attained their height estimates. The reason I wonder, is because I have arrived at pretty different numbers. So I spent all day yesterday re-measuring and re-estimating. I concluded that the doors in the church must either be very short (lower than 80"), or LE's numbers are inaccurate.

snipped to save space

I wondered that too, but then it occurred to me that when LE did the video reconstruction of the crime last week, getting a better idea of Swatperp's height was one of their goals. If they had several LEOs of different heights re-enact the movements of the perp, then those person's heights could be compared to Swatperp's height on video to help them narrow the description. Maybe they weren't able to come to a conclusion because the video in each area is slightly distorted and varies depending on the cameras. (does that make sense?) OR they know exactly the height and general build/weight and the new info is intentionally vague for good reasons.

It also occurred to me that Swatperp could have unloaded some tools/equipment during their stroll through the church and that might be why their weight looks different from one sequence of video to the next.

JMO and all that.

 

[arkansasmimi]

Also, has anyone been able to identify the brick wall the Altima is parked in front of in the released pictures? It would be interesting to know whether that area was at the back of SWFA or in the front where it could be easily seen from the highway. Was the driver trying to conceal himself from the road, or was he trying to hide those "few minutes"

JMHO thats the headlights reflecting on the grass median/Hwy 287 ahead as the car is exiting the drive, and the hard rain coming down.

 

[Traymar]

Quick question about the car. I apologize if I'm asking stupid questions! Is the gun store right across a two-lane street from the church? Our poster earlier said there is one way in and out of the gun store parking lot. Is that also true of the church? This may mean nothing but I only ask because if I'm driving and need a quick place to pull in and out of in order to check my phone, etc., I will look for a circular drive or wide open parking lot -- something easy. So why pull into the gun store parking lot and not the church? My first thought was that maybe the car specifically avoided the church parking lot so as not to be potentially seen there (since driver already had plans re church?). I could be way off on my geography, but I just think I'd choose the church parking lot over the gun store if I were truly just pulling over to make a call or retrieve a dropped item. So, just wondering... all moo.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

[arkansasmimi]

Yeah, but people could have started coming 7 ish (that's when my earliest co-workers start rolling in. And we have like half an hour of video of them walking around making no movement or attempt to start taking things, looking for things (at least not in anything that's been released.) I see no evidence of a burglary. I don't think you unnecessarily loiter around somewhere, wearing a police uniform (ie, committing a felony), waiting for...? I'm pretty convinced this is targeted.

So what was the verdict on CT. Is she considered "family or co-workers?" and cleared? Tricky wording by LE (cause technically she is neither.)? The height was moved down to match her better.

So how does the expert on NG say that they can target the perp within an inch (without a doubt) and LE comes back with a 5 inch range. Which, statistically consists of somewhere around 40% of the US population.

It sounds to me like they took a lot of time and manpower clearing everyone, one by one.

NOW. They either are smart and playing it close to the vest, a cat and mouse game with both the perp and public. OR they've been outmaneuvered and 6 months from now we'll start putting files into boxes and writing "cold case" on it, waiting for a slip up (which sometimes does happen).


I think it's time for some fund raising (there's quite a bit of $ around the area. And raise the reward to substantial ($100K?) Unless they've got someone already and are just waiting for something.

Jumping off your post.. kinda (not meaning to jump on you )
Respectfully bbm. Why do people think that CT could not be a friend of MB? Honest question. Because they were not FB friends? Rumors? Seriously, how do we know she was not or could not be considered a Friend of MB?

 

[Batbrat]

The Winner for earliest Suspect Height estimate goes to...... :drumroll:

:congrats:
Thread 1 Page 1 Post 14
04-19-2016, 07:54 AM#14 cattlekate http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...AT-gear-18-April-2016&p=12476807#post12476807

That person is short compared to the door. If the door is 80 - 84 inches tall, that person looks a little over 5 feet.

I'd love to see cattlekate's visual analysis. I tried to make my numbers squeeze into LE's estimate, but couldn't make that work - unless the door installations are under 80" including frame (6'2 opening?):