TX TX - Terri 'Missy' Bevers, 45, killed in church/suspect in SWAT gear, Midlothian, 18 Apr 2016 #48

[NoSpoonFeeding]

Why did PERP arrive shortly before Missy arrived there?

I don't like repeating a lot of known information but I feel strongly that Missy was killed by a stranger, making it a far more difficult murder to solve.

He was inside 30 minutes before Missy arrived. If that is shortly before, I don't see how it points to a planned murder (or just a burglary gone wrong either).

SP was seen inside, wandering about at 3:50 AM, not setting up to ambush Missy. Missy in parking lot 4:16, then entering at 4:20, the SP had 30 minutes to get set up, to case the place, check out the window view of the parking lot, make sure his exit was planned out. Try different hiding places to get a clear shot. But he did nothing but prowl, no evidence of adrenaline, excitement or nerves for what he was going to do. Pls don't say the killer was so experienced and professional, they didn't exhibit normal human behavior. This person is not a professional hitman, nor a professional burglar. If they knew she was there for a class, they also knew the "campers" could arrive at 4:30 or earlier. (The first one was there at 4:35) What would the (hired) killer have done if several arrived with Missy? Disappear out the back, I guess.

According to the podiatrist, Missy was startled, she turned her head, as if towards a noise. The killer was not set up and waiting, he didn't even know she had pulled into the parking lot and entered the building, he made noise! Instead of catching her off-guard, he was also startled, maybe threw his hammer, or hit her once, then got his gun out and shot her. (We don't have the autopsy, we don't have the facts to counter this or to call it overkill). Total lack of planning. If someone hired the killer, what did they say to the killer? "She might have her handgun on her and she has self-defense training so go hand-to-hand with her first and then maybe have a shoot-out?" "She might arrive with a group of campers, so you might have only a minute to kill her, get out and drive away unseen?"
The podiatrist was really affected by seeing Missy's realizing that she wasn't alone. Ugh

CBS News FBI used a forensic podiatrist to analyze the suspect gait/.

Why would a burglar who attempted to steal nothing then commit a violent homicide with "overkill"?

We don't know for a fact that nothing was taken, even if they say nothing is missing, I don't trust that information. We do know SP was in an office as files were mentioned. Maybe he was looking for small valuables. I'd guess he went thru any desk drawers. We haven't been told if there was a money/lock box or small safe in the office, or if some office cash was missing. We do know that he was seen carrying a small white plastic basket with tools(?) that he picked up in the church.
I don't think SP was stealing it, but I think it's the last thing a killer would carry around the church.

 

[Ozoner]

Occams Razor.

Nothing was stolen so IMO this was not a burglary.

That is illogical, IMO.

The speculation is that it was an interrupted burglary.

Even if it hadn't been interrupted, the burglar might not have found what he hoped to find (i.e., cash).

Why would a burglar who attempted to steal nothing then commit a violent homicide with "overkill"?

Now you're using fallacious reasoning, IMO. It hasn't been proved that there was overkill; that's speculation, and LE has not released enough evidence for anyone to draw that conclusion.

You also don't know that the burglar attempted to steal nothing; he may well have been attempting to steal or looking for things to steal when he was interrupted.

It doesn't make sense, IMO, to jump to conclusions and then rely on those unproved assertions as evidence for your theory.

 

[FromGermany1]

Good burglars ransack
Good murderers ambush

I don't think that the intruder is either one but if they are, they're very bad at it.

SP did very well, IMO. Leaving evidence to burglary AND to murder - what a special thought-out plan! With plenty to do on a task for investigators and the forensics! Just as wanted by SP, I assume. As wanted also, no POI after 6 years! Well done, it seems! MOO

 

[FromGermany1]

I know that there is significant time gap so it could be nothing, but it was unusual enough to end up in media. But exactly how unusual on 1 to 10 scale - two or nine?

9,5 IMO

 

[FromGermany1]

The "wanna-be" ideas make sense (maybe wanting to be a game player, maybe wanting to be a real police officer, maybe just wanting to have a life).

In any event, this is with 100% certainty a <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> Total failure in life - they have given their life up to be a botched burglar, violent <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING>. They can never escape the reality of what they have done, and they now have to spend the rest of their life hiding who they are at all costs. Their life is gone, and they have exchanged their whole life, and the life to come, for that losership.

What if he is living in a different state and after 6 years is living his life quite unconcerned? As a business man even or as a blue collar worker, as an Uni student, as a professional in an unknown branche? Nothing is impossible (unfortunately).

 

[evilwise]

If the intruder was trying so hard to make it look like a burglary he probably would have taken something. That's, like, the defining characteristic of a burglary.

As far as Occam is concerned, I'm sure if he was here he would say that what looks like a person in a costume bumbling aimlessly probably is a person in a costume bumbling aimlessly and that a person waiting to murder someone probably would wait in the location they knew their target would be.

It seems law enforcement was quite sure that the video and car photo would quickly result in their suspect being identified and all the wild speculation is directly related to them not releasing more details. Like, this hit man theory could quickly be 95% put to rest simply by officially disclosing details on cause of death - a professional killer would be unlikely to bludgeon someone with a weapon found at the crime scene, especially a shrimpy professional killer.

I think that the killing scared the killer so bad they destroyed all evidence and have been very lucky or very dead. That's one reason a person might hire a bumbling hit man, to later murder that hit man themselves. It's one of the many reasons anyone with a possible motive is usually kept pretty close track of. I wonder if that was done in this case.

But speaking of being dead as a sure fire way to avoid prosecution, my theory of a <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> of a perpetrator being horrified to the core at their own crime and living in constant fear is a prime candidate for suicide - or sudden relocation or first one then the other (q.v. UT - Kylen Schulte, 24, & Crystal Beck, 38, newlywed couple found dead, Grand County, 18 Aug 2021 ). I wonder if this line of investigation has been followed.

Because that's really all we have here, is speculating and wondering. I'm glad that the gun store's actual video of the car was released since the car's behavior is certainly more suspicious in video and basically too much to be a simple coincidence. "Someone who drives an Altima and might dress up like a riot cop" really should be enough to identify a suspect but since it hasn't, additional evidence needs to be analyzed.

 

[watcher9]

Even after six years of having the video of the actual killer, there is still no named suspect. I surely hope that there will be a break in this case soon.

 

[beubeubeu]

I don't like repeating a lot of known information but I feel strongly that Missy was killed by a stranger, making it a far more difficult murder to solve.

He was inside 30 minutes before Missy arrived. If that is shortly before, I don't see how it points to a planned murder (or just a burglary gone wrong either).

SP was seen inside, wandering about at 3:50 AM, not setting up to ambush Missy. Missy in parking lot 4:16, then entering at 4:20, the SP had 30 minutes to get set up, to case the place, check out the window view of the parking lot, make sure his exit was planned out. Try different hiding places to get a clear shot. But he did nothing but prowl, no evidence of adrenaline, excitement or nerves for what he was going to do. Pls don't say the killer was so experienced and professional, they didn't exhibit normal human behavior. This person is not a professional hitman, nor a professional burglar. If they knew she was there for a class, they also knew the "campers" could arrive at 4:30 or earlier. (The first one was there at 4:35) What would the (hired) killer have done if several arrived with Missy? Disappear out the back, I guess.

According to the podiatrist, Missy was startled, she turned her head, as if towards a noise. The killer was not set up and waiting, he didn't even know she had pulled into the parking lot and entered the building, he made noise! Instead of catching her off-guard, he was also startled, maybe threw his hammer, or hit her once, then got his gun out and shot her. (We don't have the autopsy, we don't have the facts to counter this or to call it overkill). Total lack of planning. If someone hired the killer, what did they say to the killer? "She might have her handgun on her and she has self-defense training so go hand-to-hand with her first and then maybe have a shoot-out?" "She might arrive with a group of campers, so you might have only a minute to kill her, get out and drive away unseen?"
The podiatrist was really affected by seeing Missy's realizing that she wasn't alone. Ugh

CBS News FBI used a forensic podiatrist to analyze the suspect gait/.

We don't know for a fact that nothing was taken, even if they say nothing is missing, I don't trust that information. We do know SP was in an office as files were mentioned. Maybe he was looking for small valuables. I'd guess he went thru any desk drawers. We haven't been told if there was a money/lock box or small safe in the office, or if some office cash was missing. We do know that he was seen carrying a small white plastic basket with tools(?) that he picked up in the church.
I don't think SP was stealing it, but I think it's the last thing a killer would carry around the church.

I'm not leaning towards that theory but I was thinking how to make it fit and the only way to make it make sense is to assume:

1. Casual behaviour before planned murder - maybe some courage gained from drugs or alcohol,
2. Anyone who had a grudge against Missy could not have a way to get in touch with proffesional hitman, so they could hire well known nut who would do that for money,
3. It's hard to develop a mortal grudge against someone not knowing much about them so the person who hired the sloppy hitman or dressed like one themselves could know that Missy never took her gun with her while entering the church,
4. Murderer had some outside help that watched the parking lot and made sure that Missy is entering the building alone, agreeing to maybe call the hitman if others would show up before 4:30
5. Despite of the whole point of murderer's activity between breaking in and Missy's arrival was to make it look like a burglary, they actually managed to forget to steal something obvious and eye-catching so literally everyone would notice that they took it.

Some sense it makes. Some. This could happen, but apart from point 3. partially (cause I'd think that's pretty common thing for people to leave their guns behind while visiting church and could be widely discussed thing among members so possible to learn somehow what was Missy's attitde towards it) it requires not only those highely unlikely circumstances to occure before, but many other to follow.
Like:
- sloppy first time hitman or crazy violatile murderer to have a lot of luck
- and ability to not give themselves away in any way in the following years after not leaving any noticeable tracks,
- despite of getting away with something so bold and cheeky pretty easily not one but actually TWO people would need to keep their heads low for years, or die/leave the area not causing any suspicions WHILE this huge investigation is still ongoing, and most likely being on the list of people considered as possible POI's,
and few more.

Oh, oh, and one more elephant in the room I think.
I may be wrong, but wasn't all that supposed unfaithfullness on Missy's side just those flirtatious and inappropriate message exchange on the linkedin? In some coverages of her story she grews into some serious local femme-fatale-maneater-homewrecker type that's usually met on the pages of romantic novels. Flirting is pretty petty reason to murder someone and those who are doing it, are glowing like red flags in the size of whole state - at least after but mostly also before. Stalker would be much more likely than jealous-whoever.
And to have this theory (about targetted killing) fit, the perp would need to be able to obscure that.

It doesn't really make sense logically... unless many unusual factors not only came into play but kept coming, for extended period of time. It's still theoretically possible but I see only two:
a) bizarre outfit,
b) oddly many supposed locals/Texans believing that's how classic revenge killing could be executed and obscured
- also the second one is kinda iffy, cause no telling if all those people came to their conclusion relying on all (or as many as possible) factual info that is out there. So it could be just one. That's not enough. That's more on the side of making clues fit the theory than collecting clues to came with a theory.

IMO still worth considering but more points out at the burglary gone wrong.



Also: does staying in motion decreases the risk of car plates being visible on surveillance with that weather? If so, did it worked in all cameras? Most cameras? Those at SWFA store?
Sheer luck that was or maybe some experience and knowledge behind it? - definitely not so much with burglary, but maybe with surveillance and security?

 

[SteveS]

Also: does staying in motion decreases the risk of car plates being visible on surveillance with that weather? If so, did it worked in all cameras? Most cameras? Those at SWFA store?
Sheer luck that was or maybe some experience and knowledge behind it? - definitely not so much with burglary, but maybe with surveillance and security?

Not unusual outcome. Info I know from being a business owner - the glare off a license plate makes them hard-to-impossible to read at night usually, until you get the right kind of software/cam combo. Way more common 6 years ago, but not nearly as likely to be overlooked now with more awareness (sometimes from bad experiences) and better explanations from those selling the hardware/software.

If the license could have been readable, of course, LE wouldn't have ever posted the video because they would know whose car it was from day 1 of seeing the video.

 

[beubeubeu]

Not unusual outcome. Info I know from being a business owner - the glare off a license plate makes them hard-to-impossible to read at night usually, until you get the right kind of software/cam combo. Way more common 6 years ago, but not nearly as likely to be overlooked now with more awareness (sometimes from bad experiences) and better explanations from those selling the hardware/software.

If the license could have been readable, of course, LE wouldn't have ever posted the video because they would know whose car it was from day 1 of seeing the video.

Wow, so rain could ensure the driver even more that slowly circling around the parking lot will make their licence plate numbers unreadable.
Also... won't the fact that lights are repeatedly turned on and off kinda around the time when some camera could get good shot at it cause the camera to try to adjust and lose even more quality?
They also seem to park in the least convenient spot for any camera to get a good look at the car.

Is this really going along with previously mentioned occkham's razor to assume that all that is just random string of luck that happened accidentally not only with that car but also with outfit?
Cause unlike the burglary/assasination, this points out at some serious experience with hiding identity in the plain sight. Maybe not gained by being surveillance/security worker but somehow...

 

[SteveS]

Wow, so rain could ensure the driver even more that slowly circling around the parking lot will make their licence plate numbers unreadable.
Also... won't the fact that lights are repeatedly turned on and off kinda around the time when some camera could get good shot at it cause the camera to try to adjust and lose even more quality?
They also seem to park in the least convenient spot for any camera to get a good look at the car.

Is this really going along with previously mentioned occkham's razor to assume that all that is just random string of luck that happened accidentally not only with that car but also with outfit?
Cause unlike the burglary/assasination, this points out at some serious experience with hiding identity in the plain sight. Maybe not gained by being surveillance/security worker but somehow...

No, I didn't say anything like that. I don't think driver had any awareness. Probably none whatsoever.

Without the right software/cam, the license plate would have been unreadable even without rain. But this would not be common knowledge for most. Going slow, or altering the lighting, may have made it easier to read, not harder. Going around the building slowly would have provided all kinds of variables, and perhaps just the right instance might have made the plate readable?

I don't think the driver was circling the building for some sort of spy mission, as that draws attention rather than hides, and offers more opportunity to be seen and noticed, not less.

And for whatever reason it was, I doubt the car was even related to the murder.

 

[evilwise]

No, I didn't say anything like that. I don't think driver had any awareness. Probably none whatsoever.

Without the right software/cam, the license plate would have been unreadable even without rain. But this would not be common knowledge for most. Going slow, or altering the lighting, may have made it easier to read, not harder. Going around the building slowly would have provided all kinds of variables, and perhaps just the right instance might have made the plate readable?

I don't think the driver was circling the building for some sort of spy mission, as that draws attention rather than hides, and offers more opportunity to be seen and noticed, not less.

And for whatever reason it was, I doubt the car was even related to the murder.

It's the Dunning-Kruger effect. Especially six years ago, the vast majority of people would feel pretty safe from security cameras recording their license plates. Perhaps 60% of people would simply not know that there was any real possibility of it and 20% of people would know well enough that the fidelity of security video is generally not good enough but that leaves 20% of people who maybe know about license plate cams on highways that are located, focused and lit in ways specifically to capture license numbers and erroneously believe that security cameras everywhere are compiling airtight evidence of every thing that happens in public - and are happy to tell other people that it's so when it's really not.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

Some sense it makes. Some. This could happen, but apart from point 3. partially (cause I'd think that's pretty common thing for people to leave their guns behind while visiting church and could be widely discussed thing among members so

Missy was not "visiting" a church, she had a gun, which her husband wanted her to carry, for personal protection because of being out in the dark, alone, in the early morning for her classes.
She didn't even always go into the building. The SP, and any possible look-out that was out side, didn't watch for Missy's arrival.
I believe the podiatrist's description of the video he saw.
There is nothing in SP's behavior that shows he was getting ready to murder someone. I don't see how having bolstered courage results in relaxed, lackadaisical behavior.

 

[Speculaytor]

I cannot believe this has not been solved. Clearly targeted. The walk sure does look familiar, height too, to someone in other videos that covered the case. It was planned, outfit ordered, arrival before Missy and others, casually walks through the place making noise not worried about anyone coming in at that time. They KNEW when people would arrive, Missy would arrive. <modsnip>

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

I cannot believe this has not been solved. Clearly targeted. The walk sure does look familiar, height too, to someone in other videos that covered the case. It was planned, outfit ordered, arrival before Missy and others, casually walks through the place making noise not worried about anyone coming in at that time. They KNEW when people would arrive, Missy would arrive. Always wondered about her relationship with the husband.

SP did not know if someone would show up for the early bird 4:30 AM workout and if others would arrive early for the 5 AM workout, which did happen. Even Missy didn't know for a fact who would arrive and when.

If he is there to kill, why isn't he looking watching the roadway to see her arrive? He didn't know when she entered the building, I don't think he would still be making noise if he was lying in wait.
In any case, what killer allows only a window of minutes to kill and get out of the area without being seen? Especially a killer that is not able to rely on agility and speed.
Her husband/family has been investigated to the umpth degree and ruled out. MOO

 

[somequestions]

Even though a random burglar who was surprised cannot be ruled out, I think this was most likely a targeted murder.

While we do not have all the surveillance footage, my guess is this burglar never checked to see if the southwest awning door was open. There is no way someone driving fast along that busy road is going to notice this SWAT uniform police officer from that far way checking a church door. My guess is also that they did not drive around the church to see if anyone else's car was there. They could have driven up the awning hill next to the southwest awning door to look inside the church from their car. They could have done both of these things and did not which suggests to me they may have possibly knew the church was going to be empty.

If it was a burglar, this person is very amateur. If it was a targeted murder, it was thought out. If you suppose for a second the burglar knew they would be on surveillance tape, they are not going to be waiting for Missy as she enters the church. They know that if they are seen in that position and people look at the surveillance tape later, doing anything that suggests they were waiting for Missy is going to make police speculate that she was targeted. Then the costume and burglary cover only helps protect their identity.

This may have been one big act that fooled everyone into thinking it was a random killing by a stranger when in fact it was a murder.

 

[FromGermany1]

Story line for "hit man" (professional or not):

Break into the building from the rear side.
Outdoor surveillance isn't working, you will not be seen on any tape.
Prepare your costume in the kitchen, where no camera is working.
Take your costume on completely.
In your own interest, give most attention to your face/head gear!!
Enter the hallway, where SURVEILLANCE cameras will be, which are in working mode (motion detection).
Walk along the hallways in direction of the West entry (opposite to your break-in location).
Look into all rooms, which you will pass.
You will need some "door opener"/a tool for that purpose, if a room is locked.
During your strolling, do break some door windows or glass tables or something like that, even if you don't need to do it.
Make it look, as if you are a thief and have to do it for inspecting the rooms ("searching for valuables").

MB will arive at 4:30am, so have no fear, she would hear your sounds, you are causing.
Campers will arive a little later than MB, they as well won't hear your sounds outside.
By 4:30am the West entry must be reached, where is NO surveillance camera.
Hide there and wait for MB.
When MB arrives, she will enter the building from the SW entry and will prepare her lessons for the campers.
Do make some noise with a tool, so that MB will look for the cause and will go exactly in your direction.
BE WELL PREPARED: MB owns a gun and might have it with her!!!
Do have your gun ready for using!

KILL with speed!
Clean up the crime scene.
Let MB look like a bunch of clothes, so that someone, who is looking from outside through the glass door, can't immediately recognize her and can't understand the dramatic at first!
Do escape with speed via your break-in location at the backside of the building!
-.-.-
Wait for the second half of your fee at the meeting point!

 

[Ozoner]

I cannot believe this has not been solved. Clearly targeted. The walk sure does look familiar, height too, to someone in other videos that covered the case. It was planned, outfit ordered, arrival before Missy and others, casually walks through the place making noise not worried about anyone coming in at that time. They KNEW when people would arrive, Missy would arrive. <modsnip>

There is no evidence to support this theory. Since no one knew the order in which people would arrive or the exact times at which people would arrive, I guess the perp must have had magical ESP powers, according to your theory.

<modsnip>

 

[Razz]

There is no evidence to support this theory. Since no one knew the order in which people would arrive or the exact times at which people would arrive, I guess the perp must have had magical ESP powers, according to your theory.

<modsnip>

One could say this was targeted because people knew how early and when she arrived, the time her students arrived and that it would be inside the church because she had announced it in her public annoucement. Was it someone who trolled MB on line and was possibly obsessed with her? Maybe someone in the church or someone from her classes had some form of a grudge. A hired killer? There was ample knowledge of her habits.

The phone dumps? Partially, imo, this was to ALSO prove or disprove another person outside directing SP on anything happening outside.

 

[somequestions]

There is no evidence to support this theory. Since no one knew the order in which people would arrive or the exact times at which people would arrive, I guess the perp must have had magical ESP powers, according to your theory.

<modsnip>

From what I read, I thought police think this was a targeted crime. What makes them think that?

Maybe the target was Camp Gladiator and not Missy Bevers specifically, but it does look somewhat targeted in my opinion. I do not know what the refund policy is for Camp Gladiator, but did someone show up who did not pay their dues for this first class of the new session? Did someone not get a refund from the last session since on the day of her murder, it was the first class of the new session?