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

[Tower]

Just popping by to ask if i am the only one reminded of the Missy B killer, by the recent Nashville shooter?
Not suggesting it is the same person, but similar type, the way they are walking around looking goofy, complete speculation, imo.

They do look weird. Obviously we aren’t seeing footage where they encountered any people, but they’re wandering around, seemingly without purpose, opening doors and looking around. The shooter was familiar with the school, so you’d think they’d march right into administration if they intended to target the leaders. Since the principal had only been there since 2016 and the shooter also murdered children, we may never know their purpose except spreading hatred and terror. Definitely some parallels in these videos.
Jmo

 

[somequestions]

If the burglar was a man, and I am not stating that it is, but this person must have been very frightened when committing the burglary with a gun. In my opinion, the SP burglar is a female. That is only an opinion.

The video is another mystery. According to what I know, the burglar comes out of Room 8, the kitchen area, at 3:50am. Yet they are not seen trying to crowbar their way into the first room, a maintenance closet, until 3:58am? What were they doing in those 8 minutes? Why was that part left out from the video released to the public?

Even if this was only a burglary gone wrong with a victim who surprised the burglar, this burglar was extremely calm in the video to do what they did later. Unless the 8 minutes missing is the burglar looking outside from the west foyer, this person does not seem to care to look outside at all, whether that be for someone pulling into the church or a potential police car. With the highway right next to the church, that made me wonder. I think with most burglars, they have a plan to go directly to what they are looking to get and then leave as quickly as possible.

If Missy Bevers had not shown up, I wonder how long this person would have stayed inside the church? Who would have been the first person to enter the church if Missy Bevers and her gladiator class had not shown up that morning?

 

[dotr]

They do look weird. Obviously we aren’t seeing footage where they encountered any people, but they’re wandering around, seemingly without purpose, opening doors and looking around. The shooter was familiar with the school, so you’d think they’d march right into administration if they intended to target the leaders. Since the principal had only been there since 2016 and the shooter also murdered children, we may never know their purpose except spreading hatred and terror. Definitely some parallels in these videos.
Jmo

Not to distract from this thread, just wanted to add that the ''school'' where the shooting occurred, is also inside a church, fwiw.

 

[DeDee]

The Northern exterior of the Church that shows the damage from SPs entry into the kitchen. The glass and door handle were replaced. LEO told us the SP stayed some time inside the kitchen. Perhaps SP needs to stay in it for a bit in order to dry off. Inside of the kitchen is a connecting door to the room next to it.


This image shows a wider shot of the area. Note the placement of HVAC equipment.


This image shows the location of the N entry in relation to the kitchen door as noted by the HVAC.


N Entry - It is believed by some to be the area, on the interior, where MBs body was found in the NW corner. However, there are MSM photos showing CS specialists working in the Western Hallway near the front or main entrance.

 

[Ozoner]

The Northern exterior of the Church that shows the damage from SPs entry into the kitchen. The glass and door handle were replaced. LEO told us the SP stayed some time inside the kitchen. Perhaps SP needs to stay in it for a bit in order to dry off.

Forgive my obtuseness, but what does SP stand for?

 

[DeDee]

Forgive my obtuseness, but what does SP stand for?

SP is for SwatPerp. The killer was known as SP on these threads since the beginning.

MB was 5'1". LEO has SPs height at 5'2" - 5'8".
Male average height is 5'9".

APR 13, 2021
The suspect observed on church surveillance equipment is wearing "police tactical" type clothing. The authenticity of the clothing is not known. Height analysis estimates the vertical distance from the floor to the top of the headwear of the suspect to be approximately 5'8".
Midlothian Police Say Missy Bevers Murder Not A 'Cold Case' 5 Years Later

 

[Megnut]

Just popping by to ask if i am the only one reminded of the Missy B killer, by the recent Nashville shooter?
Not suggesting it is the same person, but similar type, the way they are walking around looking goofy, complete speculation, imo.

Now there's a thought. Did the suspect have a mass killing in mind and what ended in Missy's death was supposed to be a practiced run before entering the church to a full house? Did Missy interrupt a dress rehearsal?

jmo

 

[DeDee]

Just popping by to ask if i am the only one reminded of the Missy B killer, by the recent Nashville shooter?
Not suggesting it is the same person, but similar type, the way they are walking around looking goofy, complete speculation, imo.

Sleuths are always thinking of relatable crimes.

Nashville killer left a manifesto and maps. SP could have possessed maps of the CCoC but it's doubtful there is a manifesto that hasn't been released. JMO

 

[DeDee]

From thread #44:
@arkansasmimi found the light switch in the main hallway. (with photos)

We opined turning on the lights to be the reason MB headed down the Western Hallway. Some don't think she made it that far into the church as SP would not wish the Church to be illuminated while SP was still inside the CCoC.

TX - Terri 'Missy' Bevers, 45, killed in church/suspect in SWAT gear, 18 Apr 2016 #44

 

[DeDee]

Two years+- ago, a WS member was designated as a Verified Expert on MB's murder. The member made a video of the SP inside the CCoC showing the proper sequence of the footage.

 

[SteveS]

Two years+- ago, a WS member was designated as a Verified Expert on MB's murder. The member made a video of the SP inside the CCoC showing the proper sequence of the footage.

That "new" video by VI makes sense imo, but it needs to be noted that VI's video sequencing was entirely speculative.

Neither VI nor anyone else has had the opportunity to examine the timestamps, and put the video in objectively chronological order. Nor do we know how much more footage exists -- <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> perp was in the building for 30 minutes or more, and we only have about 2 minutes of footage. There are huge gaps of time we don't have.

In his version, VI used some logical assumptions and his theory of what the <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> perp was doing. But without timestamps, he/we can't know if this is truly the correct sequence, or get a feel for how long the <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> was in each room, or where he might have been around the time MB entered the building. And the massive area of the church that had no cams, that inevitably leaves gaps that can never be seen.

It would be great if LE would release ALL the video they have, and include timestamps, but it feels extremely unlikely.

 

[Ozoner]

Neither VI nor anyone else has had the opportunity to examine the timestamps, and put the video in objectively chronological order. Nor do we know how much more footage exists -- <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> perp was in the building for 30 minutes or more, and we only have about 2 minutes of footage. There are huge gaps of time we don't have.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the security cameras in the corridors motion-activated? The perp could have spent most of his time in rooms without security cameras, so LE might not have much more footage than what we've seen. Have they ever stated how much total footage they have of the perp?

 

[DeDee]

That "new" video by VI makes sense imo, but it needs to be noted that VI's video sequencing was entirely speculative.

Neither VI nor anyone else has had the opportunity to examine the timestamps, and put the video in objectively chronological order. Nor do we know how much more footage exists -- <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING>perp was in the building for 30 minutes or more, and we only have about 2 minutes of footage. There are huge gaps of time we don't have.

In his version, VI used some logical assumptions and his theory of what the <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> perp was doing. But without timestamps, we don't know if this is truly the correct sequence, or get a feel for how long the <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> was in each room, or where he might have been around the time MB entered the building. And the massive area of the church that had no cams, that inevitably leaves gaps that can never be seen.

It would be great if LE would release ALL the video they have, and include timestamps, but it feels extremely unlikely.

A Verified Insider (VI) ? That member was not an insider. To the best of my recollection, att, the member was deemed to be an Expert on the case prior to being banned from WS for the 2nd time.

I have no problem referring to the killer (SP) as an UnSub (unknown subject) <modsnip>

Just a humble opinion based on recollections

 

[SteveS]

Ozoner, yes the security cameras in the corridors were motion-activated. You are correct in saying the <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> could have spent most of his time in rooms without security cameras - we just know the 2-or-so minutes we have seen, of the 30 or more.

As for how much more footage LE has than what we've seen, we don't know because they haven't said. All we know is that there is more, but they have never stated how much total footage they have of the <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING>

Dedee, the former member you are speaking of was classed as a VI by WS, who did the verifying, so that's why I call him a VI. But your label as expert rather than insider is fair, because as you note, he was more of an "expert" with some extra contacts and perhaps someone who had spoken with family or LE or others firsthand, and as a result had more info than most, rather than a true insider (who might have been an actual part of the family, or who might have had full access to LE files).

 

[Snoopster]

I just watched a video by Pat Brown (a profiler) and I have to say that her assessment resonated with me.

The casual way the perp walked around the building, checking doors here and there, implied no planned impending assasination or crime of passion. The person acted like a security guard cop-wanna-be. (Perhaps too unstable and unfit for police work.) Perhaps he hoped he would come across something to steal, but, if no such luck, he was carrying out his police fantasy scenario. He was likely surprised by Missy...and the unstable individual lashed out at the "bad intruder" and smashed her with his hammer and pry-bar. The person probably didn't expect anybody to show up at 4:20 on a Monday morning.

I believe Missy was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[fridaybaker]

IF the <modsnip - NO NAMECALLING> was a burglar and full of fear, when a little unprotected woman arrived, who had publicly announced on her Fb, that she would show up as usual on this Monday morning,
then I wonder about:

WHY, oh WHY did he probably videotape his own murdering action or at least the dying victim? LE is thinking, he might have done so*. For now, we won't learn of the reason for that theory, but of course there seems to be a certain reason.

* Look at one of my 2 links, I just posted for refreshing.

I think, no scared burglar, who kills out of sheer fright and fear, would have had motive to film his crime.
Someone, who had a well thought out plan and was at the church to kill exactly this woman Missy (the killing cleverly disguised as some sloppy "burglary"), had a motive. IF the SP was a hired killer, maybe his client ordered some pics. Or he had a use for it on the dark net, who knows.

IMO + MOO

"Or he had a use for it on the dark net, who knows."

Wow. Makes some sense in regard to the disguise/costume.

 

[fridaybaker]

According to the physician that viewed the rest of the video, she heard a noise and went immediately down the hall to investigate. I wonder how reliable that is?

What kind of noise? I try to imagine, I'm at an apparently deserted, locked church, just after 4 am. I haven't seen any cars parked at either entrance.
Yet I go and investigate this noise.

I've been alone in places and I'm pretty sure, I'd only do that if I believed the noise wasn't caused by a human. A beeping electronic noise, for eg.

Would I go if I knew for certain it was a person making that kind of noise? Not me! I might stay rooted to the spot and try to figure out what was going on...I might call out 'who's there?'

If I caught a glimpse of someone who remotely looked like SP, I'd run like h*** to get back in my car.

And then, if we believe SP was making so much noise they didn't hear Missy come in, would they really hear the pad pad of her footsteps coming down the hall. As you suggest, would they see her before she saw them and ran. Would they be able to drop what they were doing, grab the gun, fire accurately...

I really have trouble imagining this.

Perhaps the noise Missy heard was the burglar trying to escape, having heard her come in. Perhaps, since they were too encumbered to escape, they took a defensive position to wait to see what happened. She had this phenomenal bravery to go investigate, so SP was prepared, at that point, to attack.

JMO

Did the video have audio? How does the physician know that she heard a noise?

 

[Snoopster]

At the end of the surveillance video at Creekside Church we saw this person with some white item in their left hand and using the hammer pick in their right hand to break out a window. Then before the end of the video, they walk into the auditorium with that that hammer pick in their right hand still. Is there right hand their dominant hand?

If they were surprised by Missy Bevers during the burglary because they could not hear her, how did they shoot her?

In order to shoot Missy Bevers, wouldn't this person have to immediately drop the hammer pick, then pull out the gun? Obviously they must have been quite frightened by Missy Bevers if they shot her multiple times.

I would guess the hammer pick was found at least some shooting distance from Missy Bever's body in order for this to make sense. If it was found next to Missy Bevers body, how did it get there? What was the angle of the gunshots when they entered Missy Bever's body? Did someone shoot her while she was on the ground, after they hit her with the hammer pick?

Like so many things I wonder about in this case, I do not have the answers to my questions.

I haven't read all of the threads and haven't checked in on this case in a while, but do we know for a fact that she was shot? Has that been substantiated by LE? (Sorry that I'm not up to date.)

And if she was, couldn't she have been hit in the head with the hammer or pry-bar and then shot while she was unconscious on the floor as the assailant panicked about how to get out of the situation?

 

[SteveS]

I haven't read all of the threads and haven't checked in on this case in a while, but do we know for a fact that she was shot? Has that been substantiated by LE? (Sorry that I'm not up to date.)

And if she was, couldn't she have been hit in the head with the hammer or pry-bar and then shot while she was unconscious on the floor as the assailant panicked about how to get out of the situation?

The short answer to your question is, "Yes, MB was killed by gunshot."

FBI UCR records exist showing that to be the case, and were discovered and brought to the forum when it reopened with Thread 45. We first heard this in Thread 45 Post 104. In the files referencing MB case's cause of death, it says:

Weapon
Handgun - pistol, revolver, etc

The records are online but hard to access, because it requires a search with just the right parameters in a massive database, that is part of a website. Two websites, in fact. So there's no way to link directly to the page, but when told about it, many of us here looked it up for ourselves. I did it multiple times, both places, but have no desire to do it again because it's so frustrating to do. If you want to delve into it further, you only have to read the posts since then, as there are MANY MANY explanations and discussions of those records since then.

Some more things to know:
1 LE has NEVER answered the question of MB's cause of death. In PCs they danced around the question, and basically said they will tell us later, and we're 7 years later and still not a word.
2 In a SW on Day 1, LE said that Missy had “deceased from a head wound”. They also said that "an unknown male used an unknown instrument to cause the death..." Nothing about puncture wounds and nothing about the chest (wording that came only in a single later SW). After that, LE stopped describing her injuries at all.
3 In a SW from Day 2, LE said this (which they have never explained further), which was what led us to the idea early on that she was not killed by gun: "Terri Bevers’ had multiple puncture wounds found on her head and chest are consistent with the tools the suspect was carrying throughout the building."
4 In retrospect, that wording in that SW is incredibly unclear, almost weird. It tells us of wounds, but not whether they caused death. It speaks of "tools" the suspect was carrying, but doesn't say they are seen in the video.
5 What tools are actually seen - flashlight, prybar? But then where does that take us? A blow on or upside the head by a flashlight or prybar wouldn't cause a puncture, as puncture wounds are those that would have made a hole in the skin. And there were "puncture wounds" made in both head and chest.
6 From day one, LE brought ATF to the case, and there were early whispers around the case about dogs on the scene to sniff out things and about gun investigations (and about FOIA requests to reveal gun-related things, that were turned down on legal grounds rather than being told no such things exist, keeping things private). When we thought it was a stabbing death, those didn't fit at all, and caused much debate in this forum. Now, of course, it all fits after all.
7 We were also told by VI that the damage was minimal enough that the family almost had an open casket funeral, and kept it closed for emotional reasons but not because there was too much damage to MB. That perhaps hints of damage only by bullets that left a smaller footprint in the head and chest.

The idea that MB was injured by multiple things, and killed by gunshot, as you suggest, is certainly possible.

But some (myself included) have concluded that LE was being intentionally misleading in the SW, without actually lying, for the purpose of keeping COD info behind closed doors and away from the public. For us, LP was carrying a gun (but not seen) and killed MB with it, and then ran away (in panic and fear, I'm wagering).

In the SW wording, it doesn't say how many wounds there are, other than "multiple," and it offers 2 places that were punctured (head, chest), so it's possible the entire attack consisted of her being shot in the head and the chest, 2 shots total, and that was it. It would be informative to know more of what all happened if we had the coroner's report, but we don't.

 

[Snoopster]

The short answer to your question is, "Yes, MB was killed by gunshot."

FBI UCR records exist showing that to be the case, and were discovered and brought to the forum when it reopened with Thread 45. We first heard this in Thread 45 Post 104. In the files referencing MB case's cause of death, it says:

Weapon
Handgun - pistol, revolver, etc

The records are online but hard to access, because it requires a search with just the right parameters in a massive database, that is part of a website. Two websites, in fact. So there's no way to link directly to the page, but when told about it, many of us here looked it up for ourselves. I did it multiple times, both places, but have no desire to do it again because it's so frustrating to do. If you want to delve into it further, you only have to read the posts since then, as there are MANY MANY explanations and discussions of those records since then.

Some more things to know:
1 LE has NEVER answered the question of MB's cause of death. In PCs they danced around the question, and basically said they will tell us later, and we're 7 years later and still not a word.
2 In a SW on Day 1, LE said that Missy had “deceased from a head wound”. They also said that "an unknown male used an unknown instrument to cause the death..." Nothing about puncture wounds and nothing about the chest (wording that came only in a single later SW). After that, LE stopped describing her injuries at all.
3 In a SW from Day 2, LE said this (which they have never explained further), which was what led us to the idea early on that she was not killed by gun: "Terri Bevers’ had multiple puncture wounds found on her head and chest are consistent with the tools the suspect was carrying throughout the building."
4 In retrospect, that wording in that SW is incredibly unclear, almost weird. It tells us of wounds, but not whether they caused death. It speaks of "tools" the suspect was carrying, but doesn't say they are seen in the video.
5 What tools are actually seen - flashlight, prybar? But then where does that take us? A blow on or upside the head by a flashlight or prybar wouldn't cause a puncture, as puncture wounds are those that would have made a hole in the skin. And there were "puncture wounds" made in both head and chest.
6 From day one, LE brought ATF to the case, and there were early whispers around the case about dogs on the scene to sniff out things and about gun investigations (and about FOIA requests to reveal gun-related things, that were turned down on legal grounds rather than being told no such things exist, keeping things private). When we thought it was a stabbing death, those didn't fit at all, and caused much debate in this forum. Now, of course, it all fits after all.
7 We were also told by VI that the damage was minimal enough that the family almost had an open casket funeral, and kept it closed for emotional reasons but not because there was too much damage to MB. That perhaps hints of damage only by bullets that left a smaller footprint in the head and chest.

The idea that MB was injured by multiple things, and killed by gunshot, as you suggest, is certainly possible.

But some (myself included) have concluded that LE was being intentionally misleading in the SW, without actually lying, for the purpose of keeping COD info behind closed doors and away from the public. For us, LP was carrying a gun (but not seen) and killed MB with it, and then ran away (in panic and fear, I'm wagering).

In the SW wording, it doesn't say how many wounds there are, other than "multiple," and it offers 2 places that were punctured (head, chest), so it's possible the entire attack consisted of her being shot in the head and the chest, 2 shots total, and that was it. It would be informative to know more of what all happened if we had the coroner's report, but we don't.

Wow!

I can't thank you enough for this amazing explanation and summary Steve! There was no way I was ever going to have the time to read through 48 threads. Obviously I missed some surprising developments. I had gone to the media thread to try to ensure I had the major points, but, of course there was no mention of this in the latest media posts.

As I now digest this new info, I still believe the theory that this was some psycho wanna-be cop who killed Missy in a panic and that she wasn't specifically targeted. I don't think the news about the gunshot(s) changes my view.

Has there been any discussion as to why LE has worked so hard to keep this from the public? I know they always try to hold back details, but I'm sure they have more specifics that only the perp would know.

I'm definitely going to bookmark your post. Thanks again for taking the time to provide such a thorough reply. I know that you and others here have devoted a lot of energy to try to help solve Missy's murder. It's so surprising that we're 7 years on...and there's been no arrest.

ETA: I'm headed back to thread #45! Thanks for the pointer.