TX - Terri 'Missy' Bevers, 45, killed in church/suspect in SWAT gear, Midlothian, 18 Apr 2016 #46

[drama_farmer]

Any chance SP is in some sort of intense, "Ambien-esque" sleepwalking state?

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

SP enters at 3:50.xx
This video in the main hallway is time-stamped from 3:58.23 to 3:58.29 in the upper left corner. This leads me to believe that any out-of-sequence footage was intentional, and LE letterboxed the version on their website so the public cannot know the times for certain. LE is more likely purposeful IMO.

@Gumshoe Stories , since you are so familiar with the floor plan, room numbers and movements of SP, can you calculate SP's movements to time? I mean, if SP entered the north halfway from the kitchen or dining door at 3:50.xx, it took SP a really long time 8 minutes at room 1&2 doors in the west main hallway before we see SP moving on at 3:58.xx. Is that then another 8 minutes to traverse the south and east hallways? And then SP disappeared into the auditorium approx. 4:06.xx with MB arriving in 12 minutes?

Sandy, I don’t see any way to calculate that. We would have to assume that SP traveled at the same exact pace throughout, which is not what would have happened. That first segment of video, SP has rooms 2 through 6 to examine, which are kids’ rooms and adult classrooms. Not much to see there, so you would expect the inspection to be cursory.

On the S hallway, you have the offices as well as room 17 which according to sources was the most disturbed room. Then on the E hallway there is the large room 10 that he took the storage tray from, room 9 that he broke into, and he possibly had to do the same for room 14. So you have to figure that his progress in the second half of his circuit was slower than in the first half.

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

SP enters at 3:50.xx
This video in the main hallway is time-stamped from 3:58.23 to 3:58.29 in the upper left corner. This leads me to believe that any out-of-sequence footage was intentional, and LE letterboxed the version on their website so the public cannot know the times for certain. LE is more likely purposeful IMO.

@Gumshoe Stories , since you are so familiar with the floor plan, room numbers and movements of SP, can you calculate SP's movements to time? I mean, if SP entered the north halfway from the kitchen or dining door at 3:50.xx, it took SP a really long time 8 minutes at room 1&2 doors in the west main hallway before we see SP moving on at 3:58.xx. Is that then another 8 minutes to traverse the south and east hallways? And then SP disappeared into the auditorium approx. 4:06.xx with MB arriving in 12 minutes?

Sandy, I don’t see any way to calculate that. We would have to assume that SP traveled at the same exact pace throughout, which is not what would have happened. That first segment of video, SP has rooms 2 through 6 to examine, which are kids’ rooms and adult classrooms. Not much to see there, so you would expect the inspection to be cursory.

On the S hallway, you have the offices as well as room 17 which according to sources was the most disturbed room. Then on the E hallway there is the large room 10 that he took the storage tray from, room 9 that he broke into, and he possibly had to do the same for room 14. So you have to figure that his progress in the second half of his circuit was slower than in the first half.

There is an entrance door to the auditorium at the SE corner of the auditorium (also one at the NE of the auditorium). It should be right across from room 17. So there is an entrance to the auditorium prior to SP getting to the SW-S doors. If SP is taking doors in order what was wrong with that door at the SE?

I mean, if SP opened that SE door SP would be able to see clearly all the lit exit signs at all the doors inside the auditorium including the one at the SW-S and had SP entered at the SE there wouldn't be much point of entering elsewhere. If SP simply bypassed the SE door I would find that interesting. We have no video that informs us either way.

It could be as simple as the auditorium door at the SE being locked (but you claim none of them were locked) but there must be a reason SP went to the SW alcove when one other option was seemingly available in SP's clock-wise return. Perhaps SP has spatial awareness difficulties, though I doubt it.

I had forgotten about that one auditorium entrance at the SE, even though it’s on the map. Here is the best photo I have, which doesn’t show the doors themselves but shows the alcove:



So now I have to re-think. Based on SP’s observed behavior, I would expect him to open these doors (is it one door or two?). But would he go in? That’s the question. By now, unless he’s an idiot, he’s figured out that the huge interior rectangle of the building is the auditorium and that it has multiple entrances. I would think, just based on observing the footage, that he might poke a head in, but then proceed down the hallway. That leaves the question of which entrance does he actually go into for real, and which one does he come out of before encountering Missy (unless the initial encounter is in the auditorium itself). I’m not sure we will be able to answer that question. Police may not even know, if SP did not go in those doors across from 21 and entered other doors that weren’t on camera.

ETA: I guess it might be possible as you mentioned that maybe not every entrance was unlocked. Maybe the SE one was not commonly used and was locked. Here is a photo from inside about a year or so ago. I can’t tell if that structure is completely blocking the entrance or if there is still space to come in and get around it. But given the door’s location, I think it’s possible it could have been locked in order to prevent disruption during a service from someone walking through those doors into what is the “front” of the auditorium next to the stage.

 

[SandyQLS]

Any chance SP is in some sort of intense, "Ambien-esque" sleepwalking state?

You win the fresh idea award. Love it.
*
Altima sedan - if SP is a burglar, first choice was SWFA Outdoor and second pick Creekside Church, what exactly was he thinking he could steal and load into this sedan? SWFA has a lot of valuable merchandise and easily resold at swap meets, but a lot of it is bulky so a van might be a better vehicle. The church may have musical instruments and sound equipment, but hard to or does not fit into a small sedan. A jewelry store or tobacco shop seem like a better choices with this small car. JMO

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

You win the fresh idea award. Love it.
*
Altima sedan - if SP is a burglar, first choice was SWFA Outdoor and second pick Creekside Church, what exactly was he thinking he could steal and load into this sedan? SWFA has a lot of valuable merchandise and easily resold at swap meets, but a lot of it is bulky so a van might be a better vehicle. The church may have musical instruments and sound equipment, but hard to or does not fit into a small sedan. A jewelry store or tobacco shop seem like a better choices with this small car. JMO

I guess it’s theoretically possible that the person was only doing reconnaissance of SWFA, without the intent of doing the job that night. Someone has supposedly seen a notebook in the car, so one could envision this person taking some notes about what he is seeing as he tours the perimeter.

So in this scenario the person could finish up the recon and then make a spontaneous decision to go break into the church looking only for money. Or alternately, maybe they call someone else and say, “OK I finished up researching that job. It’s Fort Knox. But you know, there’s a church nearby. It’s isolated. Rainy night. Meet me there and let’s hit it.”

I know it’s speculative. It was probably just the perp in an Ambien Zombie fugue state. Just kidding, @drama_farmer !

 

[Itsapuzzle]

This post lands at random ... haha .... just on the licence plate, this image really looks like the disability symbol which @arrinstoner has pointed out. It looks like the head of the symbol is in line with the State name, whereas all the ones I’ve seen are below State name. Just wondering if that could be a clue to the plate’s origin.

 

[No it's not]

Full size SP prior to entering the auditorium:


Toning, cleaned up pixelage, filter

-Nin

 

[No it's not]

Looks like it. He is pulling it from his left back side . That would be behind a gun holster, if he sticks to police belt... I think I can bring out the lateral hand grip around it as well. The police logo on the gloves gives it away as well.
It looks like he knows at this point he will be entering a large room, as he is drawing the flashlight way ahead of the doors. He knows the headlight won't lighten up the auditorium.

ALL IMO

-Nin

CORRECTION

They are not reaching behind their back! On the frame images it looks like it. However by the way they are swinging their arm he is reaching towards his chest area.

ALL IMO

-Nin

 

[No it's not]

JMO it looks like the left hand is pulling something that is attached to the upper right front of the vest. In spite of the helmet lamp, SP may have needed more light and I think he is straightening forward and turning on a clip-on flashlight. A very small white space appears between his body and his suspenders when he pulls on it. The military is trained to clip their flashlight to their LBE in that same position as SP. (LBE = "load bearing equipment" which is a utility belt + suspenders for carrying various objects like ammunition pouches, canteens, flashlight).

Sandy, I stay corrected. You may be right. I am still working on the object though.

-Nin

 

[Jethro4WS]

Sandy, I stay corrected. You may be right. I am still working on the object though.

-Nin

Take a look at the sequence in the west hall. At one point I believe SP is putting some item back into the upper right area. When SP first appears and comes to the door at Room 2 SP has something in their right hand because they open the door with their left hand and after coming out of room 2 SP attempts the Room 1 door with their left hand as well. Perhaps the item is one and the same seen at the SW alcove area.

 

[Jethro4WS]

"there must be a reason SP went to the SW alcove"

Astute observation the SP bypassed previous entry points yet chose to specifically enter the dark auditorium at the SW corner, assuming that SPs entry was complete.

Is this particular movement performed in order to allow SP to intentionally position oneself inside the auditorium?

Then, perhaps, station oneself inside the auditorium at any pre-selected exit points into the West Wing, including the door into the NW Hallway while awaiting the assault, if MB was ambushed?

Missy walks N into the West Wing. SP could open an auditorium door as she passes by and shoot her in the head.

Something like that could be possible. SP wasn't doing random things so there was some purpose to where SP went. I know we have to be careful with how MPD worded things but some of what they said has to be true and we are all left to decide what to believe of anything they said.

With that said, MPD said in the first press conference that they saw Missy come in and head in the direction SP was last seen. Absent any other camera having video that we haven't seen, the expectation is that there is additional footage of SP either showing SP coming out of the auditorium back into the South hall and then going back to the west hall and heading north (two different cameras SW-E and SW-N) or coming out of the auditorium into the west hall and then heading north (one camera SW-N).

It is my opinion that the South hall sequence to the SW-S auditorium doors was not the last sequence that shows SP that MPD has. But, if it is the last sighting of SP that would mean that it is quite possible that Missy only appeared on the SW-E camera (shows the south hall) and went into the auditorium.

 

[drama_farmer]

You win the fresh idea award. Love it.
*
Altima sedan - if SP is a burglar, first choice was SWFA Outdoor and second pick Creekside Church, what exactly was he thinking he could steal and load into this sedan? SWFA has a lot of valuable merchandise and easily resold at swap meets, but a lot of it is bulky so a van might be a better vehicle. The church may have musical instruments and sound equipment, but hard to or does not fit into a small sedan. A jewelry store or tobacco shop seem like a better choices with this small car. JMO

Just throwin' it out there, LOL. I've heard some weird altered-state/sleep disturbances stories, and then there's that "never wake a sleepwalker because they could turn violent" trope in popular culture. If the Altima is connected, my crazy theory is ka-put.

This is such a head-scratcher. My feeling is that it was an unexpected encounter in a situation that was already highly unusual. IMO

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

Something like that could be possible. SP wasn't doing random things so there was some purpose to where SP went. I know we have to be careful with how MPD worded things but some of what they said has to be true and we are all left to decide what to believe of anything they said.

With that said, MPD said in the first press conference that they saw Missy come in and head in the direction SP was last seen. Absent any other camera having video that we haven't seen, the expectation is that there is additional footage of SP either showing SP coming out of the auditorium back into the South hall and then going back to the west hall and heading north (two different cameras SW-E and SW-N) or coming out of the auditorium into the west hall and then heading north (one camera SW-N).

It is my opinion that the South hall sequence to the SW-S auditorium doors was not the last sequence that shows SP that MPD has. But, if it is the last sighting of SP that would mean that it is quite possible that Missy only appeared on the SW-E camera (shows the south hall) and went into the auditorium.

I don’t believe in that press conference that MPD said anything about Missy heading in the direction that SP was last seen.

In the SW for the iPhone and iPad, it states, “The video shows Terri Bevers walking toward where the suspects location.” Whatever THAT means.

In the press conference, Spann says, “We see her in the video, she’s walking down the main hallway and in the vicinity of where we located her. But when she gets out of the range of the cameras, it doesn’t pick up the motion and the camera turns off...we have no video of the assault actually taking place.”

The fact that she is walking “down the main hallway” takes the South hallway out of the equation for me. We know she entered at 4:18 and in “Still a Mystery” Kevin Johnson stated that she was down by 4:20. We now know she was found at the opposite end by the NW doors. All of that to me indicates that she must have walked in the doors and continued straight down the main hall. No turning right to go down the south hall. And she had to at least go past the purplish table because Spann says the camera cut off.

 

[Lonicera]

Full size SP prior to entering the auditorium:


Toning, cleaned up pixelage, filter

-Nin

You don't think that with this image LE aren't able to have some indications about the SP's height ?

 

[GA_Peach]

The fact that she is walking “down the main hallway” takes the South hallway out of the equation for me. We know she entered at 4:18 and in “Still a Mystery” Kevin Johnson stated that she was down by 4:20. We now know she was found at the opposite end by the NW doors. All of that to me indicates that she must have walked in the doors and continued straight down the main hall. No turning right to go down the south hall. And she had to at least go past the purplish table because Spann says the camera cut off.

RSBM for focus.

I want to go back to the targeted vs. interrupted burglary discussion for a moment. I just cannot reconcile what we know with a burglary or B&E scenario. Yes, it could be exactly that. I am not ruling it out, and if you tell me that it could have been, I won't disagree with you. Here's why I find that situation unlikely.

1. According to what we have heard and what GS just wrote, MB was killed very shortly after she entered the building. The situation escalated quickly. If this was a burglary or B&E scenario, why would SP have killed MB? SP had a gun, and MB did not. SP was larger in stature than MB, and if this was a random encounter, SP would not have known MB was fit. Why would SP have felt threatened, and why would that have resulted in him killing MB? If MB felt threatened, she would have likely wanted to retreat to her vehicle to get her gun before confronting SP, but she never had that opportunity.
2. SP would have not been worried about MB recognizing him. His identity was concealed, and his likeness was already caught on security footage.
3. I am hard pressed to believe that MB would have been an aggressor in this situation. She was where she was supposed to be, and this strange man appeared. Would her immediate reaction been to attack him? If not, why did SP go on the offensive and so quickly?
4. SP appears to be comfortable handling many tools/weapons/accessories.... the pry bar/hammer, the gun, the head lamp, the police vest, the balaclava, and so on. To an ordinary citizen, all of those things would have been fairly cumbersome. And when it mattered, SP was able to access his gun... even with MB putting up a fight. This points to someone who is comfortable around guns or has training. And people who have training or experience with guns are able to show restraint and use the least amount of force necessary (i.e. simply drawing a weapon rather than using it).
5. I appreciate NIN's thoughts of fight, flee, or freeze. However, given that SP had the upper hand (size and armed), why did he feel the need to kill MB, especially in the commission of a small crime? I cannot imagine what MB would have done, especially in light of the creepy messages, to warrant SP feeling like he had to kill her. If SP wanted, I am sure he could have fled..... even if after momentarily freezing.
6. While I admit burglary can escalate into murder, it doesn't fit the situation. How often does petty theft (looking for a couple hundred dollars) or a casual trespassing case escalate to murder in a commercial setting? If this was a residential setting, the possibility goes up. If this was a bank heist that went awry, I can see it happening. But if BG is just out for a stroll and looking for pocket change, murder does not seem to follow.
7. All of the broken glass was near the NE corner... out of MB's sight when she entered. Coincidence? Perhaps.
8. And MB's attack was off camera. This could have just been luck, but if so, this perp got really lucky when it mattered most.
   
   It is not one thing for me. It's the totality of the circumstances. And I admit that #7 and #8 are really weak arguments, but they are still part of what we know. If SP was there to make sure MB did not escape, all of those questions have easy answers.

 

[darring21]

RSBM for focus.

I want to go back to the targeted vs. interrupted burglary discussion for a moment. I just cannot reconcile what we know with a burglary or B&E scenario. Yes, it could be exactly that. I am not ruling it out, and if you tell me that it could have been, I won't disagree with you. Here's why I find that situation unlikely.

1. According to what we have heard and what GS just wrote, MB was killed very shortly after she entered the building. The situation escalated quickly. If this was a burglary or B&E scenario, why would SP have killed MB? SP had a gun, and MB did not. SP was larger in stature than MB, and if this was a random encounter, SP would not have known MB was fit. Why would SP have felt threatened, and why would that have resulted in him killing MB? If MB felt threatened, she would have likely wanted to retreat to her vehicle to get her gun before confronting SP, but she never had that opportunity.
2. SP would have not been worried about MB recognizing him. His identity was concealed, and his likeness was already caught on security footage.
3. I am hard pressed to believe that MB would have been an aggressor in this situation. She was where she was supposed to be, and this strange man appeared. Would her immediate reaction been to attack him? If not, why did SP go on the offensive and so quickly?
4. SP appears to be comfortable handling many tools/weapons/accessories.... the pry bar/hammer, the gun, the head lamp, the police vest, the balaclava, and so on. To an ordinary citizen, all of those things would have been fairly cumbersome. And when it mattered, SP was able to access his gun... even with MB putting up a fight. This points to someone who is comfortable around guns or has training. And people who have training or experience with guns are able to show restraint and use the least amount of force necessary (i.e. simply drawing a weapon rather than using it).
5. I appreciate NIN's thoughts of fight, flee, or freeze. However, given that SP had the upper hand (size and armed), why did he feel the need to kill MB, especially in the commission of a small crime? I cannot imagine what MB would have done, especially in light of the creepy messages, to warrant SP feeling like he had to kill her. If SP wanted, I am sure he could have fled..... even if after momentarily freezing.
6. While I admit burglary can escalate into murder, it doesn't fit the situation. How often does petty theft (looking for a couple hundred dollars) or a casual trespassing case escalate to murder in a commercial setting? If this was a residential setting, the possibility goes up. If this was a bank heist that went awry, I can see it happening. But if BG is just out for a stroll and looking for pocket change, murder does not seem to follow.
7. All of the broken glass was near the NE corner... out of MB's sight when she entered. Coincidence? Perhaps.
8. And MB's attack was off camera. This could have just been luck, but if so, this perp got really lucky when it mattered most.
   
   It is not one thing for me. It's the totality of the circumstances. And I admit that #7 and #8 are really weak arguments, but they are still part of what we know. If SP was there to make sure MB did not escape, all of those questions have easy answers.

I don't think it is clear that SP could have fled. SP does not appear agile at all and perhaps slightly disabled. In fact, in a fair fight with no weapons, my bet would be on MB easily. So, SP was facing MB calling the police rather quickly and getting arrested. Had SP been in prison before and didn't want to go back? Was SP on drugs that limited rational thought? Was SP a young adult using their Dad's tools and weapons?

If SP wanted the attack to be off camera, they would have bagged the cameras.

 

[Jethro4WS]

I don’t believe in that press conference that MPD said anything about Missy heading in the direction that SP was last seen.

In the SW for the iPhone and iPad, it states, “The video shows Terri Bevers walking toward where the suspects location.” Whatever THAT means.

In the press conference, Spann says, “We see her in the video, she’s walking down the main hallway and in the vicinity of where we located her. But when she gets out of the range of the cameras, it doesn’t pick up the motion and the camera turns off...we have no video of the assault actually taking place.”

The fact that she is walking “down the main hallway” takes the South hallway out of the equation for me. We know she entered at 4:18 and in “Still a Mystery” Kevin Johnson stated that she was down by 4:20. We now know she was found at the opposite end by the NW doors. All of that to me indicates that she must have walked in the doors and continued straight down the main hall. No turning right to go down the south hall. And she had to at least go past the purplish table because Spann says the camera cut off.

BBM. We don't know that. You have sources that indicate a piece of glass furniture that was at the NW corner was no longer there after the murder. And have come to the conclusion that is where the murder occurred.

That may turn out to be correct, but all we have for it is you saying what your sources told you.

 

[Mistree]

I don’t believe in that press conference that MPD said anything about Missy heading in the direction that SP was last seen.

In the SW for the iPhone and iPad, it states, “The video shows Terri Bevers walking toward where the suspects location.” Whatever THAT means.

In the press conference, Spann says, “We see her in the video, she’s walking down the main hallway and in the vicinity of where we located her. But when she gets out of the range of the cameras, it doesn’t pick up the motion and the camera turns off...we have no video of the assault actually taking place.”

The fact that she is walking “down the main hallway” takes the South hallway out of the equation for me. We know she entered at 4:18 and in “Still a Mystery” Kevin Johnson stated that she was down by 4:20. We now know she was found at the opposite end by the NW doors. All of that to me indicates that she must have walked in the doors and continued straight down the main hall. No turning right to go down the south hall. And she had to at least go past the purplish table because Spann says the camera cut off.

Something like that could be possible. SP wasn't doing random things so there was some purpose to where SP went. I know we have to be careful with how MPD worded things but some of what they said has to be true and we are all left to decide what to believe of anything they said.

With that said, MPD said in the first press conference that they saw Missy come in and head in the direction SP was last seen. Absent any other camera having video that we haven't seen, the expectation is that there is additional footage of SP either showing SP coming out of the auditorium back into the South hall and then going back to the west hall and heading north (two different cameras SW-E and SW-N) or coming out of the auditorium into the west hall and then heading north (one camera SW-N).

It is my opinion that the South hall sequence to the SW-S auditorium doors was not the last sequence that shows SP that MPD has. But, if it is the last sighting of SP that would mean that it is quite possible that Missy only appeared on the SW-E camera (shows the south hall) and went into the auditorium.

Do either of you remember what we determined her purpose for going all the way down the hall or at least to the main entrance (West) was.
IIRC, I thought (way back in the threads) we determined there was a light switch for more lighting in the hallway(s) near the alcove of the main west doors?

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

BBM. We don't know that. You have sources that indicate a piece of glass furniture that was at the NW corner was no longer there after the murder. And have come to the conclusion that is where the murder occurred.

That may turn out to be correct, but all we have for it is you saying what your sources told you.

You’ve misstated the information I was given by sources. And these are three entirely independent sources. You’re welcome to not believe it, but I have a very high degree of confidence.

 

[Gumshoe Stories]

Do either of you remember what we determined her purpose for going all the way down the hall or at least to the main entrance (West) was.
IIRC, I thought (way back in the threads) we determined there was a light switch for more lighting in the hallway(s) near the alcove of the main west doors?

According to the foot doctor who saw the Missy footage, she jerked her head as if she heard or saw something. That’s why she walked down the hallway.