She was murdered in a North Texas church. Can fresh eyes find her killer?
Ten years later, the video is still chilling.
In surveillance footage captured inside Creekside Church of Christ in Midlothian on the morning of April 18, 2016, a black-clad figure ambles the church’s hallways wearing police tactical gear and a helmet, his or her face concealed by a mask.
The person carries what looks to be a hammer as they open doors and look inside rooms, seemingly unaware or unbothered by the presence of cameras. It’s striking how casual the individual’s mannerisms appear, considering this is the person believed to have killed 45-year-old Terri “Missy” Bevers just a short time later as Bevers was preparing to lead a pre-dawn fitness class at Creekside.
For a decade, police have searched for this man or woman in black, and for a decade they’ve come up empty. But this week, Brandon Bevers, Missy’s husband, sounded hopeful that the case might finally be cracked as he prepared to mark the anniversary of his wife’s death.
How close are police to finding Missy Bevers’ killer?
On Tuesday, the Midlothian Police Department shared a statement reiterating the case is still open and active, with unnamed persons of interest who remain on law enforcement’s radar.
“This is not a ‘cold’ case,” the statement read. “Investigators continue to pursue new leads and analyze existing ones.”
The statement said Midlothian police are partnered with other agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety, in the hunt for the murderer. A DPS spokesperson confirmed that to the Star-Telegram, saying a team was reviewing evidence. The spokesperson said the Ranger investigators bring a fresh set of eyes to the case, and they may be able to see things that were previously missed.
Brandon Bevers told the Star-Telegram by phone that a Ranger lead investigator is working directly with the Midlothian detective who has been on the case since 2019.
“With the new Ranger on board, we’ve seen a little different approach in things,” said Bevers. “They’re definitely casting a wider net, and they’re digging deeper into things than they ever have before. It’s very promising what we’re seeing.”
When asked about that, Midlothian Assistant Police Chief Scott Brown said he couldn’t comment on case specifics, but agreed with the DPS spokesman in saying “a fresh perspective is often a good idea when conducting any challenging investigation.”
While the police department’s statement referenced persons of interest, Brandon Bevers said no new suspects have been identified since 2022 or 2023, at least not to his knowledge.
Investigators received more than 100 tips from around the world in the past year, according to the police statement, and authorities are asking the public to continue sending those in. Tipsters can call Crime Stoppers of Ellis County at 972-937-7297 or visit elliscountycrimestoppers.org, or they can reach out to Midlothian police directly at 972-775-3333 or via Facebook.
“We urge anyone with information, no matter how minor it may seem, to contact us,” read the statement.
So-called internet sleuths have for years speculated about why Missy Bevers was killed, but police have not established a motive. Nothing was taken from Bevers or from the church, making it unlikely this was a robbery gone wrong.
The suspect was heavyset and walked with a unique gait, feet splayed apart, as seen in the surveillance video. According to a 2018 NBC News report, investigators hoped that latter detail would help identify the person, but that didn’t happen.
“I thought within days of Missy’s murder that somebody would have been apprehended,” Brandon Bevers told NBC News in 2018. “And I never imagined it taking this long.”
In addition to her husband, Missy Bevers left behind three daughters. Talking to the Star-Telegram this week, Brandon Bevers said his children are doing well, though this time of year is always emotional for the family.
Hannah, the oldest of Bevers’ daughters, is 25, has a master’s degree and is working, Bevers said. The middle daughter, Allison, is in college, and the youngest, Sarah, will graduate high school this spring.