A mother of three was found brutally murdered in a church in Midlothian, Texas, and the hunt for the suspect is on.
Police have released a video of a suspect who they believe is responsible for the vicious murder of Terri “Missy” Bevers. According to a report from CBS News, Bevers was the mother of three girls aged 8, 13, and 15. She was discovered slain inside the Creekside Church in Midlothian, TX on Monday morning, presenting investigators with a huge mystery.
According to Midlothian Police Chief Carl Smith, a call was received around 5 a.m. on Monday morning reporting the discovery of a dead body inside of the church. Bevers was a fitness instructor, and her body was found by someone hoping to attend Monday morning’s class.
Students arrived at the church at roughly 5 a.m. and were shocked to discover their instructor’s body in the church. EMS workers arrived at the scene minutes later and said that they found evidence of a struggle.
According to Smith, “We want to offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of the victim. This is a tragic event for all involved, including our community.” Officers at the scene reported that they found evidence of what appeared to be a forced entry, leading to a theory that Bevers may have walked in on a burglary in progress.
Despite authorities’ best efforts, the suspect is still at large. “The entire building was searched and no one else was found,” said Chief Smith. The only evidence the killer left behind was an image on the church’s security camera.
In the images, the suspect can be seen wearing what appears to be tactical gear that would normally be used by law enforcement officers. The suspect was wearing a helmet, a vest with the word “POLICE” written across it, and gloves, authorities say. The suspect can be seen walking through the church’s hallways, but few additional clues have been uncovered at this time.
“This is an unusual occurrence for our community,” Chief Smith says. “Our first priority is for the safety and well-being of our citizens.” The case is the first homicide reported in Midlothian in the past seven years.
Bever’s brother-in-law confirmed that she went to the church early on Monday morning to hold a Camp Gladiator fitness class. There was a significant amount of damage reported inside of the church, but curiously, nothing was missing.
“We are exploring all possibilities,” says Smith. “It’s just an odd random situation that they would happen to come into a building that’s being burglarized on a Monday morning but all scenarios are on the table right now.”
It remains unclear how Bevers was ultimately killed; police are keeping this information confidential for now.
While some believe that Bevers may have simply walked into the church at the wrong time, former police officer Pete Schulte has a different theory. He believes the homicide may have been planned; the date and time of the class, as well of the location, were available online, and the lack of any property missing at the church seems strange.
“This is not your routine burglary. I don’t want to say anything’s routine but, if somebody’s going to try to go burglarize a business, they’re going to get in and get out and try to grab as much stuff as they can and then leave,” he said.
The news of Bevers’ death has hit the community hard. Several residents gathered at the Midlothian Conference Center for a private candlelight vigil honoring the memory of the fitness trainer and mother on Monday night.
“She was a loving mother of three. She loved her husband very much,” says Bevers’ brother-in-law, Chad Tucker. “She was dedicated to taking care of herself, taking care of other people and being a good mother.”
Authorities will continue the search for Bevers’ killer, and local company Oak Farms Dairy announced that it would offer a $10,000 reward for any information that could help lead to an arrest. The Midlothian Police Department can be reached at 972-775-3333 and is hoping to hear from anyone with any information related to the incident.
Daniel J. Brown
Daniel J. Brown (Editor-in-Chief) is a recently retired data analyst who gets a kick out of reading and writing the news. He enjoys good music, great food, and sports, with a slant towards Southern college football, basketball and professional baseball.