Cold Case: Murder of Missy Bevers

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Missy Bevers was born on August 9, 1970, in the city of Graham, Texas. The middle child in the family. She was born Terri Leanne Strickland but went by the nickname Missy for most of her life.

Missy met her husband, Brandon Bevers, and the couple married on June 20, 1998. She went back to school and started working as a teaching assistant. It was here where she landed a job working in special education, a perfect job for Missy.

Brandon and Missy Bevers

Photo Source: True Noir Stories

After Missy and Brandon welcome their first child together, Missy decides to stay at home with her daughters. As the children get older, she decides to start a career in fitness and becomes a popular group fitness instructor. She loved helping others. 

Photos of Missy Bevers

Photo Source: Inside Hook (website)

On the evening of April 17, 2016, Missy Bevers was at home. She made several Facebook posts about her 5 AM Camp Gladiator boot camp class the following morning. This would be her last Facebook post, ever.

The following morning on April 18, 2016, at 3:50 AM, CCTV surveillance footage captures an unknown individual breaking into the Creekside Church of Christ in Midlothian, Texas. The mystery person is seen on surveillance footage dressed head-to-toe in replica SWAT riot gear.

This unknown individual is seen on camera, slowly pacing the empty, dark halls of the church. As he or she is walking the hallways, the camera catches a glimpse of a hammer or possibly another type of mallet in their left hand. The individual doesn’t appear to spend any amount of time at a particular door or location of the church.

Missy Bevers arrives at the same Creekside Church of Christ early that morning to begin setting up the room for her 5 AM Bootcamp class, completely unaware of the person already inside the church. Presumably, waiting for her

Still photos of unknown person in the church’s surveillance video

Missy Bevers arrives at the same Creekside Church of Christ early that morning to begin setting up the room for her 5 AM Bootcamp class, completely unaware of the person already inside the church. Presumably, waiting for her

At 5:06 AM, 911 dispatchers received a frantic call from the Creekside Church of Christ. Missy Bevers is found dead. An autopsy of Missy revealed that the wife and mother died from multiple puncture wounds to her head and her chest. The medical examiner was able to determine that quote “the wounds on Missy’s head, and chest were consistent with the tool the suspect was carrying throughout the building.” 

Missy Bevers and her killer

Photo Source: NBC News

Shortly after Missy Bever’s murder, authorities released to the public several minutes of the surveillance footage from the church. The video shows a person around 5’7″, walks with a unique walking gait, possibly due to a leg injury. The person may be either male or female. 

One of the first things that homicide investigators do after a murder is look into the victim’s personal life. Police discover that Missy and her husband, Brandon were having marital and financial problems at the time of her murder. Several reports indicate that Missy was possibly having several affairs outside her marriage to Brandon. 

The police and the public start suspecting that Missy’s husband, Brandon, may have been involved in her brutal murder. When police sit down and talk with Brandon a few days after the killing, he provides an airtight alibi. It turns out that Brandon was over 600 miles away on a finishing trip the very morning Missy was killed. 

The police tell the public that none of Missy’s family members, including Brandon, are considered suspects or persons of interest in the case.

Police become aware of a nearby business that also has surveillance footage of the area around the church. After hours and hours of watching the footage, a 2010 to 2012 Nissan Altima is seen driving very slowly around the nearby closed businesses. The footage shows the driver turning their headlights on and off several times as they circle the parking lot. At one point, the driver and the vehicle park for a short time under a parking lot light. 

Still photo of vehicle seen in the video

Photo Source: True Noir Stories

To this day, the person seen in the church’s surveillance video or the driver of the Nissan Altima have never been identified. There have been no arrests made in the murder of Missy Bevers. 

There are several possible theories about Missy’s killer. Including Brandon Bevers and his father, Randy Bevers. Some people also speculate the killer is someone Missy was romantically involved with at the time of her murder. In contrast, other people think that it could be the significant other of someone who was having an affair with Missy.

Police are still searching for Missy’s killer.

If you have any tips or information regarding Missy Bever’s murder, please contact the tip line at 972-775-7624. You can also provide information about the case by texting MIDL to 847411. Of course, all tips regarding Missy’s death are kept confidential.

Remember Missy Bevers

Episode Sources:

Talk Murder website

True Crime Society website

Trace Evidence podcast episode #25

Dallas News website

True Noir Stories website

Inside Hook website

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