Video Surveillance Helps Investigation in Midlothian Murder

Video Surveillance Helps Investigation in Midlothian Murder

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Apr 20, 2016

Midlothian, Texas is just 30 miles south of the big city of Dallas.  With a population of just under 20,000, the city doesn’t normally see crime of a violent nature. But by the early morning hours of Monday, April 18, the city would be turned upside down by the bizarre murder of a fitness instructor and mother of three, the first murder the town had seen in 10 years.

Terri “Missy” Bevers was found dead inside Creekside Church of Christ just a little after 5 a.m. where she taught a boot camp fitness class. Students of her class were the first to find the body and notify the police.

After police made it onto the scene, they found that the church had implemented motion activated video surveillance cameras. Through the footage, police were able to find that the suspect had forced his or her way into the church before Bevers had arrived that morning to set up for her class.

The suspect can be seen in what appears to be police tactical gear. The person is seen in the surveillance footage wearing all black clothing, a helmet, a vest adorned with “POLICE” patches on the front and back and what could be shin guards. From the footage, it is hard to tell if the equipment is authentic or just designed to have the appearance of a SWAT police member.

Because of the heavy gear, it is hard for police to identify the suspect. Police believe that the suspect could be either a man or a woman, and have been paying special attention to the gait of the person in the footage. The rather unique stature, walk and footing of the suspect could lead to identification in the small Texas town.

Police have thrown out several theories as to what might have happened in the wee morning hours of April 18. The first scenario was that Bevers walked in on a burglary taking place; that she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Surveillance footage, however, shows the suspect wandering the halls with no bags to hold stolen items indicating a burglary.

Others have offered up that the attack wasn’t random at all, in fact, they believe Bevers was targeted. As a fitness instructor, it is part of Bevers’ job to announce where her classes will be. Just the night before, she had posted to her Facebook page that she would be at the church to lead a 5 a.m. class. Could the suspect have been there waiting for her?

Be sure to follow this story with Security Today. We will be adding more information as the case continues.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.