The husband of a murdered Texas fitness instructor said he is done with the hunt for her killer.
Terri ‘Missy’ Bevers, 45, was found dead with multiple puncture wounds to her head and chest at Creekside Church of Christ in Midlothian, where she had been setting up an exercise class, at around 5am in April 2016.
Authorities later released CCTV footage of a suspect, dressed in a helmet, gloves and a vest with ‘police’ written on it, walking through the church and carrying tools consistent with the injuries she suffered.
For months her husband, Brandon, 43, cooperated with authorities in the search for her killer and even tried to search himself.
But, in an email to the Crime Stories podcast, he says for the sake of his children he is ending the search so he can memorialize his wife properly.
Brandon Bevers (left), husband of murdered Texas fitness instructor, Missy Bevers (right), said he is done with the hunt for her killer after a year and a half for the sake of his children so he can memorialize his wife properly
Authorities later released CCTV footage of a suspect (above) walking through the church and carrying tools consistent with the injuries she suffered
‘The children are not terribly fond of apprehending this person. They don’t want to revisit those emotions-they have told me this,’ he wrote in part.
‘They see/hear the daily anxiety I have in finding this person, and I think they are tired of the mentality this puts our day to day life in.
‘This behavior has not left Missy the real legacy she deserves- particularly in my children’s eyes.
From this point forward, the only thing I will discuss is ‘who’ Missy was. Her contributions to my life, the children, this family, and numerous other people that she loved. ‘
Back in May 2016, Brandon told People he was convinced that his wife’s killer was no stranger and also revealed he was spending his days trying to figure out how to make their young daughters feel safe again.
‘I think it was a woman,’ he told the magazine. ‘I still think whoever this person was knew my wife and had a motive.’
Brandon said he also believed that the suspect went to great lengths to stage the scene to look like a robbery gone wrong.
He added: ‘There’s no reason why an individual would break into a church, dressed in that type of clothing and stage a robbery, or what would appear to be a robbery – going through the building, breaking glass and opening doors.
‘If that person was really there to commit a robbery, why did they kill my wife and leave her wedding ring on her finger?’
At one point, authorities said they wanted to speak to the owner of a Nissan Altima that was seen in the area before Bevers was killed.
Surveillance footage captured the silver or light-colored car pulling into a parking lot less than a mile from the crime scene.
No arrests have been made in the case, and authorities have not even confirmed whether the suspect is a man or a woman
‘The last remaining lead involves a car that pulls into the SWFA Sporting Goods parking lot at approximately 2am,’ Assistant Chief Kevin Johnson said a press conference on Friday, CBS reported.
‘They’re seen pulling into the parking lot and leaving just a few minutes later.’
Police said the car was a 2010-2012 Nissan Altima with an oval sticker on its bumper, but added that the driver is not necessarily a suspect.
Authorities earlier obtained warrants for cell phone information related to several members of the Bevers’ family.
Johnson confirmed that none of the victim’s family friends or co-workers are considered suspects.
But they did provide more information on the suspect captured on CCTV, describing the individual as between 5’2” and 5’7” and appearing to have lighter skin.
Authorities earlier obtained warrants for cell phone information related to several members of the Bevers’ family but confirmed on Friday that none of her friends or co-workers are considered suspects
Surveillance footage reportedly captured a suspect carrying tools consistent with Bevers’ injuries walking through the the Creekside Church of Christ in Midlothian (pictured)
But investigators have still not determined if the person was a man or a woman.
Meanwhile, Brandon’s mother Marsha Essary Tucker took to Facebook to urge the killer to turn themselves in.
‘Are you getting a bit nervous, shaking in your ‘boots that look too big?’ You should be! It’s just a matter of time now,’ the victim’s mother-in-law wrote.
‘Things would be a lot easier on you to just go ahead and turn yourself in. I’m sure the officials will take that into account.
‘Go ahead and clear your conscience, you will feel better.
‘No sense in having your family witness you being picked up by the police and leaving that lasting vision on their minds forever! We are all waiting! It’s one way or the other!!’
Her message came less than a month after search warrants r revealed that just days before her murder, Bevers had received a ‘creepy and strange’ message from an unknown man on LinkedIn.
Bevers’ mother-in-law Marsha Essary Tucker penned a letter to the killer, urging them to turn themselves in before police find them
Messages recovered on phones owned by Bevers and her husband Brandon Bevers revealed that they were having problems in their marriage and had been enduring ongoing financial problems, NBCDFW reported.
Meanwhile, Brandon previously spoke out about his wife’s death and said he has found strength in this difficult time by turning to God.
‘If it wasn’t for me leaning on God as heavily as I am right now, OK, there is no way — I would be melted just into this asphalt,’ he told NBC.
‘There is no way the Brandon Bevers before this would be standing here today without me leaning on God, and His word and His direction, like, I find peace in it. It’s very comforting. I obtain wisdom from it.’
He also added he had refused to read any reports detailing the injuries his wife sustained before she died.
Authorities have said they found evidence of forced entry at the church and Bevers may have walked in on a robbery while preparing for her Camp Gladiator fitness class.
They also claimed someone tried to clean up the crime scene.
Rewards of $20,000 have been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in the case.
Authorities want to speak to the owner of a Nissan Altima (pictured) that was seen in the area before Bevers was killed
Assistant Chief Kevin Johnson said at a press conference on Friday that the last remaining lead involves a car that pulled into the SWFA Sporting Goods (pictured) parking lot at approximately 2am