No arrests have ever been made in connection with Missy Bevers’ death. NBC 5’s Meredith Yeomans has more on a candlelight vigil and a message from Midlothian’s police chief.
Thursday marked eight years since Missy Bevers was murdered in Midlothian.
The wife and mother of three were bludgeoned to death inside a church before she was supposed to teach a workout class.
The case remains unsolved, and to mark Thursday's somber anniversary, dozens attended a candlelight vigil in her memory.
Bevers was a fitness instructor scheduled to lead a workout class at Creekside Church in Midlothian. When she arrived at about 4:30 a.m. to prepare, police said someone wearing tactical-like clothing was inside.
"I just couldn't imagine how something like that could happen right here in our town," said Christi Bina, a Midlothian resident.
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Carl D. Smith, Midlothian Chief of Police, said investigators are still searching for Bevers' killer to this day.
"On the days after the incident, then Assistant Chief Kevin Johnson shared with our community that we were committed to tracking down the individual responsible for the death of Missy Bevers," Smith said. "Since that day, our team of investigative staff and supervision have carried that pledge forward. In the early months of the case, the investigative team received hundreds of leads about potential persons of interest. Our staff has followed each lead to its fullest extent, using all means and exploring multiple avenues of investigation. During the past eight years, our investigative staff have fielded thousands of additional tips and leads. Many of these “tips,” while good-intentioned, lack information that would make it possible to investigate. When we receive a lead with tangible information we can compare it to our existing data and look for any potential link to the Bevers’ case."
Smith said the police department has received more than 3,000 tips from all over the world.
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“You see them walking around. You know that they're the ones that did it but yet they're still somewhere out there roaming free, and it bothers people. It makes them nervous. It makes them scared,” said Renae Rodden.
Rodden used to work with Bevers and now co-hosts a podcast about the case.
Whether the murder was random or targeted and whether the suspect is a man or woman is still debated in the case that remains unsolved and unsettling.
“She was a mom. We're moms. She was a friend, you know, I mean, it could be anybody. I just feel like she can't speak for herself, so we want to speak for her until this case is solved. Keep her voice out there,” said Rodden.
Rodden says she wants to keep Bevers’ memory alive around Midlothian.
She’s helped with a memorial brick bearing Bevers’ name and planted a tree in her honor at Kimmel Park, where the candlelight vigil was held Thursday night.
“Our main focus is just to keep it alive until it's solved and we do want somebody to come forward and we're hoping that somebody will get the courage to do just that,” said Rodden.
Smith said Midlothian police have not forgotten about Bevers' in the eight years since her death.
"As a team, the case is discussed weekly during the Investigative Division staff meetings," Smith said. "Through the passage of time and the changes in personnel, I have continually emphasized the importance of this investigation’s closure. Our entire investigative staff and all members of our department are all familiar with and committed to the ongoing efforts to find the individual responsible for Missy Bevers’ death... We applaud local efforts to keep Missy’s memory alive and to rally support for continued investigative efforts."
