Murder Of Midlothian Fitness Instructor At Church Unsolved 1 Year Later
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MIDLOTHIAN (CBS11) - Despite clear video of the killer, help from the FBI, public tip lines and internet theories, the one-year anniversary of the murder of Missy Bevers arrives Tuesday without an answer to who killed her.
Midlothian Police however refuse to call it a cold case, saying one witness could still provide the crucial information they need.
The killing of the 45-year-old fitness instructor attracted national attention in April of 2016.
Even now, police said they still don't know if she was targeted or not.
"The random theory, if you will, is kind of a worst case scenario for police," said Assistant Police Chief Kevin Johnson. "If there was no connection with the killer and the church, the killer and Missy, it makes it much more difficult to explain it."
After a year, the Facebook, email and phone tips have slowed down. Nothing ever substantially advanced the investigation, Johnson said.
Immediate family members, the focus of scrutiny early on, have been all but ruled out, he said.
The departments lead detective still works the case full-time. And attention is still focused on the person seen on surveillance video before Bevers arrived at Creekside Church in Midlothian to teach a morning fitness class.
Dressed in what appears to be police tactical gear, video shows the person moving freely inside the church before Bevers arrived. The walk was distinctive, something police consulted medical professionals about.
"They seem to think it's an authentic gait," Johnson said. "While it may be fake, I think most of us believe it's authentic."
He admitted not solving the case has been frustrating for police, and for the family.
Police still talk to them every week.
The hardest question Johnson said, is answering if they're any closer now, to having an answer.
"I think we are, because of our better understanding of how the event happened, how the murder happened," he said. "I hope that we're closer."
Police said they still have the support of the FBI.
Bevers family declined to comment as the date approached, only saying they would be celebrating her life, privately.