An American serial killer accused in the deaths of 22 elderly women has been murdered in a Texas prison where he was serving life without the possibility of parole. .Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson Hannah Haney told the New York Post on Tuesday accused serial killer Billy Chemirmir, 50, was found dead at Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony. .Haney said Chemirmir’s cellmate, who is serving a life sentence for murder, was identified as the assailant, but she could not release his name or how he died. .The Texas Office of the Inspector General is investigating Chemirmir’s prison death, which came after prosecutors in two counties decided not to seek the death penalty for him. .He was a healthcare worker who smothered his victims inside their homes or at retirement homes to steal their jewelry to sell. .He was suspected of killing 13 elderly women inside their homes in Dallas County and another nine in Collin County. .While not convicted in most of the deaths, he was found guilty of murdering Texas residents Mary Brooks, 87 and Lu Thi Harris, 87. .He was sentenced in 2022 to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, which the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said would ensure “there will be no chance of Mr. Chemirmir to die anywhere except in a Texas prison.”.At first, most of the deaths were ruled to be from natural causes. .But when Texas resident Mary Bartel told police Chemirmir tried to smother her with a pillow at Plano’s Preston Place Retirement Community and made off with the jewelry as she passed out, it decided to reopen the investigation. .Police said it found him the following day in the parking lot of his apartment complex, holding jewelry and cash and having thrown away a large red jewelry box. Documents in the jewelry box led them to Harris’ home, who was found dead in her bedroom earlier in the day with lipstick smeared in the pillow. .He had maintained his innocence, saying he was not a killer. .“I’m not at all what they’re saying I am,” he said. .“I am a very innocent person.” .He acknowledged he was brought up in a good family. He did not have problems all of his life. .The first trial for Chemirmir for Harris’ death ended in a mistrial in Dallas County. .He was convicted in a second trial for her death and convicted in the death of Brooks. .Following his second conviction, family members of his alleged victims gathered at a Dallas courthouse to face him. .Texas resident Ellen French House said she wanted him to see two photos of her mother Norma French, 85: one of her alive and one after she had been killed. .“This is my beautiful mother,” said House. .“This is my mother after you pried her wedding ring off of her finger that she couldn’t even get off.”.The victims’ families have been notified about his death.
An American serial killer accused in the deaths of 22 elderly women has been murdered in a Texas prison where he was serving life without the possibility of parole. .Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson Hannah Haney told the New York Post on Tuesday accused serial killer Billy Chemirmir, 50, was found dead at Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony. .Haney said Chemirmir’s cellmate, who is serving a life sentence for murder, was identified as the assailant, but she could not release his name or how he died. .The Texas Office of the Inspector General is investigating Chemirmir’s prison death, which came after prosecutors in two counties decided not to seek the death penalty for him. .He was a healthcare worker who smothered his victims inside their homes or at retirement homes to steal their jewelry to sell. .He was suspected of killing 13 elderly women inside their homes in Dallas County and another nine in Collin County. .While not convicted in most of the deaths, he was found guilty of murdering Texas residents Mary Brooks, 87 and Lu Thi Harris, 87. .He was sentenced in 2022 to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, which the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said would ensure “there will be no chance of Mr. Chemirmir to die anywhere except in a Texas prison.”.At first, most of the deaths were ruled to be from natural causes. .But when Texas resident Mary Bartel told police Chemirmir tried to smother her with a pillow at Plano’s Preston Place Retirement Community and made off with the jewelry as she passed out, it decided to reopen the investigation. .Police said it found him the following day in the parking lot of his apartment complex, holding jewelry and cash and having thrown away a large red jewelry box. Documents in the jewelry box led them to Harris’ home, who was found dead in her bedroom earlier in the day with lipstick smeared in the pillow. .He had maintained his innocence, saying he was not a killer. .“I’m not at all what they’re saying I am,” he said. .“I am a very innocent person.” .He acknowledged he was brought up in a good family. He did not have problems all of his life. .The first trial for Chemirmir for Harris’ death ended in a mistrial in Dallas County. .He was convicted in a second trial for her death and convicted in the death of Brooks. .Following his second conviction, family members of his alleged victims gathered at a Dallas courthouse to face him. .Texas resident Ellen French House said she wanted him to see two photos of her mother Norma French, 85: one of her alive and one after she had been killed. .“This is my beautiful mother,” said House. .“This is my mother after you pried her wedding ring off of her finger that she couldn’t even get off.”.The victims’ families have been notified about his death.
