By JAMIE STENGLE (Associated Press)
DALLAS (AP) — A person accused of killing almost two dozen older girls and who was convicted final yr within the slayings of two was killed Tuesday morning by his cellmate at a Texas jail, an official mentioned.
Billy Chemirmir, 50, was discovered lifeless in his cell, mentioned Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Hannah Haney. She mentioned that Chemirmir’s cellmate, who’s serving a sentence for homicide, was recognized because the assailant, however mentioned she couldn’t launch the cellmate’s identification or how Chemirmir was killed.
Authorities mentioned Chemirmir preyed on older girls within the Dallas space over a two-year span, killing them and stealing their valuables. Time after time, their deaths have been initially decided to be from pure causes, whilst members of the family raised alarm bells about lacking jewellery.
He was caught after a 91-year-old lady survived an assault in 2018 and advised police Chemirmir had compelled his method into her condo at an unbiased dwelling group for seniors, tried to smother her with a pillow and took her jewellery.
Police mentioned they discovered Chemirmir the next day within the car parking zone of his condo complicated holding jewellery and money, having simply thrown away a big purple jewellery field. Documents within the jewellery field led them to the house of Lu Thi Harris, 81, who was discovered lifeless in her bed room.
After Chemirmir’s arrest, police throughout the Dallas space reexamined deaths, and the costs towards him grew. Many of the victims’ youngsters have mentioned they have been left perplexed by the deaths on the time, as their moms, although older, have been nonetheless wholesome and lively.
The first capital homicide trial of Chemirmir for the slaying of Harris resulted in mistrial in Dallas County. He was later convicted in a retrial for Harris’ loss of life and was then convicted of a second killing within the loss of life of Mary Brooks, 87.
Following his second conviction, members of the family of these Chemirmir was accused of killing gathered at a Dallas courthouse to face him. In Ellen French House’s sufferer affect assertion, she advised Chemirmir, who was carrying a striped jail uniform, that she wished him to see two images of her mom: certainly one of Norma French alive, the opposite after the 85-year-old was killed.
“This is my beautiful mother,” House mentioned as she displayed the primary picture. “This is my mother after you pried her wedding ring off of her finger that she couldn’t even get off.”
Chemirmir had been indicted on 22 capital homicide expenses. Thirteen of the costs have been in Dallas County whereas 9 have been in Collin County. Collin County prosecutors mentioned final month that after the 2 convictions in Dallas County, they might not search the loss of life penalty of their circumstances.
Chemirmir, who maintained his innocence, was serving two sentences of life with out the opportunity of parole. He was imprisoned on the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, situated about 100 miles southeast of Dallas.
Last week, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice mentioned it was implementing lockdown measures in response to “a rise in dangerous contraband and drug-related inmate homicides.” At the time of that announcement final Wednesday, the division mentioned there had been 16 inmate-on-inmate homicides to date this yr.
With the lockdown, the prisons have been limiting the motion of inmates and their contact with outsiders. In additions, inmates and workers have been present process intensified searches. A heightened drug testing protocol was additionally applied.
Haney mentioned that the Office of Inspector General is investigating his loss of life.
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This story has been corrected to point out that Chemirmir was indicted within the deaths of twenty-two girls, not 18 girls.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”