By JAMIE STENGLE (Associated Press)
DALLAS (AP) — A Texas prisoner accused of killing 22 older ladies over two years, preying on them so he might steal jewellery and different valuables, was slain Tuesday by his cellmate whereas serving a life sentence, jail officers mentioned.
Billy Chemirmir, 50, who was convicted final yr within the slayings of two ladies, was discovered lifeless in his cell at a jail in rural East Texas, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson Hannah Haney mentioned. He was killed by his cellmate who was additionally serving a jail sentence for homicide, in accordance with Haney.
Chemirmir’s demise comes about two weeks after Texas’ 100 prisons had been positioned on a uncommon statewide lockdown due to an increase within the variety of killings contained in the services, which prisons officers have mentioned had been associated to medication.
Haney didn’t launch the title of the cellmate, how Chemirmir was killed or what could have led to the slaying.
Family members of these he was accused of killing expressed shock and reduction on the information.
“My mother died in fear. This man did not have a peaceful passing. There’s some relief in feeling that he didn’t get off easily,” Shannon Dion, whose 92-year-old mom, Doris Gleason, was amongst these Chemirmir was charged with killing, mentioned at a information convention.
Time after time, the deaths in Dallas and close by cities had been initially decided to be from pure causes, at the same time as relations raised alarm about lacking jewellery.
Chemirmir was caught after a 91-year-old lady survived a 2018 assault and advised police a person had compelled his approach 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 pink jewellery field. Documents within the jewellery field led them to the house of Lu Thi Harris, 81, who was lifeless in her bed room.
After Chemirmir’s arrest, police throughout the world reexamined deaths, and the costs towards him grew. Many of the victims’ kids have mentioned they had been left perplexed by the deaths on the time, as their moms, although older, had been nonetheless wholesome and lively.
The first capital homicide trial of Chemirmir for the slaying of Harris led to mistrial in Dallas County. He was later convicted in a retrial for Harris’ demise and was then convicted of a second killing within the demise of Mary Brooks, 87.
Following his second conviction, relations of these Chemirmir was accused of killing gathered in a Dallas courtroom to face him. Ellen French House confirmed Chemirmir two images of her mom: one among 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.”
Most of the victims lived in flats at unbiased dwelling communities for older individuals. One lady who lived in a non-public dwelling was the widow of a person Chemirmir cared for whereas working as an at-home caregiver.
Chemirmir had been indicted on 22 capital homicide costs. Thirteen of the costs had been in Dallas County, whereas 9 had been in neighboring Collin County. Following the 2 convictions in Dallas County, prosecutors dismissed the remaining 11 costs there. They didn’t search the demise penalty. Last month, Collin County prosecutors mentioned additionally they wouldn’t search the demise penalty.
Chemirmir, who maintained his innocence, was serving two sentences of life with out the potential of parole. He was imprisoned on the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Dallas.
Chemirmir’s legal professional, Phillip Hayes, mentioned his demise is “just a horrible tragedy.”
“Nobody deserves to be killed at any point, especially when you are in a place you’re being held against your will,” Hayes mentioned.
Earlier this month, 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 Sept. 6 announcement, the division mentioned there had been 16 inmate-on-inmate homicides to date this yr. In 2021, there have been 9 such killings; in 2022, there have been seven.
With the lockdown, the prisons restricted inmates’ motion and their contact with outsiders. In addition, inmates and workers had been present process intensified searches. A heightened drug testing protocol was additionally carried out.
Department spokesperson Amanda Hernandez mentioned that as complete searches had been accomplished, models have been resuming regular operations. She mentioned that as of Tuesday, the lockdown had been lifted at 75 models. The Coffield Unit, the place Chemirmir was imprisoned, was amongst 25 models nonetheless underneath lockdown.
Haney mentioned the Office of Inspector General is investigating his demise.
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This story has been corrected to indicate that Chemirmir was indicted within the deaths of twenty-two ladies, not 18 ladies.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”