Inmate Accused of Murdering 22 Elderly Women in Texas Killed by Cellmate

Billy Chemirmir, a man convicted of two murders and facing allegations of killing over 20 elderly women, was found dead in his prison cell on Tuesday morning, reportedly killed by his cellmate, according to officials.

Chemirmir, aged 50, who was serving a life sentence without parole for the aforementioned murders, was discovered deceased in his cell during the early hours of the morning, as confirmed by Amanda Hernandez, spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Hernandez revealed that Chemirmir’s cellmate, who is also serving a life sentence for murder, was involved in the incident. However, the identity of the cellmate has not been disclosed, and the exact cause of Chemirmir’s death remains undisclosed.

Allegations of Targeting Elderly Women and Theft:

Billy Chemirmir had been convicted for the murders of 80-year-old Lu Thi Harris and 87-year-old Mary Brooks in 2018. Law enforcement authorities suspected him of preying on elderly women over a two-year period, often stealing their jewelry. He faced a total of 22 capital murder charges across two Texas counties.

His crimes came to light when Mary Annis Bartel, aged 91 at the time, survived an attack in March 2018. She informed investigators about a man who forcibly entered her apartment at an independent living community for seniors, attempted to smother her, and stole her jewelry. Bartel passed away in 2020, but prior to her death, she provided crucial information to investigators, expressing her awareness of being in “grave danger” when encountering the assailant.

The police located Chemirmir the following day, in possession of stolen jewelry and cash, having recently discarded a jewelry box. The contents of that box led investigators to Lu Thi Harris’ residence, where she was found deceased in her bedroom, with lipstick smeared on her pillow.

Ann Brooks, the daughter of Mary Brooks, expressed her relief upon Chemirmir’s conviction for her mother’s murder, stating that her family was “thrilled that this defendant will never be able to hurt any other family again.”

Initially, authorities had attributed Mary Brooks’ death to natural causes. However, after Bartel’s attack, the case was re-evaluated, leading to a reassessment of cases involving older women who had reportedly died from natural causes despite suspicions from some families that jewelry had gone missing.

Maintaining Innocence and Legal Proceedings:

Throughout his incarceration, Billy Chemirmir maintained his innocence, as indicated in court records. These records also reflect his attempts to appeal his convictions. At the time of his death, Chemirmir was serving his sentence at the Coffield Unit, situated approximately 100 miles outside of Dallas, according to prison records.