Notorious Serial Killer Billy Chemirmir Found Dead in Texas Prison Cell
Billy Chemirmir, a man convicted of killing two people and accused in the deaths of nearly two dozen others, was found dead in his cell in a Texas state prison early Tuesday morning, NBC 5 has learned.
Chemirmir, 50, had been serving two prison sentences of life without parole in the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony near Palestine. Officials with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said Chemirmir was found deceased in his cell early Tuesday. The TDCJ said Chemirmir’s cellmate, who is serving a sentence for murder out of Dallas County, was identified as the assailant.
The details surrounding Chemirmir’s death have not been confirmed, and the TDCJ stated that the Office of Inspector General is currently investigating.
The families of Chemirmir’s victims were notified of his death early Tuesday. Prosecutors said the suspected serial killer targeted people inside their homes or at senior independent living centers, smothering them with pillows to steal jewelry.
Most of the deaths were initially ruled natural causes, despite families reporting odd circumstances and stolen jewelry. It wasn’t until a woman survived an attack on her life, leading police to Chemirmir, that the cases were reopened and indictments were filed.
Chemirmir was charged with killing 22 North Texas women over a two-year span. He was found guilty of capital murder in October 2022 in the death of 87-year-old Mary Brooks. His first trial, for the murder of Lu Thi Harris, ended in a mistrial, but he was later convicted of the murder charge.
Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot had planned to secure two convictions before dismissing the remaining cases. However, earlier this summer, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis announced that he did not plan to try the nine capital murder indictments his office had against Chemirmir.
The news of Chemirmir’s death comes as a relief to the families of his many victims, who can finally gain closure after years of uncertainty. With the investigation into his death ongoing, we hope to uncover more details regarding the circumstances surrounding the demise of one of the country’s most notorious killers.