Serial killer Billy Chemirmir, accused of killing 22 elderly women, found dead in cell: officials

A serial killer accused in the deaths of 22 elderly women died early Tuesday in the Texas prison where he was serving life without the possibility of parole.

Billy Chemirmir, 50, was found dead in his cell at Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Hannah Haney said. 

She said his cellmate – who is also serving a life sentence for murder – was identified as the assailant, but she could not release his name or how Chemirmir died.

The Office of the Inspector General is investigating his prison death — which came after prosecutors in two Texas counties decided not to seek the death penalty for him.

Chemirmir was a healthcare worker who smothered his helpless victims inside their homes or at senior independent living centers to steal their jewelry to sell.

He was suspected of killing 13 elderly women inside their homes in Dallas County, and another nine in nearby Collin County, according to the Dallas Morning News.

He was eventually found guilty in the deaths of two women: Mary Brooks, 87, and 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris.

He was sentenced in April 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 the result of natural causes.

But when 91-year-old Mary Bartel told police Chemirmir tried to smother her with a pillow at Plano’s Preston Place Retirement Community and made off with her jewelry as she passed out, the police decided to re-open their investigation, according to People.

Police said they found Chemirmir the following day in the parking lot of his apartment complex holding jewelry and cash, having just thrown away a large red jewelry box. 

Documents in the jewelry box led them to the home of Lu Thi Harris, 81, who was found dead in her bedroom earlier in the day with lipstick smeared on her pillow.

He had always maintained his innocence, telling the Dallas Morning News last year: “I am not a killer. I’m not at all what they’re saying I am. I am a very innocent person. I was not brought [up] that way.”

“I was brought [up] in a good family. I didn’t have any problems all my life.”

The first capital murder trial of Chemirmir for Harris’ death ended in mistrial in Dallas County.

He was later convicted in a second trial for Harris’ death and convicted of a second killing in the death of Brooks.

Following his second conviction, family members of those Chemirmir was accused of killing gathered at a Dallas courthouse to face him. 

In Ellen French House’s victim impact statement, she told Chemirmir, who was wearing a striped jail uniform, that she wanted him to see two photos of her mother: one of Norma French alive, the other after the 85-year-old was killed.

“This is my beautiful mother,” House said as she displayed the first photo.

“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 now been notified of his death.

With Post wires.