Authorities found convicted murderer Billy Chemirmir dead in his Texas prison cell Tuesday morning, according to multiple reports.
Chemirmir, 50, was serving two life sentences without parole at the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, southeast of Dallas, according to NBC5. Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) officials have identified Chemirmir’s cellmate, also in for murder, as a suspect in his death. NBC5 did not release the cellmate’s name.
#Breaking: Convicted murderer Billy Chemirmir killed in prison by his cellmate, officials say https://t.co/PAVSxEDdPY
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) September 19, 2023
Chemirmir had been charged in the deaths of 22 elderly women, according to the Associated Press (AP). Over a two-year period, he allegedly murdered the women and then stole their jewelry and other valuables. Chemirmir was convicted in the murders of Lu Thi Harris, 81, and Mary Brooks, 87, in 2022. Some victims’ family members were left confused about their elderly relatives’ deaths because many of the women were still physically healthy at the time, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Famous Rapper Stabbed To Death In California Prison)
The suspected serial killer stood accused in almost two dozen deaths. Authorities caught up with Chemirmir after a 91-year-old woman reported a 2018 attack to police. The unnamed woman said a man had broken into her senior living apartment, attempted to suffocate her using a pillow and then made off with her jewelry, AP reported.
Chemirmir had maintained his innocence, according to the outlet. TDCJ officials say an investigation into Chemirmir’s death is underway. The victims’ relatives received notification of his death Tuesday, according to NBC 5.