Man who killed 22 elderly women murdered in Texas prison

dallas — A man accused of killing twenty elderly women and convicted last year of the deaths of two, was murdered on Tuesday by his cellmate in a prison in Texasreported an official.

Billy Chemirmir, 50, was found dead in his cell, said Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Hannah Haney. She added that Chemirmir’s cellmate, who is serving a murder sentence, was identified as the attacker, but that he could not reveal his name or how he murdered the victim.

Authorities said Chemirmir attacked elderly women in the Dallas area over a two-year period, killing them and stealing their valuables. He was caught when a 91-year-old woman who survived an assault in 2018 said Chemirmir broke into her apartment in a senior living community, tried to suffocate her with a pillow and took her jewelry.

Police said they found Chemirmir the next day in the parking lot of his housing complex in possession of jewelry and money after he had just thrown away a red jewelry box. Documents found in the box led them to the home of Lu Thi Harris, 81, who was found dead in her bedroom.

Chemirmir’s first trial for Harris’ death was annulled. He was convicted of Harris’ death in a second trial and the death of Mary Brooks, 87, in another.

Chemirmir, who has always pleaded not guilty, was serving two life sentences for 22 counts of murder without the possibility of parole at the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, about 100 miles southeast of Dallas.

Haney said the Inspector General is investigating his death.