Texas Alleged Serial Killer Goes on Trial Today

In March 2018, 91-year-old Mary Annis Bartel survived an attack and reported to police that a man had forced his way into her apartment at an independent living community for seniors, tried to smother her with a pillow, and took her jewelry.

After Bartel’s interview, Chemirmir was found in the parking lot of his apartment complex, holding jewelry, cash, and a red box. The box led the police to the home of Harris, who was found dead in her bedroom.

It was later proved that Harris and Chemirmir were checking out at the same time at a Walmart just hours before she was found dead. 

Surveillance videos from the same Walmart showed a vehicle matching the description of Chemirmir’s leaving just after Brooks, whose body on Jan. 31, 2018.

Chemirmir made money made money by buying and selling jewelry; he had also worked as a caregiver and a security guard. Most of his victims lived in apartments in independent living communities for older people.

He received a sentence of life in prison without parole after being found guilty in April in the smothering death of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris. If convicted of Brooks' death, he'll receive the second sentence of life in prison without parole.

The next capital murder trial for Billy Chemirmir, 49, begins today in Dallas in the death of Mary Brooks, one of 22 older women he is charged with killing.