DALLAS (AP) — A person accused of killing 22 aged girls within the Dallas house and stealing jewellery and valuables has been related by means of DNA proof to some of the deaths, a prosecutor stated Monday.
Billy Chemirmir, 49, is on trial for capital homicide within the loss of life of 87-year-old Mary Brooks.
It’s Chemirmir’s 3rd trial. His first trial, within the smothering loss of life of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris, led to a mistrial final November when the jury deadlocked. He used to be retried and located responsible in April and sentenced to existence with out parole. If convicted in Brooks’ loss of life, he’ll obtain a 2d sentence of existence with out parole.
Prosecutor Glen Fitzmartin stated in opening statements that whilst presenting proof within the deaths of Brooks and Harris, he would additionally display that DNA hyperlinks Chemirmir to the loss of life of 80-year-old Martha Williams.
Chemirmir has maintained his innocence. His legal professional entered a no longer responsible plea on his behalf Monday, however declined to make a gap commentary.
His arrest used to be set in movement in March 2018 when Mary Annis Bartel — 91 on the time — instructed police {that a} guy had compelled his method into her condominium at an impartial residing group for seniors, attempted to smother her with a pillow and took her jewellery.
Prior to Bartel died in 2020, she described the assault in a taped interview that used to be performed to jurors Monday, because it used to be within the previous trials. She stated the minute she opened her door and noticed a person dressed in inexperienced rubber gloves, she knew she used to be in “grave risk.”
“He stated: ‘Don’t combat me, lie at the mattress,’” Bartel stated.
Police stated once they discovered Chemirmir the next day to come within the automobile parking space of his condominium advanced, he used to be conserving jewellery and money, and had simply thrown away a big pink jewellery field. Paperwork within the field led them to the house of Harris, who used to be discovered lifeless in her bed room, lipstick smeared on her pillow.
Following Chemirmir’s arrest, police around the Dallas house reexamined the deaths of different older those that were thought to be herbal, at the same time as their households came upon lacking jewellery.
He has been charged with 22 counts of capital homicide in deaths spanning Would possibly 2016 to March 2018. 4 of the ones indictments have been added this summer season.
Proof introduced at earlier trials confirmed Harris and Chemirmir have been trying out on the similar time at a Walmart simply hours sooner than she used to be discovered lifeless.
Consistent with proof, Brooks had long gone buying groceries on the similar Walmart simply weeks previous. When Brooks used to be on the Walmart, Chemirmir used to be sitting in his automotive within the automobile parking space, staring at folks, Fitzmartin stated.
“She leaves, he leaves. His telephone, you’re going to pay attention, follows from the Walmart to her area,” Fitzmartin stated. “She arrives at her area and he or she’s no longer heard from once more, ever.”
The day after that shuttle to Walmart, Brooks’ grandson discovered her lifeless in her rental, groceries nonetheless in baggage at the counter.
The general public Chemirmir is accused of killing lived in residences at impartial residing communities for older folks. He’s additionally accused of killing girls in non-public houses, together with the widow of a person he had cared for in his task as an at-home caregiver.
In a video interview with police, Chemirmir instructed a detective that he made cash purchasing and promoting jewellery and had additionally labored as a caregiver and a safety guard.
Fitzmartin stated Monday that Williams and Bartel lived in the similar group, and that Williams were discovered lifeless in her condominium about two weeks sooner than the assault on Bartel.
As Williams’ circle of relatives wiped clean out her domestic, they came upon “there used to be one thing no longer proper,” together with lacking pieces and a pillow with an ordinary stain, he stated.
DNA discovered on that pillow can’t exclude Chemirmir, Fitzmartin stated, and a seek of Chemirmir’s car grew to become up gloves with DNA that used to be a fit for Williams.
Dallas County District Legal professional John Creuzot, a Democrat, sought existence sentences quite than the loss of life penalty when he attempted Chemirmir on two of his 13 capital homicide circumstances.
In an interview with The Dallas Morning Information, Creuzot stated he’s no longer towards the loss of life penalty, however amongst issues he considers when deciding whether or not to pursue it are the time it takes sooner than anyone is accomplished, the prices of appeals and whether or not the individual would nonetheless be a risk to society at the back of bars. Chemirmir, he added, is “going to die within the jail.”
Chemirmir’s lawyers stated in his earlier trials that prosecutors didn’t turn out their case past an affordable doubt.
Prosecutors in neighboring Collin County haven’t stated if they’ll take a look at any in their 9 capital homicide circumstances towards Chemirmir.