Serial Killer Caught After Murdering 22 Women in Two Years
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Billy Chemirmir targeted elderly women in Dallas and Collin counties, often following them from Walmart.
- ❖His modus operandi involved smothering victims with a pillow and stealing their jewelry, making deaths appear natural.
- ❖Mary Bartell, a survivor, provided critical details about the attacker and his methods.
- ❖Surveillance video from Walmart and apartment complexes, along with stolen jewelry found on Chemirmir, were key pieces of evidence.
- ❖The first trial for Lou T. Harris's murder resulted in a mistrial due to an 11-1 hung jury.
- ❖A retrial, leveraging Mary Bartell's deposition and evidence of 'other bad acts,' led to a swift guilty verdict for capital murder.
- ❖Chemirmir was sentenced to life without parole and later died in prison, reportedly at the hands of other inmates.
Insights
1Serial Killer's Modus Operandi and Victim Selection
Billy Chemirmir systematically targeted elderly women, often observing them at Walmart before following them home. He would gain entry to their residences, including gated communities and retirement homes, then smother them with a pillow to prevent struggle and leave no obvious signs of foul play. His primary motive was theft, specifically jewelry.
Chemirmir was observed 'for an hour on end just watching the people coming and going at that Walmart' (, ). Mary Bartell described him smashing a pillow over her face (, , ). Victims were found dead with missing jewelry (, , , ).
2Initial Misclassification of Deaths as Natural
Due to the lack of obvious signs of struggle and the advanced age of the victims, many of Chemirmir's murders were initially dismissed as natural deaths. This pattern allowed him to continue his crimes undetected for an extended period, as medical examiners and police often attributed the deaths to underlying health conditions.
Police initially thought Mary Bartell had 'fallen and gotten a little addled' (). Many women had been dying 'beyond what you would expect' but were typically ruled as 'died in their sleep' (). Lou T. Harris's death would have 'probably thought it was a natural death' if not for Plano PD's call ().
3Survivor's Testimony as Critical Evidence
The survival of Mary Bartell after being attacked by Chemirmir provided invaluable, direct testimony that became a cornerstone of the prosecution's case. Her detailed account of the attack, including the use of green rubber gloves and the smothering technique, helped connect seemingly disparate deaths and establish the killer's method.
Mary Bartell was described as 'the best evidence that we had came from Mary Bartell, a victim that survived' (, ). She recounted seeing 'green rubber gloves' () and being smothered (). Her deposition was used in the retrial as she had passed away ().
4Role of Surveillance and Circumstantial Evidence in Conviction
Despite the absence of traditional forensic evidence like DNA or fingerprints at many scenes, surveillance footage from Walmart and apartment complexes, combined with Chemirmir being caught with stolen jewelry, provided compelling circumstantial evidence. This evidence was crucial in linking him directly to victims and proving his predatory pattern.
Chemirmir was arrested with 'jewelry and items and money' () and a jewelry box belonging to Lou Harris was found in a dumpster (). Walmart surveillance showed Chemirmir checking out 'just an aisle over' from Lou Harris () and 'sitting in the parking lot just looking at the handicap spots for an hour' (). Video showed him selling stolen jewelry 'within a few hours' of a murder ().
5Mistrial and Strategic Retrial
The first trial for Lou T. Harris's murder ended in a mistrial due to an 11-1 hung jury, with one juror reportedly being 'rogue.' For the retrial, prosecutors strategically introduced evidence of 'other bad acts' (additional victims) to demonstrate Chemirmir's pattern and plan, and utilized Mary Bartell's preserved deposition after her passing, ultimately securing a swift guilty verdict.
The jury deliberated for 4 hours, resulting in an '11 to 1' deadlock and a mistrial (, ). The prosecution then decided to 'retry a case' () and brought in 'two or three other women' to prove his 'plan or his scheme' (). Mary Bartell's deposition was used as she 'had passed away before trial happened' ().
Quotes
"I knew instantly number one, I should not have opened the door. Number two, my life was in grave danger."
"He just smashed a pillow down hard over my face and my chest and I just couldn't breathe."
"If we hadn't got a call from Plano PD and she hadn't been found, we would have probably thought it was a natural death."
"He absolutely was targeting victims from that Walmart for an hour on end just watching the people coming and going at that Walmart. I believe that this was one of his favorite hunting grounds."
"You're used to seeing somebody who's being charged with murder and he didn't appear to be upset that he was being charged."
"It was very heartbreaking to see how he could come in with this jewelry that he took from someone he just killed and just pleasantly without being nervous or anything was able to sell these products as property."
"This many murders by one person and targeting this vulnerable group of our society. It's just you just don't think it's possible."
"All bark and no bite. It's a lot of barking. They're just barking. Their whole theory of their case is Walmart. Walmart. Walmart. Walmart."
"This man did not have a peaceful passing. There is some relief in feeling that he didn't get off easily."
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