A man charged with killing 22 women in the Dallas area over a two-year span was found guilty Friday in one of their deaths—his second murder conviction. With the verdict, Billy Chemirmir, 49, automatically received a second sentence of life without parole, the AP reports, this time for the smothering death of 87-year-old Mary Brooks. Jurors took less than 30 minutes to reach the verdict against Chemirmir, who was already sentenced to life in prison without parole for an April conviction in the death of Lu Thi Harris, 81. Authorities say he preyed on older women, killing them and stealing their valuables. Time after time, their deaths were initially determined to be from natural causes, even as family members raised alarm bells about missing jewelry.
"This is a conscious, dedicated effort to stalk, surveil, kill, steal, strip, and sell," Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot said in closing arguments. Creuzot decided against seeking the death penalty. After Friday's verdict he said the two sentences mean Chemirmir is "going to die in a penitentiary." Creuzot said the 11 additional capital murder cases against Chemirmir in Dallas County will now be dismissed. Prosecutors in neighboring Collin County haven't yet said if they will try any of their nine capital murder cases against Chemirmir, who has maintained his innocence.
Prosecutors told jurors that the evidence showed that Chemirmir followed Brooks home from Walmart, smothered her, and took her jewelry. Brooks' daughter, Ann Brooks, said after the verdict that her family was "thrilled that this defendant will never be able to hurt any other family again." She added, "Our beloved mother, Mary Sue, her life is over and her jewelry is gone, but her love and her memories will live in us forever." Defense attorney Phillip Hayes told reporters he plans to appeal.
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