On October 3, Billy Chemirmir, a 49-year-old Kenyan suspected of being a serial killer, will go on trial for the murder of Mary Brooks.
The trial emerges from developments in the investigation into the 2018 death of Brooks, whose body was found in her Dallas apartment. Initially, authorities believed she may have died of natural causes, but suspicions rose among her family members after they discovered that her jewelry was missing.
NBC reported that Dallas Police reopened the Mary Brooks case a week later, after an attack on another elderly woman made them believe they may be dealing with a serial killer.
Chemirmir has already been convicted of the murder of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris. On April 28, 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison after it was determined that he reportedly smothered her to death.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas authorities suspect that Billy Chemirmir may have been involved in the murders of 22 elderly women in a spate of violent home invasions.
Billy Chemirmir has a criminal record dating back to 2010
As per Daily Nation, Billy Chemirmir is the son of a former village chief from Kabonyony village in Baringo County, Kenya. In an interview with Dallas authorities, he told them that he made a living by selling jewelry and working as a security guard.
Chemirmir has a criminal record dating back to 2010, when he was arrested for driving under the influence in Dallas, Texas. In 2012, he re-emerged on the radar of Dallas authorities after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.
In June 2016, he was arrested for trespassing at a retirement home, a crime that led authorities to suspect his involvement in a series of home invasions targeting senior citizens.
According to the Dallas Morning News, after further probing the deaths of several elderly women, the city's authorities began to believe that Chemirmir may have had a hand in 22 of them.
His alleged modus operandi was to enter their apartments while dressed as a maintenance worker before smothering them to death using a pillow. Authorities reported that the suspect was also accused of stealing jewelry and other valuables, which he would often sell at pawn shops.
In an official joint statement, family members of the victims responded to the trial of Billy Chemirmir.
The statement read:
"We the families and loved ones of Marilyn Bixler, Diane Delahunty, Helen Lee, and Mamie Miya are grateful to hear of today’s four additional capital murder indictments. These indictments are another step in holding Billy Chemirmir accountable for the full extent of his horrible crimes."
Six of the alleged murders reportedly took place at The Tradition-Prestwood, an affluent gated community.