Billy Chemirmir, a Kenyan man accused of murdering 22 elderly women in the United States, has met his end in a Texas prison.
Chemirmir, originally from Eldama Ravine, Kenya, settled in Texas in the 1990s after marrying an American citizen.
The shocking demise of the 50-year-old inmate unfolded when he was found lifeless in his cell at a rural East Texas prison, as confirmed by Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson Hannah Haney.
The circumstances surrounding his death point to a grim turn of events, with Haney revealing that Chemirmir was killed by his cellmate, himself incarcerated for murder.
However, specific details regarding the killing and the factors that may have precipitated it remain undisclosed.
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This development comes in the wake of a statewide lockdown imposed on all 100 Texas prisons approximately two weeks ago, prompted by a surge in violent incidents within the facilities, primarily linked to drug-related issues.
Chemirmir first came under the law enforcement radar after a 91-year-old woman managed to survive a harrowing attack in 2018.
The elderly woman informed the police that an intruder had forcibly entered her apartment within an independent living community for seniors, attempting to smother her with a pillow while making off with her precious jewellery.
Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of Chemirmir, found the following day in the parking lot of his apartment complex, clutching jewellery and cash, and discarding a conspicuous red jewellery box.
The contents of this box served as a crucial link to the home of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris, who was tragically found lifeless in her bedroom.
In the aftermath of Chemirmir's apprehension, authorities launched a comprehensive reexamination of deaths in the area, causing the charges against him to multiply.
Many of the victims' relatives expressed bewilderment at the time of their mother's passing, as they were elderly but nonetheless active and healthy.
The initial capital murder trial against Chemirmir, pertaining to the slaying of Harris, resulted in a mistrial in Dallas County.
Nevertheless, he was subsequently convicted in a retrial for Harris's death and further found guilty in the death of 87-year-old Mary Brooks.
In a poignant courtroom confrontation following his second conviction, family members of the victims faced Chemirmir.
Ellen French House, holding two photographs of her mother, Norma French – one in her prime and the other posthumously – conveyed her anguish, stating, "This is my beautiful mother... This is my mother after you pried her wedding ring off of her finger that she couldn't even get off."
The scale of Chemirmir's alleged crimes was staggering, as most of his victims resided in apartments within independent living communities for senior citizens.
One of the victims was a widow whose late husband had been under Chemirmir's care while he worked as an at-home caregiver.
In total, Chemirmir faced 22 capital murder charges, with 13 in Dallas County and nine in neighboring Collin County.
Following his convictions in Dallas County, prosecutors opted to dismiss the remaining 11 charges there, abstaining from seeking the death penalty.
Last month, Collin County prosecutors also announced their decision against pursuing the death penalty.
Maintaining his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, Chemirmir was serving two life sentences without the possibility of parole at the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony, located approximately 100 miles southeast of Dallas.
Phillip Hayes, Chemirmir's attorney, described the inmate's death as "just a horrible tragedy," emphasizing that "nobody deserves to be killed at any point, especially when you are in a place you're being held against your will."
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