DALLAS, N.C. — Billy Chemirmir’s first trial in November ended in a mistrial after one juror wouldn’t vote to find him guilty.
Chemirmir is charged with 18 murders of elderly victims but will be re-tried only in the case of Lu Harris. He’s accused of stalking, smothering and then stealing from his victims.
In November, he was tried for the murder of 81-year-old Lu Harris. At that time, prosecutors presented surveillance video evidence of Harris shopping at a North Dallas Walmart.
Opening statements for the retrial started Monday at 9 a.m. You can watch the retrial below:
Prosecutors also showed video of Chemirmir in the store at the same time.
“You know that when they were shopping at that Walmart and running errands he was in his hunting grounds,” said prosecutor Glen Fitzmartin.
Prosecutors showed video of two other victims on different days at the same Walmart with Chemirmir also there. In one of those cases, prosecutors had phone records tracking him from the store to the victim’s house and then nine minutes later to a Gold Exchange store selling the victim’s jewelry.
One of the victim’s family members said after the trial, “It’s like he went to the bank and took somebody’s life and cashed it in.”
Prosecutors presented a lot of circumstantial evidence they say linked Chemirmir to the victims.
In Lu Harris’ case, police testified they saw him throw her jewelry box in a dumpster near his apartment in Dallas. He was already on their radar after his car was spotted at one of the crime scenes in Collin County. So, officers were following him.
Prosecutors showed the jury the pillow they say was used to smother Lu Harris with her lipstick still on it. They say after he killed Harris, he sold her jewelry on the Offer Up app. They recovered some it.
Jurors also heard recorded testimony from Mary Bartell. Police believe Bartell was the only one of the alleged victims who survived her attack. Bartell taped a testimony before she died.
“He smashed a pillow on my face and chest,” said Bartell.
Prosecutors had the videos, cellphone records and even one of the victim’s house keys found on Chemimir, but what they didn’t have was any forensic evidence linking him to any of the crimes.
“That’s what this whole case is about, reasonable doubt and it is rampant,” said defense attorney Kobby Warren.
Eleven of the jurors voted to find him guilty, but after 10 hours of deliberations, one of the jurors was a hold out. Judge Raquel Jones declared a mistrial after the jury was deadlocked.
”We are sickened that we have to come back and hear the same evidence again,” said Loren Adair, victim’s daughter.
Chemirmir has said all along he’s innocent; and as a new trial approaches his attorneys are confident.
“We are ready,” said Warren.
Families were prohibited from being inside the courtroom in November because of COVID-19 protocols. They wanted Chemirmir to see their faces because they believe he was the last face their loved ones saw.
