FOLLOW US

A Texas prisoner accused of killing 22 women was slain by his cellmate last week according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) spokesperson Hannah Haney. His death occurred during a prison lockdown.  

Billy Chemirmir, a serial killer serving two life sentences for the murders of elderly women, was found dead in his cell at a prison in rural East Texas. 

He was incarcerated at the Coffield Unit, a sprawling 3,818-bed prison located in Tennessee Colony, an unincorporated community east of Palestine. This facility is situated approximately 100 miles southeast of Dallas, where he committed his crimes.

News of Chemirmir's death comes just two weeks after a highly unusual statewide lockdown of all Texas prisons.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) initially cited concerns about drug-related issues within the prisons as the reason behind the lockdown. However, more recent reports from officials point to a concerning surge in inmate homicides and violence as the main reason for the lockdown.

Texas Serial Killer Killed 22 Elderly Women Murdered by Cellmate Texas Serial Killer Killed 22 Elderly Women Murdered by Cellmate - USA Herald

5-Hour Energy Faces Challenges as Shot Sales Dip Amid Market Evolution - USA Herald

2024 Election Poll: Concerns Over Biden’s Age Outweigh Trump’s Legal Battles - USA Herald

Texas Prison Lockdown

The Texas Tribune reported that a day before the statewide lockdown was enforced, an incident at the Coffield Unit led to the termination of seven correctional officers and the resignations of another six.

 The situation prompted the TDCJ Office of Inspector General to initiate over 500 criminal investigations into illegal activities involving inmates, staff, and prison visitors.

In particular, the rise in inmate homicides has been a significant concern. According to TDCJ spokesperson Jeremy Hernandez, there have been 16 inmate homicides this year alone, a stark increase compared to previous years. Last year saw seven inmate homicides, while the year prior there were nine murders.

It's worth noting that while TDCJ officials claim 16 inmate homicides this year, their online custodial death reports show only 11 homicides. Hernandez clarified that the online records were filed before TDCJ officials received some of the final toxicology and autopsy reports from local medical facilities.

Since lockdown began, 20 inmates have died according to TDCJ custodial death reports. The manner of death in 13 of the incidents was deemed “natural.” Three inmates died of suicide. Four cases remain pending due to a lack of autopsy results.