The first time that members of Lu Thi “Kim” Harris knew there was a criminal investigation into her death is when her son-in-law drove to her home on March 20th, 2018, and saw police activity.
Richard Reinhart testified police had asked him for a key to Harris’s home earlier in the day, saying they wanted to do a welfare check. While Reinhart did not have a key, he knew of a neighbor who did. Police ended up breaking through the front door and finding the body of Harris next to her bed.
“She was laying on the floor between a dresser and her bed and deceased,” said Dallas Police officer Steven Cazzelle, the first to enter the bedroom.
The discovery of Harris came the day after Plano Police responded to an attempted smothering of 91-year-old Mary Bartel, a resident at an assisted living center.
Police had staked out the apartment of Billy Chemirmir, whose car was seen leaving Bartel’s complex. Officers testified they had seen Chemirmir throwing away items in the dumpster when they made the arrest. One of the items included a jewelry box, and Chemirmir had jewelry in his hand when he was arrested, said a police detective.
The jewelry was identified by Reinhardt as Harris’s. Photo after photo of Harris showed her wearing a necklace, bracelet, and special ring. The same items were found in Chemirmir’s car.
“Do you know any reason why she would get rid of these things?” asked prosecutor Glen Fitzmartin.
“No, those were her personal items that she wore every day,” Reinhardt replied.
What’s more, Chemirmir had the keys to Harris’s home, the same keys Reinhardt did not have.
“We used those keys recovered from Mr. Chemirmir to unlock the front door of the house,” said Dallas Police detective Casey Shelton. Police also were able to find a pillow believed to be the murder weapon. The pillow had lipstick on the cover. “That appeared to be the same color, fuchsia, that she had been wearing. It was smeared.”
The use of the pillow fit the manner of death that was determined by the autopsy.
“The cause of death, in this case, was smothering,” said Dr. Travis Danielsen, the former Dallas County medical examiner who performed the autopsy. Danielsen confirmed the pillow could have been used as a deadly weapon.
Reinhardt portrayed his mother-in-law as a hard-working immigrant who overcame childhood trauma to ultimately marry American businessman Bill Harris. “She actually got out of Saigon on a helicopter off the American embassy to an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea.”
The couple had lived in Tanzania for a while until Bill Harris retired. The couple then moved to the far North Dallas area.
“My mother-in-law was a hoot. She was very fun to be around.”
A favorite thing of Harris’s was to give out two dollar bills in cards. Similar money was recovered from Chemirmir.
Police say Harris’s death was the final murder committed by Chemirmir who was charged in 18 capital murders but suspected in at least 24.
The trial before State District Court Judge Raquel “Rocky” Jones called a recess to the trial at noon due to scheduling conflicts. She warned jurors that tomorrow could be a long day. Attorneys expect the case to go to the jury by the end of the week, possibly as early as Thursday. If convicted of capital murder, Chemirmir will receive an automatic sentence of life without parole.
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