PLANO (1080 KRLD) - Two families have filed a lawsuit against a retirement community in Plano, saying Preston Place was negligent and did not take "necessary steps" to protect their loved ones from an accused serial killer.
The families of Ann Conklin and Miriam Nelson say they were both killed by Billy Chemirmir in 2018.
Chemirmir has now been accused of killing 22 people. He has been indicted in 12 cases and has been in jail since March of 2018 as he awaits trial.
"I want everybody to go home and hug their mom because I can't," says Jennie Bassett, Conklin's daughter.
"This man entered, wearing rubber gloves, nicely dressed and said he was there to check a leak," says Karen Harris, a daughter of Nelson. "She immediately was on guard because she knew he was not any of the maintenance men she knew."
The families have sued Preston Place, saying retirement community showed a pattern of "woefully deficient" security. They say Chemirmir visited Nelson two days before he returned and killed her.
"It's just accountability. That's the problem I've got," says Cliff Harris, Nelson's son-in-law and a former Dallas Cowboys safety and 2020 NFL Hall of Fame inductee. "To know something was going on and then not make any changes."
Preston Place says it cannot discuss the lawsuit but has sent a statement:
“Because civil litigation has now been filed, it would not be appropriate to discuss this matter. It is important to remember that Billy Chemirmir is the person law enforcement agencies believe is responsible for these horrible crimes. He has been in the Dallas County Jail since his arrest in March 2018 awaiting trial on multiple murder charges in multiple North Texas jurisdictions. We have assisted police and prosecutors with their investigation and will continue to provide information and support as requested. In addition, we continue to offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to every family affected by these senseless acts.”