The Alleged 'Twilight Rapist' Billy Joe Harris Is Going on Trial

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Billy Joe Harris, the accused Texas Twilight Rapist, is headed to trial in Jackson County, Texas. He is charged with rape of a 59 year-old disabled woman on January 8, 2011; and he’s charged with home invasion of that home; also a home burglary where evidence was recovered from December 4, 2010.


On September 12, 2011 jury selection will begin. This is his first trial and hopefully will set the tide flow for others to come. Harris’ lawyer, Alan Cohen, for the Jackson Co., trial is wanting DNA samples reexamined. Cohen is questioning the chain of custody handling of the samples and wondering if there could be contamination.  DNA has linked Harris to 6 of the rapes of elderly women in Texas. He is also charged with numerous counts of home invasion, burglary, and assault. His alleged crime spree of terrorizing elderly citizens spanned 2 years and through 9 counties, from Jan 21 2009 until his capture Jan 8 2011.  DNA and other forensic evidence were collected at numerous scenes; which is a good thing since the victims are elderly and their memories could naturally fade. The DNA links him to five of the assaults in Bell, Falls, and Leon counties and in Yoakum. Yoakum is where the first rape occurred on January 21, 2009. His second alleged rape in Yoakum in Feb of 2009 is when they collected DNA samples.

Oddly, Mr. Harris worked for the prison system in Texas for years so he should’ve known crime doesn’t pay. He was a food service manager and corrections’ officer for different TX prisons between 1999 through 2010. I don’t think if he is found guilty of crimes in which he is accused his food service business will be responsible for seeing he’s well fed. When Harris was in court recently for the Falls County charges he allegedly yelled bible verses and rolled his head. ( An insanity attempt? Remember, Harris allegedly told Quanell X that someone apparently broke into his home and stole his clothing then spread his DNA all over the place. I say he can play dumb-dumb if he wants, I have no sympathy for him)

His Falls County lawyers’ Hoagie Karels and Stan Schwieger entered not guilty pleas to the charges. All his lawyers in each town and county have an uphill battle, (hopefully a losing one) DNA, forensic evidence and the fact missing items from the home invasions were discovered in Harris’ home screams guilt to me.

Yoakum, TX seemed to be the Twilight Rapist favorite crime center. In that town alone he had allegedly perpetrated 2 rapes, an assault, 3 home invasions and 2 attempted burglaries. In the rape of Feb 27 2009 and the assault on November 9, 2009 DNA was collected. Allegedly one victim in Yoakum is also the one raped on 2 different occasions and it’s believed he attempted a third attack but she had moved. All the rapist victims were between 59 and 91-years-old.


my previous post on Twilight Rapist:


http://tigresspenssurmisals.blogspot.com/2010/01/texas-twilight-rapist.html