The sister of Los Angeles Clippers player Kawhi Leonard has been charged with the murder of an elderly woman in Temecula, California.
On August 31, Leonard’s sister Kimesha Monae Williams, 35, and her friend Candace Tai Townsel, 39, allegedly followed Afaf Anis Assad, 84, into the bathroom at a casino and bashed her head in, breaking her skull. Authorities said they also took the woman’s purse which reportedly contained $800 to $1,200.
Authorities arrested Williams on Tuesday and the victim died from her injuries on Wednesday.
On Saturday, Williams’ aunt, Denise Woodard, confirmed to reporters that Leonard and Williams are brother and sister, but added, “He didn’t have anything to do with this.”
An investigator with the Riverside County sheriff recently filed a written request asking a judge to eliminate Williams’ chances to post bail.
“Williams has family that are well off and could post her bail of $1,000,000. I am requesting NO BAIL to assure Williams’ appearance in court and to keep innocent victims safe,” the investigator wrote.
However, Leonard’s name was not mentioned in the request.
Wayne Brown, the victim’s son-in-law, said he took Assad and her husband to the casino the morning of the alleged murder and about half an hour later, she was found badly beaten and unconscious on the floor of the bathroom.
Brown continued:
She didn’t even get a chance to play. I mean she had some money in her wallet because she was ready to play that day, and I don’t know if they targeted her because she just walked through the door and they knew she had money in her wallet. We give ourselves this this view that we live in a world that’s safe and civil, but in the end it’s like a wild world, you know.
Reports said Williams, who is six feet, two inches tall and weighs 320 pounds, has previous convictions for petty theft, grand theft, misappropriating lost property, grand theft auto, and attempted robbery.
The victim’s daughter, Mary Assad, told reporters, “It was just all very unexpected and tragic and unnecessary” during a phone interview just before she went to make funeral arrangements for her deceased mother.
Williams and Townsel, who could both face the death penalty, are expected to be arraigned in court on September 19, according to reports.
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