Sept. 8 (UPI) — Two women, including the sister of Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, were arrested for allegedly killing and robbing an elderly woman at a California casino.
Leonard’s sister, 35-year-old Kimesha Monae Williams, and Candace Tai Townsel, 39, were charged with murder, robbery elder abuse, in the death of 84-year-old Afif Anis Assad on Friday. They were also charged with a special condition of committing robbery during a murder, making them eligible for the death penalty.
Casino surveillance footage allegedly showed the pair follow Assad into a bathroom where she was found unconscious and her purse with about $1,000 inside missing. Williams and Townsel were arrested on Sept. 3 and Assad died Sept. 4.
Both women were held without bail and are due to be arraigned on Sept. 19.
A Riverside County sheriff’s investigator noted Williams’ relation to Leonard but did not name him specifically, when requesting that she be held with no bail.
“Williams has family that are well off and could post her bail of $1,000,000,” the investigator wrote. “I am requesting NO BAIL to assure Williams’ appearance in court and to keep innocent victims safe.”
Denise Woodard, Williams aunt confirmed to the Riverside Press-Enterprise that the suspect is Leonard’s sister, but emphasized that the NBA star did not have anything to do with the crime.
Williams has previous convictions for petty theft, grand theft, misappropriating lost property, grand theft auto and attempted robbery.
“Williams has a violent history and targeted a feeble elderly female and robbed her,” an investigator wrote.
