Kawhi Leonard’s sister charged in deadly robbery of 84-year-old woman

The sister of reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard is one of two women charged with the robbery and murder of an 84-year-old woman at a Southern California casino.

Kimesha Williams, 35, and another woman are accused in connection with the death of Afaf Anis Assad of Long Beach, California, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Denise Woodard, who said she was Leonard’s aunt, confirmed the relationship for the newspaper.

On Aug. 31, Assad was found unconscious in a restroom at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif., and died Sept. 4 of “injuries sustained in the incident,” the Riverside County Sheriff’s office said. Assad’s injuries, according to the Press-Enterprise, indicated “a great amount of force, such as being pushed, thrown or punched.”

Candace Townsel, 39, also was arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery, sheriff’s officials said, adding that both women followed Assad into a bathroom and stole her purse, fracturing her skull in the process. Williams was being held without bail and Townsel was being held in lieu of million, NBC Los Angeles reported. A Riverside County Sheriff’s investigator recommended that Williams be held without bail because she “has family that are well off and could post her bail” of million.

Leonard, who led the Toronto Raptors to an NBA championship in June and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers the following month, went to high school in the Southern California area.