Kawhi Leonard's sister sentence, explained: Updates on Kimesha ...

The sister of Clippers' superstar forward Kawhi Leonard was one of two women sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2019 murder of an elderly woman in a Southern California casino.

In February, Kimesha Williams, who is the older sister of Leonard, and Candace Townsel were convicted for the killing of 84-year-old Afaf Assad. Williams and Townsel were found guilty of first-degree murder, robbery, and elder abuse. On Friday, April 21, the two were handed sentences for their conviction.

The charges stem from Aug. 31, 2019, when Williams and Townsel were accused of following Assad into the bathroom of the Pechanga Casino Resort in Temecula, Calif. According to court documents, Williams and Townsel attacked and robbed Assad as she exited a bathroom stall.

Days after the attack, Williams' connection to Leonard was confirmed by her aunt, Denise Woodard.

Williams and Townsel's attack left Assad bleeding on the bathroom floor with a fractured skull. She died four days later, having never regained consciousness. According to prosecutors, Assad had suffered a brain hemorrhage.

During the attack, Williams and Townsel forcefully took Assad's purse, which, according to investigators, contained somewhere between $800 and $1,200.

Prior to her sentencing, Williams maintained her innocence in a statement addressed to Assad's daughter, Mary:

I am so sorry for your loss. I have been praying for you and your family every day. I am not responsible for the death of Mrs. Assad. Although the courts have found me guilty of the charges, we all know the truth, and that there is one judge, and that is God, and that he knows the truth.

Townsel did not provide a statement

Superior Court Judge Timothy F. Freer was unmoved by Williams' words, saying that "the idea that Miss Williams or Miss Townsel is not responsible for the death of a human being is laughable."

While Williams and Townsel received life sentences, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin did not seek the death penalty.

Prior to their sentencing, Townsel was being held at Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, Calif. while Williams was being held at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside, Calif.