Trial Begins For Pair Accused Of Fatal Assault At Pechanga Casino

TEMECULA, CA — A jury was sworn in Wednesday and testimony got underway in the trial of two women accused of robbing and fatally beating a senior at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula.

Candace Tai Townsell, 42, and Kimesha Monae Williams, 38, both of Moreno Valley, allegedly killed 84-year-old Afaf Anis Assad of Long Beach in 2019.

Both defendants are charged with first-degree murder, robbery and elder abuse, as well as a special circumstance allegation of killing during the course of a robbery, with sentence-enhancing great bodily injury allegations.

Following nearly two weeks of jury selection that was interrupted by the holidays, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer swore in a panel Wednesday morning at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

After the jurors were seated, the prosecution submitted its opening statement. However, the defense elected to reserve its opening until prosecutors completed their case-in-chief.

The trial is expected to span the entire month.

Each defendant is being held without bail -- Townsell at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, and Williams at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.

According to the prosecution's trial brief, Townsell and Williams had been trawling the casino in the predawn hours of Aug. 31, 2019, stealing a woman's mobile phone and trying to scope out targets for theft.

"Both have a long-documented history of theft crimes throughout Riverside County," according to the brief.

The defendants were preparing to leave about 7:30 that morning, and about the time they reached the front exit, they observed Afaf Assad arrive with her 92-year-old husband, who walked toward a gaming room while his wife stepped into a ladies restroom, prosecutors said.

Pechanga security cameras captured all of the goings-on outside of the lavatory, including images of Townsell and Williams "diverting their path (to the exit) to follow Mrs. Assad into the restroom," the brief stated.

The women allegedly stationed themselves inside the bathroom, near the exit, as the victim walked into a stall. They were observed by two casino patrons, one of whom described them as loitering for "no real purpose," according to the brief.

One witness went into a stall, and the other left, after which the two defendants, Assad and the remaining witness were the only parties in the restroom.

According to court papers, as Assad left her stall and headed toward a sink, the defendants allegedly pounced on her. One allegedly ripped her pink purse from her grasp with such force as to leave a severe bruise on her left arm, and the other knocked the senior to the bathroom floor, where the back of her head impacted with the same amount of force that might result in blunt force injuries from "a motor vehicle accident, or an unprotected fall from standing height," according to the brief.

The witness in the bathroom stall heard the commotion and what sounded like "vomiting or throwing up," followed by a loud thud, court papers stated.

The defendants allegedly prevented a custodian from entering the restroom before bolting out of the space, all of which was caught on security cameras.

"Townsell was observed skipping and waiving her hands in a celebratory fashion," according to the brief.

The custodian found Assad bleeding and unconscious, prompting her to alert casino security and medical personnel, who attempted to render aid until Riverside County Fire Department paramedics reached the location.

The victim was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where she died three days later, never having regained consciousness. She had suffered a brain hemorrhage, according to prosecutors.

The defendants' gain from the alleged robbery was between $800 and $1,200, sheriff's investigators said.

Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Brosche said detectives relied on surveillance camera images and other leads that pointed to Townsell and Williams as the alleged assailants, and both were taken into custody less than a week later -- Townsell in Hemet, and Williams in Perris.

Williams, who reportedly is related to Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, has prior convictions for grand theft, burglary and auto theft, according to court records.

Court records show that Townsell has priors for theft and driving on a suspended license.