Police: Infant's death 'connected' to fatal June 12 shooting of mother

ASHEVILLE - A baby boy who was in his mother's womb when she was fatally shot nearly three months ago at an Asheville housing complex has died.

The Asheville Police Department said it considers the baby's death as being "connected" to his mother's homicide.

K'syon Kawhi Finley died Aug. 31, according to an obituary posted by Avery's Memorial Chapel. A cause of death was not included.

K'syon survived the June 12 shooting in which his 24-year-old mother, Tiyquasha Simuel, was killed. APD has not made any arrests, but said detectives are "diligently investigating" the incident.

Simuel was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the area of Boyd Avenue and Ivy Street. Police said they determined the incident was related to calls it had received regarding shots fired at Deaverview.

Simuel was transported to Mission Hospital, where she died. Transcripts of 911 calls obtained by the Citizen Times revealed that callers reported hearing as many as 30 shots fired that night.

• See: Asheville police: Pregnant woman's shooter still on loose; funeral announced

K'syon was born the next day, according to the birth date listed in his obituary. In an interview with the Citizen Times the day after Simuel was killed, a man who identified himself as her boyfriend and K'syon's father said the boy had lost a lot of blood but was doing fairly well.

In her obituary, Simuel was described as an outgoing person with "an amazing personality and heart."

"Tiyquasha was so excited about becoming a mother and being the best at it," her obituary said.

Mission Hospital spokeswoman Nancy Lindell said it was unable to release information about whether the baby had been released from its care.

APD encouraged anyone with information to call 828-252-1110 or Crimestoppers at 828-255-5050. Callers can remain anonymous, officials said.

"We are committed to identifying the perpetrators in the deaths of Tiyquasha and K'syon, but the we need the community's help in solving this case," the department said in a news release.

Simuel testified as a subpoenaed state witness about two weeks prior to her death in the capital murder trial against Nathaniel Dixon, who was found guilty of killing 22-year-old Candace Pickens and severely injuring her toddler son in a North Asheville park in 2016.

Dixon, who's serving a life sentence, has been in jail since his arrest more than three years ago. APD has repeatedly declined to say whether they believe Simuel's death is connected to her participation in the trial.

"We cannot speculate as to motive at this time," APD spokeswoman Jerri Jameson told the Citizen Times on Sept. 5.