What happened to Nia Wilson?

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On July 22, 2018, three sisters, Nia, Letifah and Tashiya Wilson, were attacked by a man wielding a knife, later identified as John Cowell. 18-year-old Nia Wilson died after her throat was slashed. Her older sister, Letifah, was stabbed in the neck but survived. Tashiya was not physically harmed.  Cowell, aged 27, was identified as the suspect immediately following the attack, and he was caught the following day.  

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Nia Wilson was a cheerleader and a rapper. She dreamed of having a dance studio. She and her cousins were in a music group called Girlz N the Hood. Wilson was known as being talented with makeup and recently graduated from Dewey Academy.  

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On the night of July 22, 2018, Nia Wilson and two of her sisters (Letifah and Tashiya), were returning from a party at their aunt's in Concord, California. They had gotten on the train at Concord station and were transferring trains at MacArthur station to go home.  At approximately 9:30 pm at MacArthur station, the perpetrator slashed Nia's throat and stabbed her older sister Letifah in the neck. The attacker was silent and stood back watching as Nia bled out and died while Letifah, who survived with a serious neck wound, held her. Tashiya was not physically harmed. The perpetrator then fled. Police identified John Cowell based on security cameras at the scene, a backpack with Cowell's identification inside, and witness statements of him wiping the knife clean and fleeing after the attack. 

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John Cowell was arrested on July 23, 2018, at Pleasant Hill BART Station. A witness is reportedly responsible for his apprehension; the witness saw Cowell at the station and called the police. Cowell was then booked on charges of first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon and violation of parole. His arraignment was scheduled for July 26, 2018 but was postponed until August 22. Cowell is currently being held at Santa Rita Jail without bail. 

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On August 22, 2018, Alameda County prosecutors added a charge of lying in wait. The added charge means if convicted, he would face life without parole or even the possibility of the death penalty. On September 14, 2018, attorneys further delayed entering a plea. The plea entry was delayed until the date of October 26, 2018. On October 11, 2019, Judge Kevin Murphy agreed to seal a future motion to dismiss the case submitted by Cowell's public defender, and the motion will be argued in open court proceedings on November 22, 2019. Cowell is also expected to enter a plea on November 22, 2019. The court found Cowell competent to stand trial in July 2019 after three court-appointed doctors evaluated him. One of the evaluations found Cowell incompetent, one found him competent, and the third evaluation's author could not come to a conclusion.  

 

What can we do? 

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1. Share her story and say her name