Muhssia King was 22 when masked men fired multiple shots into his vehicle outside his family's home in Haverstraw. He had been expected to be a key prosecution witness in a Rockland County murder case, and as of this week, no one has been arrested in his killing.
King was found shot dead while sitting in a car outside 77 Clove Avenue, between Fairmount and Tor Avenues, around 8:45 p.m. on Sept. 9, 2025, lohud.com reported. Police identified him the following afternoon and said they were searching for two suspects dressed in all black. The report noted that no arrests had been made and that the investigation remained ongoing.
A new report from New York Focus says the killing now hangs over the murder trial of Anthony Mitchell, which began earlier this month. According to the outlet, King's murder still has no arrests as of Tuesday.
The Spring Valley Killing at the Center
The underlying case is the July 8, 2022 killing of 17-year-old Treynahel Cineus in Spring Valley, according to Rockland Times. Cineus was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he died of his injuries. A grand jury indicted three Haverstraw men: Anthony Mitchell, Ahmad Williams and Brian Thomas.
Each was charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and multiple counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, the same report said. CBS News New York noted that the motive for the shooting remained unclear.
Per New York Focus, King had testified before a Rockland County grand jury and was associated with a Haverstraw faction known as Haviworld. The outlet also reports that King drove a Toyota Camry carrying Mitchell, Williams and Thomas.
A Fight Over Shielding King's Identity
Prosecutors asked to keep King's identity from the defense, but Rockland County Judge Kevin Russo denied that request, New York Focus reports. According to court papers cited by the outlet, King's father reported that unnamed individuals warned the family of consequences if King cooperated with law enforcement. Russo later issued an amended order allowing defendants to view documents recounting King's statements, and said in November 2022 that “there are no protective orders in place at this time.”
An appellate court overruled Russo's denial of a protective order, according to the same account. It found the decision inadequately balanced defense preparation with witness safety, and ordered that King's identity and cooperation information could be shared with defendants only a month before trial. The appellate court material says judges may weigh danger to a witness's safety and risks including intimidation, economic reprisal, bribery and harassment when deciding whether good cause exists for a protective order.
Where the Defendants Stand Now
The three men's cases have diverged, according to New York Focus. Ahmad Williams pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in state prison in April. Brian Thomas reached a cooperation agreement with prosecutors in 2025 and received a maximum 12-year sentence after pleading guilty to the same charge.
Mitchell was sentenced in April to more than 11 years in federal prison on an unrelated charge, and the outlet says he was imprisoned when King was killed. Prosecutors argued that Mitchell may have played a role in preventing King from testifying. Judge Russo sealed the hearing transcript and his ruling on whether King's testimony could be presented to a jury.
Questions the Case Leaves Hanging
New York Focus reports that the Rockland County District Attorney's Office declined to comment on whether it helped King relocate. Two people familiar with King told the outlet they did not believe he received protective assistance. The outlet also says county budget documents going back five years contain no witness-protection line item.
King's killing has also fed a policy debate in Albany, per the same reporting. State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick has sought legislation easing the withholding of eyewitness identities in gang-related cases, but her bill has failed to gain traction in the Democratic-controlled state senate. Separately, the Criminal Street Gang Abatement Act, introduced by Michael Novakhov, would allocate $5 million from the state budget for a local-government witness protection fund.
