I-TEAM: Woman accused of killing child outside local Giant Eagle ruled incompetent

(WJW) – The FOX 8 I-TEAM has found a woman ruled incompetent to stand trial for the murder of a child outside of a North Olmsted grocery store.

The Cuyahoga County Court docket shows the case against Bionca Ellis is now on hold.

In June, police arrested Ellis for attacking 3-year-old Julian Wood and his mother outside a grocery store in North Olmsted. Police said Ellis stabbed the child to death.

The Court docket shows Ellis was referred to North Coast Behavioral Health for a 20-day evaluation. And, “In the confidential report…the doctor opined that the defendant is incompetent to stand trial.”

However, that may not mean the end of the case.

The docket also shows, “…there is a substantial probability of restoration to competency within the statutory time frame if provided with a course of treatment.”

The courts provide time for suspects ruled incompetent to undergo treatment toward becoming fit to stand trial.

In this case, the docket also shows Ellis has been ordered to stay in the mental health facility. And, “the defendant is ordered to cooperate with all prescribed medication.”

Earlier, defense attorneys told the court they had an evaluation and found Ellis incompetent for trial.

In June, the I-TEAM revealed Ellis had been released from jail without a psych exam, just days before the murder, even though a magistrate had recommended a mental health evaluation.

The I-TEAM found that Rocky River Judge Brian Hagan released Ellis on a probation violation without a mental health exam.

Now, this.

Recently, new video released to the I-TEAM shows Bionca Ellis talking about committing murder long before police said she killed the toddler.

The video recently released comes from an encounter Cleveland Police had with Ellis back in February at a women’s shelter. Police responded to a call for a disturbance involving Ellis. They found her wearing a pink outfit with glasses shaped like hearts.

She told Cleveland Police she had killed people in California. But, police body camera video shows she made vague claims that didn’t make sense.

An officer asked, “What did you use to commit the murder?  A gun?”

Ellis said, softly, “Gun.”

The officer also asked, “Do you know who it was?”

Ellis responded with, “Couple people.” And, “There’s bodies.”

The officer also wanted to know, “Do you know if they found the person that you murdered?”

Ellis answered, “I don’t know. I probably ate ’em.”

The officer, then, reacted with, “You probably ate them…”

After that call, police took Ellis for a mental health check. Her mother has told the I-TEAM of mental health issues going back a long time.

On the video from the February incident, Ellis also asked an officer, “Did they find any of those bodies yet?” Bakersfield Police have told the I-TEAM the claims Ellis made were “not credible” and unfounded.

At one point, the Cleveland officer said to Ellis, “Please inform me how I’m supposed to solve these Bakersfield murders from Cleveland, Ohio, ma’am.”

She answered, “If I had gone to law school to be an officer, I would.”

After that encounter at the shelter, Cleveland police said they took Ellis to a hospital, and she fought with medical staff.

While police in California did not believe Ellis was tied to any homicides, she is facing charges for assaulting staff at a hospital there.

Ellis has plead not guilty to the homicide of the child, but for now, it’s not clear when, or if, she may stand trial.

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