Father of 3-year-old Murdered at North Olmsted Giant Eagle Speaks in Court
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The woman accused of fatally stabbing three-year-old Julian Wood in the parking lot of the North Olmsted Giant Eagle store made an appearance in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas on Monday. Bionca Ellis, the suspect, initially refused to lift her head during the video hearing and declined to answer the judge’s questions about the indictment. Judge Nancy Margaret Russo then instructed an attorney from the public defender’s office to visit the jail and read the indictment to Ellis.
Approximately 45 minutes later, Ellis was brought into the courtroom and pleaded not guilty to all charges, including aggravated murder. Julian’s father, Jared Wood, urged the court to keep the defendant behind bars. Judge Russo set bond at $5 million and revealed that the prosecution is seeking the death penalty in this case.
Julian was with his mother, Margot, 37, when the attack occurred. While Margot survived the incident, Julian tragically lost his life. North Olmsted police apprehended Ellis, 32, of Cleveland, shortly after the attack, as she was walking on Dover Center Road with the knife believed to have been used in the assault.
According to North Olmsted Police Det. Sgt. Matthew Beck and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley, Ellis had stolen two knives from the Volunteers of America Thrift Store next to Giant Eagle. She then followed the victims out of the store and immediately stabbed Julian, who was sitting in a shopping cart. Margot sustained injuries while attempting to remove her child from the cart.
Ellis faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder, murder, attempted murder, endangering children, tampering with evidence, and misdemeanor theft. Prosecutor O’Malley expressed his condolences to the Wood family and promised to seek justice for Julian.
The North Olmsted police believe the attack was random, and Julian’s funeral took place on June 8. Ellis is expected to appear in court again on June 17.