New details about woman charged in fatal stabbing outside North Olmsted Giant Eagle

NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio (WOIO) – We’re learning more about the woman charged with fatally stabbing a three-year-old boy outside a Giant Eagle grocery store in North Olmsted on Monday. According to public records, Bionca Ellis, 32, of Cleveland has not had an extensive criminal history.

“There is nothing that shows that she has any violent tendencies,” said North Olmsted Detective Sergeant Matthew Beck.

On Tuesday, Ellis was charged with the aggravated murder of Julian Wood.

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Investigators say Ellis stabbed the boy and his mother with a kitchen knife in the parking lot of a Giant Eagle supermarket in North Olmsted. They say it appears to be a random attack.

Prior to that, court records show Ellis had been charged with theft at a North Olmsted Walmart in May of last year. Records show Ellis pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of unauthorized use of property and was given a six-month probation.

Judge Brian Hagan at Rocky River Municipal Court oversaw that case and told 19 Investigates that Ellis never completed her required theft education program ― thereby violating her probation. A warrant was then issued for her arrest.

“She was arrested on Thursday at Walmart,” said Detective Sergeant Beck. “A welfare check was done on her and she was found to have that warrant, so she was taken into custody and then she ― upon her release last week ― came back yesterday morning inquiring about some property of hers.”

Judge Hagan also said Ellis had no apparent history of mental health problems at the time ― something investigators now question.

“There is some mental health concerns that we have, but nothing concrete at this point,” said Detective Sergeant Beck.

Records show this past March, Ellis was also charged with criminal trespassing at a hotel in Kissimmee, Florida. According to the complaint, Ellis tried renting a room but didn’t have the funds. When the clerk at the front desk asked her to leave, she refused.

Officials confirm she was jailed for more than a month in Florida before being released. Other than that, Ellis appears to have nothing on her record but a number of traffic violations.

There is a Cleveland woman named Bionca Ellis on Facebook who claims to work at Cuyahoga County’s Department of Job & Family Services. Various people have begun posting derogatory remarks on her page ― making reference to her employment position. But 19 investigates contacted both Cuyahoga County and state officials who confirmed Ellis doesn’t work for job and family services and never has.

As for explaining why she did what she’s now accused of doing?

“There’s no indication as to why she committed this,” said Detective Sergeant Beck. “She wouldn’t speak about anything, she lawyered up.”

We tried contacting Ellis’ potential relatives to learn more about her, but haven’t heard back.

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