A Cleveland woman has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for fatally stabbing three-year-old Julian Wood outside a supermarket.
Bionca Ellis, 34, remained expressionless as Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John Russo imposed the sentence on Monday. Ellis was found guilty earlier this month of aggravated murder, felonious assault, child endangering, and aggravated theft. She has been in custody on a $5 million bond since her indictment in 2024.
The attack occurred in June 2024 at a Giant Eagle grocery store in North Olmsted. Authorities said Ellis had stolen two knives from a nearby thrift store and used them to follow Julian Wood and his mother, Margot Wood, into the parking lot. She stabbed the toddler twice before walking away; Julian later died at a hospital, while his mother sustained a shoulder injury. Prosecutors noted she had attempted to pull Julian from his shopping cart during the attack.
Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley described the crime as “among the most heartbreaking” acts of violence he had seen, stating that Ellis’ actions warranted life without parole.
Ellis’ attorneys, Fernando Mack and Carlos Johnson, said the sentence was “the wrong outcome” and announced plans to appeal, citing her history of severe mental illness. They had entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, arguing that she was only deemed competent for the court proceedings on that particular day.
Following the original verdict, Julian’s parents, Margot and Jared Wood, thanked the community for its support.
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