Ellis will now travel to the forensic psychiatry center at Eastway Behavioral Healthcare in Dayton on Jan. 30 for a competency evaluation.
Ellis is accused of carrying out an attack on her then-13-year-old friend’s family members at a home on North Church Street in New Carlisle on May 23.
The friend’s mother, Lee A. Moore, 36, died in the attack. The 13-year-old’s father and then 17-year-old brother were also hurt, but survived.
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Ellis’ evaluation will not be the first time she’s been seen by a psychologist in this case.
Before Ellis was indicted into adult court on Dec. 9, there were several steps that needed to be taken before a judge could relinquish her to adult court because of her age at the time of the crime — including hearings about facts of the case and psychological evaluations.
A psychological expert weighed in at an ”amenability hearing” for Ellis on whether she could be rehabilitated.
“Dr. (Kara) Marciani opined in her report and testimony that not only was the youth mature enough to be transferred to the adult division, she did not believe there was sufficient time to rehabilitate the youth in the juvenile system,” a judgment entry from Clark County Juvenile Court Judge Katrine Lancaster said. “Dr. Marciani’s opinion is that the youth’s psychopathic features and the borderline personality disorders are very difficult to treat and in some instances, treatment-resistant, and therefor the youth is not amenable to rehabilitation within the juvenile system.”
The results of the competency evaluation are expected to be reviewed by March 3, until then, Ellis will remain at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center.
Ellis’ attorney, John Meehling, said more information will be available once the results of the evaluation come back.
“Until that comes back, we just have to wait,” Meehling said.
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While Ellis will face her charges in adult court, her alleged co-conspirator will remain in juvenile court.
Sheriff’s deputies have said previously that even though Ellis may have acted by herself, the planning of the attack was done in unison with the 13-year-old.
In an interrogation video shown in a July hearing, Ellis told an investigator that her friend left weapons out in the home in certain places for her to use in the stabbing.
At the same hearing, a deputy told the court that Ellis told her the night of the attack that the two girls were in communication up until moments before the stabbing happened.
The 13-year-old has been charged as a serious youthful offender which could result in a mixture of juvenile and adult sentences down the line.
The 13-year-old is due in court for her final pre-trial hearing on Jan. 23.
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