Competency hearing set in double homicide

Published 10:08 am Friday, October 11, 2019

A hearing scheduled for next month will determine whether one of the four alleged shooters on a double homicide is competent to stand trial or plead guilty.

Ronnie Ellis, 20, is expected to plead guilty to his role in a November 2017 shooting that left two 16-year-old girls dead in downtown Winchester.

Whether that proceeds will be determined if he is found competent to stand trial.

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Ellis and co-defendant Denzel Hill went through the felony mediation process and accepted those terms earlier this year, while the other two alleged gunmen, Matthew Carmen and Darian Skinner wanted a jury trial.

Hill has already pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitation to commit murder and single counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and tampering with physical evidence. He and co-defendant Mikaela Buford were scheduled to be sentenced Thursday, but both were continued to Nov. 21.

Clark Circuit Judge Jean Chenault Logue said Thursday the competency hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4.

Ellis’ attorney Gerry Harris, though, indicated his client may not accept the mediated plea agreement.

“We thought that it was accepted,” Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Charles Johnson said. “This completely changes our trial strategy. This is not what we discussed.”

Logue said following the competency hearing, she would schedule either a trial date or a date to enter a guilty plea.

In the meantime, all defendants remain in custody.

The shooting happened Nov. 7, 2017, between apartment buildings at 27 and 31 E. Washington St. Police said the shooting was preceded by a verbal argument earlier in the day.

Around 9 p.m., Buford drove Hill, Skinner and Ellis to the apartments. They reportedly got out of the vehicle, spread out, pulled out firearms and started firing. Carmen, police said, was in an apartment and returned fire.

Adrianna Castro and Kayla Holland, both 16, died from gunshot wounds after being caught in the crossfire.

Hill agreed to a 20-year prison sentence with his guilty plea. Buford pleaded guilty to two counts of facilitation to commit murder and one count of complicity to first-degree wanton endangerment. Prosecutors recommended she serve five years for each facilitation count and one year for complicity.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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