William Michael Evans-Ellis used to visit his Nonna and PawPaw, Tina and Michael Evans, every weekend.
The 7-year-old boy loved to play. Whether it was building a Lego set, racing cars across the floor or taking on a new video game, William had a lot of energy.
It was no sweat for his grandparents.
“He loved being at our house,” Michael Evans said, “because of the genuine love he found there.”
His grandparents cherished the time with William. To make the visits extra special, they decorated a large shoebox with pieces cut from Hot Wheels packaging. Each week, they would place a surprise gift in the “Magic Box” for William to open when he arrived at their home.
Then, one week in early July, William wasn’t allowed to visit Nonna and PawPaw anymore. Or his grandparents on his father’s side. The family was cut off.
Weeks later, on Aug. 6, police were called to William’s home after a report that his mother’s partner, Kirby Rankin, had kidnapped him. Officers found William dead, bound up with duct tape in a closet and severely abused.
William’s mother, Kaitlin Evans, as well as two others who lived in the home, Rankin and Nessa Keaney, are charged with murder and child endangerment in connection with his death.
Now, William’s family is picking up the pieces, trying to figure out what went wrong.
William lived in a home with parents, two friends
Michael Evans said William was born to his daughter Kaitlin Evans and another woman, Tara Ellis, who transitioned from being a man when William was 4 years old.
William grew up at a home with his parents in Finneytown. His grandparents said the house had a large deck and backyard which he loved.
Ellis introduced Evans to two friends, Rankin and Keaney. The group got along and began to have regular game nights on Fridays, William’s grandparents recalled.
When the friends were all together, William began spending Friday nights with his grandparents, and it eventually evolved into Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday.
At some point, there was a water leak and a mold issue at the house, so Evans, Ellis and William moved into a home on Madison Road in Oakley with Rankin and Keaney.
Eventually, Ellis and Evans had a conflict. Ellis moved out. Rankin, Keaney, Evans and William stayed.
William was still happy.
”William would tell us that he loved his new family,” Michael Evans said. “He wanted them all to be invited to our house for his birthday celebration.”
William suddenly cut off from family in July
William’s weekly visits to Nonna and PawPaw continued every week until one week in early July. Kaitlin Evans had already cut off William’s other grandparents on his biological father’s side after a disagreement. Now, Tina and Michael Evans were being told they couldn’t see William, either.
By July 12, the Evanses were concerned. They pounded on the door of their daughter’s Madison Road home. Rankin answered. After a 20-minute conversation with Rankin, William’s grandparents were allowed to go inside the house to see him.
William was excited to see Nonna and PawPaw.
“I sat next to him with my arm tightly around him and kissed him on the head several times, telling him several times that we love him,” Michael Evans said. “He said that he loved us too.”
When it was time to go, William’s grandparents asked when they would be allowed to see him next. Rankin and Kaitlin Evans told them they would discuss it.
“We had no idea that it would be the last time we would see William,” Evans said.
‘The light of our life’
William was your typical young boy. His grandfather says he knew practically everything about Pokemon, watched Phineas & Ferb and loved going to Skyline Chili.
William is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Tina and Michael Evans; grandparents, Gina and Joe Stenken; grandparents Tracy and Tina Ellis; aunts Shirl Ogden, Val Ellis and Alli Evans; uncle Josh Ellis; and cousins Lily Ellis, Matti Ellis and Janet Meier.
Memorial and funeral arrangements have not been announced.
After police found William dead, Kaitlin Evans, Rankin and Keaney were all arrested and charged for his death. They remain in custody at the jail on $1.1 million bonds.
“William was the light of our life,” Michael Evans said. “We will never get over losing him or stop imagining the pain and terror that he must have endured.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: ‘Light of our life.’ Oakley grandparents speak out after boy’s killing
Reporting by David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
