FAIRFIELD, Ohio — A suspect charged in the death of 7-year-old William Evans was sentenced Thursday for a separate assault in Fairfield.
In January, Kirby Rankin was convicted of assaulting a woman in the Jungle Jim's parking lot.
The police report says Rankin confronted the woman after accusing her of nearly hitting Rankin’s family with a vehicle.
The woman told police Rankin cursed at her and threatened to shoot her if she did not leave. Surveillance footage reviewed by officers showed the woman walking away before Rankin approached again, pushed her and punched her in the face with a closed fist, according to the police report.
Police say Rankin then pulled a gun and pointed it at a man who tried to break up the fight. We spoke to the woman's husband in August about the incident. He said his wife was left with a concussion, three fractured teeth and a knee injury that required surgery.
In January, Rankin was convicted of assault and aggravated menacing. However, Rankin remained free on a $100,000 bond while awaiting sentencing.
Months after the assault, Rankin was charged with murder after police found 7-year-old William Evans dead, duct-taped inside a closet in an Oakley home.
Rankin was arrested along with Nessa Keaney and William's mother, Kaitlin Evans. All three pleaded not guilty and had bonds set at $1.1 million.
According to the Fairfield police report, Keaney and Evans were with Rankin during January's assault. Despite their statements to police claiming the woman was the aggressor, police said camera footage showed Rankin was the primary aggressor.
In January, a Fairfield judge ordered Rankin to undergo a mental evaluation following the assault. However, in court Thursday, Rankin said she was arrested for William's murder before she could complete the evaluation.
“I was attempting to get into the evaluation very shortly before the arrest in Hamilton County," Rankin said.
In September, Rankin was found mentally competent to stand trial in William's murder case.
Thursday, Rankin was sentenced to 180 days for both charges related to the assault, to be served consecutively.
Judge Zachary Zoz said Rankin's current case in Hamilton County will determine when she serves that time. Rankin also owes thousands of dollars in restitution and court fines.
“In my perspective, it was an overreaction on your part," Zoz said to Rankin.
