Competency hearing set in triple kidnapping case

A judge has granted a competency hearing for a Cleveland man accused of kidnapping three family members in his father’s Willoughby basement.

Michael Ribaudo, 34, is charged with three felony kidnapping charges related to an alleged incident at his father’s house Feb. 24.

According to Willoughby police:

Ribaudo was invited to the home for dinner. When he arrived, he lured his 72-year-old father into the basement and assaulted him with chloroform. After a brief struggle, he bound and gagged his father. He then went to his mother’s home on Shepherds Glen, brought her back to his father’s home, and handcuffed and tied her to a support post in the basement.

He then left for his aunt’s home in Willowick, brought her back to his father’s house, assaulted her and handcuffed her to a support post with his mother.

Assistant Lake County Public Defender Aaron Schwartz recently filed a request for county Adult Probation Department officials to evaluate Ribaudo.

“Counsel has a good faith belief that because of defendant’s current mental state, he may be incapable of presently assisting in his defense,” Schwartz stated in the motion. “Specifically, Mr. Ribaudo has a history of mental health issues and the mental health professionals in the jail have voiced some serious concerns regarding his current status.”

A competency hearing is scheduled for May 4 before Lake County Common Pleas Judge Eugene A. Lucci.

Ribaudo remains in Lake County Jail on $1 million bond.

Police said his aunt was able to escape and that after she told him she called 911, he fled from the scene. She then reportedly locked the doors and called 911.

Ribaudo was found a few hours later by Eastlake police sleeping in his car in the city’s Walmart parking lot.

Ribaudo