Boards death penalty trial scheduled for August 2024

Feb. 3—ANDERSON — The trial of Carl Roy Webb Boards II in the shooting death of Elwood Police Officer Noah Shahnavaz will likely take place in 2024.

Boards, 42, Anderson, appeared in Madison Circuit Court Division 3 Friday for a hearing in which Judge Andrew Hopper took a proposed trial schedule under advisement.

The proposed schedule sets the trial for Aug. 5, 2024, with proceedings expected to last the entire month. Jury selection will start on July 22, 2024, and is expected to be concluded by Aug. 2, 2024.

As has become customary when Boards appears in court, there was a heightened security presence; members of Shahnavaz's family and a contingent of Elwood police officers were present.

Judge Hopper indicated he would rule on the defense's request for a change of venue from Madison County at a later date.

The defense wants the trial moved to another county because of pretrial publicity in the case stemming from the July 31 shooting death of Shahnavaz following a routine traffic stop.

The Madison County Prosecutor's office contends the trial could still take place in Anderson, but that jurors from another county would hear the case.

Effective Friday, Boards is being transferred from the Hamilton County Jail to the Pendleton Correctional Facility.

Since his arrest last July, Boards has been housed in Hamilton County.

Boards' attorney Joe Duepner withdrew an objection to moving Boards to an Indiana Department of Correction facility.

Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Hanna said the state was willing to house Boards in Pendleton.

He said there were four state facilities that could be used, which include the Miami Correctional Facility, Michigan City State Prison and Wabash Valley Correctional Facility.

Hanna said Miami Valley would be the alternate site if there are issues raised concerning the Pendleton location.

Boards is accused of fatally shooting Shahnavaz, 24, through the windshield of his police cruiser early on July 31 in Elwood during a traffic stop.

Just after 2 a.m. Shahnavaz stopped a 2012 Buick LaCrosse near the intersection of Indiana 37 and County Road 1100 North. Police have not provided a reason for the traffic stop.

Officers from Elwood and Madison County found the wounded Shahnavaz and administered life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived.

Shahnavaz was taken by ambulance to Ascension St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Elwood and later flown by helicopter to an Indianapolis-area hospital, where he died.

Just after 2:30 a.m., Hamilton County officers located the Buick and attempted a traffic stop. The Buick continued southbound on Indiana 37. Hamilton County sheriff's deputies pursued the Buick and deployed a tire-deflation device near the area of Indiana 37 and 146th Street.

The Buick continued southbound on Indiana 37 toward Interstate 69. While on I-69, Fishers police employed two "precision immobilization techniques." After the second attempt, the Buick struck a median barrier wall. Officers took Boards into custody without further incident.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.