Madison County, Indiana – The suspect accused of the shooting and killing of Elwood police officer Noah Shahnavaz has been deemed competent to stand trial and potentially face the death penalty. Carl Roy Webb Boards II, a 44-year-old Anderson man, is facing charges of felony murder and resisting arrest in connection to the tragic incident that occurred in July 2022.
A previous ruling from a Madison County judge mandated mental health evaluations for Boards to determine his competency to undergo trial. Following this evaluation process, the judge has confirmed that Boards is indeed competent to stand trial. Throughout the evaluations, Boards passed three separate mental health assessments, leading to the conclusion that he is fit to face trial.
Judge Andrew Hopper of Madison Circuit Court 3 issued a ruling affirming Boards’ competence, stating that there is “overwhelming evidence” that he can understand the legal proceedings and assist in his defense. Despite initial arguments from his defense team claiming incompetence, the judge emphasized that disliking one’s counsel does not equate to incompetence.
In addition to the competency ruling, there was a discussion regarding the venue for the trial due to concerns of prejudicial pretrial publicity in Madison County. As a result, jurors for the trial will be drawn from residents of Delaware County to ensure a fair trial environment for Boards.
Boards was arrested in Elwood after allegedly shooting Officer Shahnavaz multiple times during a traffic stop in July 2022. Shahnavaz, a 24-year-old officer with a military background, tragically lost his life as a result of the incident. Court documents indicate that Boards fled the scene in his car and was later apprehended following a police pursuit.
Furthermore, Boards’ criminal history reveals a prior incident in 2006 where he was sentenced to a 25-year aggravated sentence for firing at Indianapolis police officers. The trial for the shooting of Officer Shahnavaz is set to commence in January 2025, with Boards potentially facing the death penalty if found guilty.