Boyd in custody for murder

A former Jay County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Dunkirk police officer has been arrested on a preliminary charge of murder.

Roger Boyd, 35, Portland, was arrested early Saturday, Jay County prosecutor Wes Schemenaur said in a press release Saturday afternoon.

Boyd is preliminarily charged with the murder of James P. Miller, 49, Montpelier, and is being held without bond at Jay County Jail. Formal charges against Boyd are expected to be filed today, Schemenaur said this morning.

The homicide being investigated occurred around midnight Friday at 1215 S. Bridge St., Portland. Miller apparently died of a gunshot wound, the press release says.

Schemenaur added this morning that he is not sure if Miller was shot more than once but that an autopsy is planned. A 9mm handgun was recovered at the scene, he said.

Boyd is believed to have been living in the house at 1215 S. Bridge St. — county geographic information system data shows he does not own the property — and was arrested there early Saturday morning. Police were alerted to the shooting by a 911 call from someone at the home.

Schemenaur confirmed that Boyd previously worked for Jay County Sheriff’s Office. He was hired as its K-9 handler in October 2010. He left the office about four years ago, Schemenaur said.

Before joining the sheriff’s office, he was a police officer in Dunkirk for about 15 months.

Miller’s death remains under investigation with Indiana State Police assisting Portland police and the prosecutor’s office.