September 18, 2020 at 5:49 p.m.
Murder case leads to second arrest
Shewmake faces charge of criminal confinement
Murder case leads to second arrest
A Portland woman has been arrested in connection with the Sept. 5 murder of James P. Miller.
Brittney M. Shewmake, 28, was arrested Thursday evening on a charge of criminal confinement. Although she has not been implicated in the shooting, police say she helped her boyfriend, Roger L. Boyd Jr., confine Nicole L. Burke after Miller was shot.
The criminal confinement charge against Shewmake, 1215 S. Bridge St., is a Level 3 felony. She is also charged with assisting a criminal, a Level 5 felony. She is being held on $35,000 bond in Jay County Jail.
Boyd, who police say admitted at the scene that he shot Miller, has been charged with murder. The former Jay County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Dunkirk police officer also faces a charge of criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony, and is being held without bond in Jay County Jail.
According to court documents, Shewmake was inside the house she owns at 1215 S. Bridge St., with two children, ages 3 and 5, when the police arrived around 2 a.m. Sept. 5. She told police Boyd went outside after hearing noise and dogs barking, and a few minutes later she heard about three gunshots. She told police she went upstairs and outside, and Boyd told her he had to shoot someone, the documents say.
Miller, a Montpelier resident, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police later found Burke, Miller’s girlfriend, in the basement of the house. Burke told police she was standing in the driveway after the shooting, and Boyd ordered her into the basement, the court documents say.
Portland Police investigator Jeff Hopkins said this morning that after a few weeks of investigation, it’s been determined Shewmake was not truthful in her statements. Police now believe she assisted Boyd in confining Burke. He said additional individuals were also involved in the incident, although no other arrests have been made at this time.
“You turn over one rock, and there’s always something else under it, and that’s just the way it’s been,” he said.
Hopkins said he could not discuss further details.
Boyd, who lived with Shewmake at 1215 S. Bridge St., is scheduled for a pretrial conference Nov. 13 in Jay Circuit Court.
Indiana State Police is assisting Portland police and Jay County Prosecutor’s Office with the investigation.
Brittney M. Shewmake, 28, was arrested Thursday evening on a charge of criminal confinement. Although she has not been implicated in the shooting, police say she helped her boyfriend, Roger L. Boyd Jr., confine Nicole L. Burke after Miller was shot.
The criminal confinement charge against Shewmake, 1215 S. Bridge St., is a Level 3 felony. She is also charged with assisting a criminal, a Level 5 felony. She is being held on $35,000 bond in Jay County Jail.
Boyd, who police say admitted at the scene that he shot Miller, has been charged with murder. The former Jay County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Dunkirk police officer also faces a charge of criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony, and is being held without bond in Jay County Jail.
According to court documents, Shewmake was inside the house she owns at 1215 S. Bridge St., with two children, ages 3 and 5, when the police arrived around 2 a.m. Sept. 5. She told police Boyd went outside after hearing noise and dogs barking, and a few minutes later she heard about three gunshots. She told police she went upstairs and outside, and Boyd told her he had to shoot someone, the documents say.
Miller, a Montpelier resident, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police later found Burke, Miller’s girlfriend, in the basement of the house. Burke told police she was standing in the driveway after the shooting, and Boyd ordered her into the basement, the court documents say.
Portland Police investigator Jeff Hopkins said this morning that after a few weeks of investigation, it’s been determined Shewmake was not truthful in her statements. Police now believe she assisted Boyd in confining Burke. He said additional individuals were also involved in the incident, although no other arrests have been made at this time.
“You turn over one rock, and there’s always something else under it, and that’s just the way it’s been,” he said.
Hopkins said he could not discuss further details.
Boyd, who lived with Shewmake at 1215 S. Bridge St., is scheduled for a pretrial conference Nov. 13 in Jay Circuit Court.
Indiana State Police is assisting Portland police and Jay County Prosecutor’s Office with the investigation.
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