February 26, 2021 at 6:29 p.m.
Boyd murder trial moved
New dates are set for September
Boyd murder trial moved
The trial for a Portland man charged with murder has been pushed back again.
During a pretrial conference Thursday, Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison set new trial dates for Roger Boyd for Sept. 20 and 21. Boyd is charged with the Sept. 5 murder of James P. Miller, 49, Montpelier.
He also faced a charge of criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony.
A final pretrial conference is scheduled for Aug. 29.
Jay County currently has five murder trials slated for this year. The first of those is slated to begin March 15 as Esther J. Stephen faces a murder charge for the Jan. 12, 2020, shooting of Shea Briar of Portland.
Boyd’s trial most recently was scheduled to begin April 5. It was originally set for early February, but was initially delayed because Indiana Supreme Court suspended jury trials statewide until March 1 because of the potential spread of COVID-19.
Boyd, who previously served as K-9 officer for Jay County Sheriff’s Office and for Dunkirk Police Department, was arrested shortly after Miller was shot in the early morning hours of Sept. 5 outside 1215 S. Bridge St., Portland. Miller was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say Boyd, 35, Portland, admitted at the scene to shooting Miller, according to court documents.
They say Boyd told them the shooting was in self defense and he believed Miller had a weapon. Police say they found no such weapon.
Miller’s girlfriend, Nicole L. Burke, was later found in the basement of the home. According to the documents, she told police she was standing in the driveway after the shooting and Boyd ordered her into the house and told her to go to the basement.
Brittney Shewmake, Boyd’s girlfriend and the owner of the 1215 S. Bridge St. property, is also charged with criminal confinement, a Level 3 felony, in connection with the incident. (Her trial is scheduled to begin June 10.) Court documents indicate that she was inside the house with two children, ages 3 and 5, at the time of the shooting.
In Indiana, murder carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years with an advisory sentence of 55 years.
During a pretrial conference Thursday, Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison set new trial dates for Roger Boyd for Sept. 20 and 21. Boyd is charged with the Sept. 5 murder of James P. Miller, 49, Montpelier.
He also faced a charge of criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony.
A final pretrial conference is scheduled for Aug. 29.
Jay County currently has five murder trials slated for this year. The first of those is slated to begin March 15 as Esther J. Stephen faces a murder charge for the Jan. 12, 2020, shooting of Shea Briar of Portland.
Boyd’s trial most recently was scheduled to begin April 5. It was originally set for early February, but was initially delayed because Indiana Supreme Court suspended jury trials statewide until March 1 because of the potential spread of COVID-19.
Boyd, who previously served as K-9 officer for Jay County Sheriff’s Office and for Dunkirk Police Department, was arrested shortly after Miller was shot in the early morning hours of Sept. 5 outside 1215 S. Bridge St., Portland. Miller was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say Boyd, 35, Portland, admitted at the scene to shooting Miller, according to court documents.
They say Boyd told them the shooting was in self defense and he believed Miller had a weapon. Police say they found no such weapon.
Miller’s girlfriend, Nicole L. Burke, was later found in the basement of the home. According to the documents, she told police she was standing in the driveway after the shooting and Boyd ordered her into the house and told her to go to the basement.
Brittney Shewmake, Boyd’s girlfriend and the owner of the 1215 S. Bridge St. property, is also charged with criminal confinement, a Level 3 felony, in connection with the incident. (Her trial is scheduled to begin June 10.) Court documents indicate that she was inside the house with two children, ages 3 and 5, at the time of the shooting.
In Indiana, murder carries a sentence of 45 to 65 years with an advisory sentence of 55 years.
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD