Madison County prosecutor seeks $50,000 as he considers death penalty in Elwood cop's killing

ANDERSON — Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings says he has requested an additional $50,000 from the county in the event that the death penalty is sought against the man accused of killing Elwood Police Officer Noah Shahnavaz.

Cummings told WRTV in a phone call Thursday he planned to make a decision within one to two weeks on whether he'd seek the death penalty.

"No decision has been made at this time," Cummings told WRTV.

Carl Roy Webb Boards II, 42, is charged with four counts stemming from the shooting death of Shahnavaz, 24, an Elwood officer of 11 months.

His charges include one count each of murder and possession of a firearm as a serious violent felon and two counts of resisting law enforcement.

Earlier this month, Cummings' office said in a statement to WRTV it would be seeking a life sentence without parole. But Cummings did not rule out the possibility of the death penalty.

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Police have said Shahnavaz encountered Boards while conducting a traffic stop near the intersection of State Road 37 and County Road 1100N in Madison County.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Shahnavaz transmitted over the radio that he had pulled over a white Buick Lacrosse, later determined to be driven by Boards. Shortly afterward, Shahnavaz said over his radio that the driver "had a gun." It was his last radio transmission.

Elwood police and Madison County sheriff's deputies then responded to Shahnavaz's location.

When they arrived, police found Shahnavaz still inside his patrol vehicle, which had its lights still activated. He appeared to have been shot several times. There were also several rifle casings in the area, according to the affidavit.

Responding officers provided aid to Shahnavaz before medics arrived. He was later transported by EMS to Ascencion St. Vincent Mercy in Elwood, then flown by helicopter to Ascension St. Vincent Hospital - Indianapolis. It was there he was pronounced dead.

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An autopsy found Shahnavaz died from two gunshot wounds to his head and several more to his body, according to the affidavit.

Boards then led Hamilton and Madison County Sheriff's deputies on a chase that ended on Interstate 69 near Fishers. He was then arrested without further incident.

Boards declined to speak with police during an interview, according to the affidavit.

An investigation found Boards is the owner of the barber shop Webb's Cut Care at 525 S. Washington St. in Marion. During a search of the business, police found a high-capacity magazine in the back of the building.

Police were later told Boards is known to carry a handgun and had recorded songs in which he said, "if he was ever caught by police that he would kill them," the affidavit alleges.

Records show Boards has several previous criminal convictions, including attempted murder stemming from a 2006 encounter with police.

Boards has not yet appeared before a jury. Online court records show he's scheduled for a pretrial conference Sept. 30 at Madison Circuit Court.

Cummings told WRTV he planned to meet with Shahnavaz's family Friday.