In the pre-dawn hours of July 31, 2022, a 24-year-old male Elwood police officer named Noah Shahnavaz was tragically killed during a routine traffic stop. An Army veteran with five years of service, Shahnavaz had been with the Elwood Police Department for just 11 months.
The incident unfolded shortly after 2 a.m. near the intersection of State Road 37 and County Road 1100 North in Madison County. Shahnavaz had pulled over a 2012 Buick LaCrosse.
Before he could exit his patrol car, the driver of the Buick, later identified as Carl Roy Webb Boards II, allegedly emerged from his vehicle and opened fire on the officer. Shahnavaz was struck multiple times and was later found in his patrol car with his own weapon still holstered. He was transported to a local hospital and then airlifted to a hospital in Indianapolis, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Following the shooting, a pursuit for the suspect ensued. Approximately 30 minutes after the initial incident, deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department located the Buick and attempted to stop it. The driver, Boards, refused to pull over, leading to a chase southbound on State Road 37. Officers deployed a tire deflation device, but the Buick continued. The chase ended when Fishers Police Department officers executed a PIT maneuver, causing the suspect's vehicle to strike a median barrier and become immobilized. Boards was then taken into custody.
Carl Roy Webb Boards II, 42, of Anderson, was arrested and subsequently charged with murder, resisting law enforcement, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in this case. Boards has a significant criminal history, including a 2006 conviction for firing a gun at Indianapolis police officers. Investigators discovered that Boards had also reportedly made a song about killing police officers.
The legal proceedings have been ongoing. In July 2024, after undergoing mental health evaluations, a judge ruled that Boards was competent to stand trial. His defense had initially considered an insanity defense, but this was later withdrawn. The trial is currently scheduled to begin in January 2026.
