Judge: Boyer ready for trial
Published 12:00 am Friday, July 15, 2011
- WILLIAM LEE BOYERCharged with murder
William Lee Boyer is mentally competent to stand trial for the murder of his ex-wife, according to the court testimony Thursday of Timothy Allen, an evaluating physician at the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center in LaGrange.
Warren Circuit Court Judge Steve Wilson entered an order after Thursday’s hearing that, in agreement with the physician’s testimony, Boyer is competent to stand trial, Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Cohron said.
William Boyer, 33, 947 Covington Drive, is charged with murder and first-degree burglary in the March 4 shooting death of his ex-wife, Brooke Boyer, on the basement stairs of her 1212 E. 10th Ave. home. Boyer is also charged with cultivating marijuana.
Brooke Boyer was a preschool teacher at First Baptist Church Child Development Center. William Boyer had been working as a server at Applebee’s. The two had been divorced for three years. But William Boyer reportedly clung to his ex-wife right up until the moment he is accused of pulling out a vintage World War II 6.5 mm short rifle and shooting her to death.
William Boyer had just asked Brooke Boyer for “one more chance” before he pulled out the gun and fired three times as she tried to run away, Bowling Green Police Department Detective Tim Wilson said during court testimony in March.
A pretrial conference in the case has been set for mid-October, Cohron said.
“Between now and the pretrial conference, we will meet with not only defense counsel, but Ms. Boyer’s family and make a decision if this is a case that will be resolved or if it will go to trial and what punishment we intend to seek,” he said.
The case against Boyer is eligible for the death penalty because Brooke Boyer’s shooting occurred during the commission of a burglary, Cohron said.
“We always seek the input of the victim’s family, but the final decision will be made by me, as in all cases,” Cohron said about the punishment that will be sought in the case.
The couple had three young children who are now living with Brooke Boyer’s mother, Lori Spotswood, in Richland, Miss.
