Pelham triple-murder suspect pleads not guilty
Published 1:31 pm Tuesday, May 7, 2013
By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor
The attorney for a 21-year-old man charged with killing three men in a house in Pelham’s North Chandalar subdivision in 2012 entered a plea of not guilty on the charges on May 6, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
Jon Ingram Staggs Jr. was arrested by the Pelham Police Department in September 2012 and charged with three counts of capital murder and one count of burglary. He pleaded not guilty to the charges during the May 6 hearing.
Staggs has been charged with killing 19-year-old Simeon Gilmore, 22-year-old Joshua Smith and 22-year-old Casey Cumberland at Smith’s residence in the 2400 block of Chandabrook Drive in Pelham’s Chandalar subdivision.
He is being held in the Shelby County Jail without bond, and was indicted on the charges on Sept. 14, 2012, according to court documents.
Shelby County District Attorney Robby Owens said the capital murder charges came because two or more people died in the incident, and because Staggs also was charged with allegedly burglarizing Smith’s house during the incident.
Staggs is being represented by Jasper attorney Herbie Brewer.
As of May 7, no future court dates had been set, said Criminal Court Supervisor Jill Smitherman.