By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A September 2012 triple-murder in Pelham’s Chandalar neighborhood may have stemmed from a robbery, according to an indictment filed against the suspect this month.

A new indictment was filed in Shelby County Circuit Court against 21-year-old Pelham resident Jon Staggs, who was arrested by the Pelham Police Department in September 2012 and originally 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.

The new indictment, which was returned by a grand jury in early May, claimed Staggs allegedly shot and killed the three victims while attempting to rob them of money and other property.

According to the new indictment, Staggs shot the suspects while he was committing a theft of property “by the use of force or by threatening the imminent use of force against” the victims.

Because Staggs has been charged with capital offenses, he is being held without bond in the Shelby County Jail, where he has remained since his arrest.

Staggs is being represented by Jasper attorney Herbie Brewer. As of May 20, no future court dates had been set for Staggs, according to court documents.