A Limestone County grand jury will decide whether there is adequate evidence to charge three Athens residents in the July 25 murder of 27-year-old Brenton Gatlin.

Attorneys for the accused — Terry Dale Amerson, Kandes Elizabeth Lambert and Marty Gene Stafford II, all of Athens — waived their preliminary hearings, which had been scheduled for Thursday morning in Limestone County District Court. As a result, the Limestone County grand jury will determine if there is adequate evidence to require the three to stand trial.

The accused have been initially charged with capital murder and robbery in Gatlin’s wrongful death.

At the time of the shooting, Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson said the suspects were in the process of stealing cash from Gatlin when he was shot at Lambert’s home at 712 Horton St. The chief said drugs and money may have prompted the shooting, which was reported about 10 p.m.

Gatlin died later that night at Athens-Limestone Hospital.

The suspects have remained in the Limestone County Jail since Limestone District Judge Matthew Huggins denied their requests to set bail. Under state law, a judge can deny bail to defendants accused of capital murder, or murder in the commission of certain other felonies (in this case, robbery).

Amerson is represented by appointed attorneys Harlan Mitchell and Robert Bryant. Lambert is represented by appointed attorneys Lucas Beaty and Jonathan Pippin. Stafford is represented by appointed attorneys Dan Totten and Michael Sizemore.

— Editor Adam Smith contributed to this report.