TUSCUMBIA — A man being held in connection with the 2008 robbery and shooting death of a Colbert County man has been indicted on five counts of capital murder, officials said Thursday.

Notification of the indictments have been made to Derek Terrell Burt, 32, 7820 Martin Luther King Drive, Leeds, according to Sheriff Ronnie May.

Courthouse officials said the indictments were issued after the district attorney’s office presented the cases against Burt during September’s grand jury session.

May said Burt is indicted for five counts of capital murder — capital murder/robbery, capital murder/burglary and three counts of capital murder/kidnapping.

Burt is accused of killing Harry Ricks Sr. inside his Colbert County home Nov. 25, 2008.

Burt was arrested July 31 in Birmingham and transported to Colbert County Jail, where he has been held since that time.

May said Burt was linked to Ricks’ death by DNA evidence collected at the residence. Ricks lived at a home in the 1700 block of Gate Six Road in Muscle Shoals.

Authorities said three men armed with guns broke into Ricks’ home during the early morning hours in an apparent robbery attempt. Ricks, 41, was reportedly killed as he tried to escape.

The robbers used duct tape and zip ties to bind Rita Ricks and their daughter in a bedroom. Rita Ricks also was hit in the head with a gun, authorities said.

Neither Ricks’ wife nor his daughter was seriously injured.

May said investigators are continuing to find the connection between the men and how they chose the Ricks’ house to rob.

The sheriff said statements taking during the investigation indicate the men were trying to rob Ricks because they thought he had a large sum of money at the house.

Burt, who remains in the Colbert County Jail without bail, faces the death penalty if convicted.

Courthouse officials said it is unknown when the case will be set for trial.

Tom Smith can be reached at 256-740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.