Charlotte, NC – Prosecutors say two men already on trial for the killing of a well-known Charlotte sandwich shop owner are now being connected to a second homicide case that unfolded just weeks later. The developments emerged in court this week, revealing what authorities describe as a pattern of escalating violence.
Deadly Robbery Outside a Family-Owned Sandwich Shop
According to details presented in court and reporting referenced in local coverage, 61-year-old Scott Brooks was opening Brooks Sandwich House early on December 19, 2019, when two men approached him with guns drawn. The popular shop, founded by Brooks’ father in 1973, was known in the community for its cash-only system — something investigators believe made it a target.
Authorities said the two armed suspects confronted Brooks, took roughly $100, and exchanged words with him, an encounter captured on surveillance footage. Brooks reportedly drew his own gun and fired, but the suspects returned fire, fatally wounding him before fleeing the scene.
Prosecutors allege that Terry Connor Jr. and Steven Staples, now in their mid-thirties, are the two individuals responsible for the robbery and killing. Both appeared in court this week, where their charges and alleged actions were detailed publicly for the first time.
Prosecutors Connect Defendants to Additional Murders
During the ongoing trial, prosecutors revealed new accusations linking the same defendants to a separate double homicide that occurred weeks after Brooks’ death. The state alleges the men were involved in a violent spree that extended into early 2020…