“I, Matthew Simms, want to request to the clerk of court I want a speedy trial 'NOW!' for my law enforcement case or I want to do whatever I have to for one but I want one now. (I’ve been) asking since Day 1 of my charges.”

The letter, which was dated January 8 of this year, was contained in the sleeve which includes his arrest warrant in the murders of James and Janice Harris and James and Peggy Whitley.

Another letter he wrote was dated January 11 and simply says, “I Matthew Simms, want to file for a speedy trial for my first-degree murder charges.”

Simms, Keyon West and James Powell are all scheduled for their first superior court appearances on April 23 after true bills of indictment were returned by the grand jury in the case on Monday.

The indictments gave a few more details of the case, saying the three men allegedly stole an assortment of handguns, shotguns and rifles from the Harris residence. The indictments also say the men allegedly committed first-degree burglary by entering the house while it was occupied by the two couples.

The crimes were committed, the indictment notes, through use of a dangerous weapon by each of the defendants.

The true bills returned on each of the men were for four counts of first-degree murder, armed robbery, first-degree burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In detailing the crimes committed which justified the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon counts, the indictment for Powell notes he was convicted of assault inflicting serious bodily injury, a crime which occurred on November 25, 2011. He pled guilty to the felony on June, 26, 2012 and was sentenced to 19 to 23 months.

The same count against Simms notes he had previously been convicted of felony possession of marijuana and on July 21, 2016, pled guilty. He was sentenced to 14 to 26 months, however the sentence was suspended and he was placed on 18 months supervised probation.

West had previously pled guilty to felony breaking and entering for a crime which was committed on January 30, 2011, the indictment notes. He pled guilty on March 10, 2011, and was sentenced to six to eight months in prison. That sentence was suspended for 36 months of supervised probation.

Prior to the certification of the true bills of indictment, the only information to be divulged in the case was that items of value were missing from the Harris residence and the motive was robbery.

The four were shot through a glass door while they sat playing cards at the dining room table. All the victims died at the table after they were shot multiple times.