JEFFERSON COUNTY — A jury of 12 and four alternates were selected Friday in the murder trial of a 21-year-old Mt. Vernon before court was recessed for the long holiday weekend.

John Wells was present in custody last week in Jefferson County Court for jury selection. Wells was returned at 4:30 p.m. Friday to the Jefferson County Jail, where he awaits his trial to resume Tuesday for the January 20, 2017, shooting death of DeAndrey Jackson in a Mt. Vernon alley.

Opening arguments in Wells’ trial are scheduled to begin Tuesday morning.

U.S. Marshals arrested Wells at a private residence in Bridgeton, Missouri in February 2017, on a warrant charging him in connection with the first-degree murder and robbery of Jackson.

Prosecutors say Jackson was shot to death during a botched robbery. Wells was subsequently indicted in the case, along with seven others, including Curtis Devan, Jr.,  Dantrez Brown,  Deon Frazier,  Jarron Liddell, Lamar Williams Jr., Tony Feggins, and LeKedrion Russell.

Russell, Devan, and Frazier, have pleaded guilty to lesser charges in exchange for testifying against the other co-defendants.

If they don’t testify, they can still be prosecuted on murder and robbery charges. Brown and Liddell also entered plea agreements requiring them to testify but murder and robbery charges against them were dismissed.