The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has charged a suspect with the murder of a man whose body was found north of Pinson in 2012.

Demarquis Glennerd Brown of Center Point is charged with capital murder in the death of Matthew Hale, also of Center Point.

In April of last year, Hale’s body was found lying beside the road in the 4200 block of Sharon Church Road, just off Alabama Highway 75 and about three miles north of Pinson.

Chief Deputy Randy Christian said that several leads turned up shortly after Hale was found, but nothing proved fruitful until new evidence was found last month.

Brown, 19, was already in the Jefferson County Jail on a host of other charges, including marijuana trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and second-degree theft of property. The murder charges were formally added on Friday, Christian said.

Investigators believe Hale’s murder is drug-related.

Brown is now being held without bond.