The 71-year-old man charged with capital murder in the shooting deaths of three people at an Alabama church potluck supper has been offered a plea deal to avoid trial and a possible death sentence.

The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office consulted with the family of the three victims before offering a plea to Robert Findlay Smith. The details of the proposed plea have not been made public.

Smith was in court Tuesday morning with his attorneys, Emory Anthony and Moses Stone. District Attorney Danny Carr and Chief Deputy District Attorney Joe Roberts are prosecuting.

Anthony said his client is considering the offer. A decision must be reached by May 2, according to court documents.

Smith is charged and indicted in the June 16 shootings of Walter “Bart” Rainey, 84, of Irondale; Sarah Yeager, 75, of Pelham; and Jane Pounds, 84, of Hoover.

Police responded that Thursday to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills on a report of an active shooter. It happened during a “Boomers Potluck” dinner that started at 5 p.m. at the church.

Here is our full coverage of the case.

There were about 25 people at the dinner in the parish hall including Smith, who had previously attended the church and at least one of the potluck dinners.

Smith was sitting alone, and a longtime church member approached him and invited him to sit at a table, said the Rev. Doug Carpenter, who founded the church in 1973 and retired in 2005. He identified himself to victim Rainey only as “Mr. Smith” and refused to join them.

Smith then pulled out a handgun and shot three people. Jim Musgrove, a church member, hit the shooter with a chair and wrestled the gun away from him.

Rainey was pronounced dead on the scene. Yeager and Pounds were taken to UAB Hospital where they later died.

Authorities said they have not yet identified a motive for the slayings.