After an intensive weeklong manhunt that captivated the rural communities of Tennessee, authorities have successfully apprehended Austin Robert Drummond, the 28-year-old suspect in the killings of four relatives of a baby found abandoned last week. The arrest on Tuesday morning marks a significant development in a case that has drawn widespread attention and concern.
Jackson Police Chief Thom Corley confirmed Drummond’s capture during a news conference, detailing that the suspect was located in a wooded area after being spotted by vigilant residents. This critical breakthrough was the culmination of collaborative efforts by multiple law enforcement agencies and persistent citizen involvement.
Reports of Drummond’s whereabouts began to surface around 8:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, prompting law enforcement to deploy additional resources to the identified areas. A decisive citizen’s call at 8:57 a.m. directly led to Drummond’s apprehension by three nearby officers at 9:05 a.m., highlighting the pivotal role the community played in bringing the search to a close.
Chief Corley articulated the collective sentiment following the arrest, stating, “Today … we find some peace in knowing that the suspect is no longer a threat, but remain committed to the families, the community and to justice.” Prior to his capture, officials indicated Drummond had been staying in a vacant building, though further details were not immediately provided.
Authorities also reported the recovery of “a couple of” firearms, as confirmed by Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch. However, Director Rausch explicitly stated that investigators could not yet confirm whether these specific weapons were used in the homicides.
The apprehension followed a period where law enforcement had advised certain residents to shelter in place due to a confirmed sighting of Drummond in the area earlier on Tuesday. Drummond had also been captured on a resident’s camera system in Jackson on Sunday night, further narrowing the search area.
Earlier in the manhunt, a vehicle associated with Drummond was discovered unoccupied in Jackson, a key piece of information that helped authorities track his potential movements. The combined efforts of state and local law enforcement, including the FBI and a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force, alongside crime stoppers organizations, had led to a significant combined reward of up to $32,500 for information leading to his arrest.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had previously released surveillance videos on Monday night, which depicted Drummond in Jackson. In these images, he was seen carrying a black rifle and dressed in camouflage, underscoring the urgency and potential danger associated with the ongoing search.
Drummond, a convicted felon with alleged ties to a violent street gang, was already out on bail for an attempted murder charge stemming from an incident that occurred while he was incarcerated. He was the primary suspect in connection with the tragic deaths of James M. Wilson, 21; Adrianna Williams, 20; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15.
Their bodies were discovered on July 29 in Tiptonville, a town situated in northwest Tennessee’s Lake County, as reported by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. This grim discovery followed hours after a disturbing finding nearly 40 miles away.
The baby daughter of James M. Wilson and Adrianna Williams, approximately 7 months old, was found abandoned in a car seat in a “random” front yard near the Dyer County community of Tigrett. Tigrett is located approximately 40 miles southeast of Tiptonville and about 40 miles northwest of Jackson, creating a wide geographical scope for the tragedy.
Danny Goodman, the district attorney for Dyer and Lake counties, confirmed the familial relationships of the victims. Cortney Rose was identified as the baby’s maternal grandmother, and Braydon Williams was the baby’s maternal uncle, deepening the profound loss for the family.
Authorities have confirmed that the baby girl is healthy and safe, a small solace amidst the overwhelming grief. The TBI has not yet disclosed what specific evidence led them to name Drummond as the suspect, nor have they publicly identified a motive for the killings, or explained why the infant was abandoned in a different county from where the bodies were located.
However, authorities indicated on Tuesday that a clear connection exists between the suspect and the victims. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch revealed that Drummond’s girlfriend is the sister of two of the victims and the daughter of another victim, establishing a direct link.
District Attorney Goodman later corroborated to CNN that Drummond’s girlfriend was, in fact, Cortney Rose’s sister. Further details revealed that she had served as a corrections officer at Northwest Correctional Complex, the same facility where Drummond was incarcerated.
Photographs circulating on social media reportedly show the couple together after Drummond’s release from custody, highlighting a relationship that developed despite his history within the correctional system. This intricate web of relationships adds a complex layer to the ongoing investigation.
Warrants have been issued for Drummond, charging him with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, four counts of felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. He is scheduled to be arraigned on these serious charges on Thursday morning, marking the next phase in the legal proceedings.
During the weeklong manhunt for Drummond, authorities also made three arrests of individuals accused of aiding him after the killings. From Friday to Monday, Tanaka Brown, 29, Giovonte Thomas, 29, and Dearrah Sanders, 23, were apprehended by the TBI.
Sanders, arrested on Monday, was charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, the same charge levied against Brown and Thomas. Brown also faces an additional count of tampering with evidence, underscoring the breadth of alleged complicity in the aftermath of the homicides.
Investigators believe Drummond has connections to the Vice Lords gang and suspect he may have received assistance from its members while on the run, according to a law enforcement source on Monday. However, the source did not confirm whether the three individuals arrested for aiding him had direct connections to the gang.
The tragic sequence of events began on July 29, when the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call concerning a baby found in a car seat in a front yard near Tigrett. The heat index at the time was a staggering 116 degrees, making the abandonment particularly perilous.
Investigators, spurred by the caller’s report, were actively checking information regarding a “dark-colored minivan or a white mid-size SUV” that was believed to have left the child at the location. Hours after the infant’s discovery, the sheriff’s office announced the finding of four deceased individuals, later identified as the baby’s relatives, in Tiptonville.
The bodies were located along Carrington Road in Tiptonville, though the TBI’s public releases have not detailed the manner in which the four victims were killed, how they were found, or who specifically left the baby in the yard near Tigrett. This information remains a crucial aspect of the ongoing investigation.
Even prior to the discovery of the four victims in Tiptonville, Austin Drummond possessed a significant criminal history. He had only been released from prison last year, and at the time of last month’s killings, he was free on bail, facing charges of attempting to kill someone while he was incarcerated.
Drummond’s criminal record dates back to July 2013, when at the age of 16, he was involved in the robbery of a Circle K convenience store in Jackson shortly after midnight. Court documents detail that Drummond used a pistol, pointing it at a store employee, and demanded money from the cash register.
He was subsequently convicted in 2014 of aggravated robbery and sentenced to 10 years in prison. His criminal behavior did not cease there; after his trial, while incarcerated, Drummond made threats against the jurors and the robbery victim during a phone call to his father.
District Attorney Jody S. Pickens, who serves the area including Jackson, recounted these chilling threats to CNN, noting Drummond’s statements: “They are going to regret it” and “I’ll be out one day.” For these actions, Drummond pleaded guilty in 2015 to several counts of retaliation for past action, receiving an additional three years in prison, bringing his combined sentence to 13 years.
In July 2020, when Drummond became eligible for a parole hearing, District Attorney Pickens’ office sent a strongly worded letter to the Tennessee Board of Parole, vehemently opposing his release. Pickens characterized Drummond as a “dangerous felony offender,” citing his persistent misconduct while incarcerated.
The letter meticulously detailed Drummond’s disciplinary record as of July 2020, which included 25 disciplinary actions. These infractions ranged from “refusing orders, drug possession, defiance, and being in possession of a deadly weapon,” painting a clear picture of his behavior within the prison system.
Pickens’ letter unequivocally stated, “This type of behavior clearly demonstrates that Drummond has no desire for rehabilitation and is not capable of living among society.” The District Attorney further emphasized, “Due to the seriousness of the crimes he committed, his violent behavior towards the victims in these cases and to protect society from his criminal behavior, we feel that he should remain in prison and serve his sentence in full.”
The letter also confirmed Drummond’s affiliation with the Vice Lords gang, which the U.S. Justice Department identifies as a group whose members are involved in murder, drug trafficking, and other violent crimes. Despite the opposition to parole, Drummond was ultimately released from Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville in September 2024, having served just under 11 years, which included pretrial time and credits from the Tennessee Department of Correction.
However, his release was immediately met with new legal challenges. A Lake County grand jury indicted him on drug charges, and later on an attempted murder charge, according to District Attorney Goodman. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office arrested Drummond on the drug charges on September 1, the very day he was released from prison, and the attempted murder charge followed later that year.
Goodman confirmed that Drummond “made bond” on these charges and was “out on bond on those charges” when the four bodies were discovered last week in Tiptonville. While Goodman did not provide specific details about the alleged attempted murder, he noted that the incident “took place inside the prison.”
Drew Farmer, Drummond’s attorney in the attempted murder case, declined to comment on the details of that case and would not confirm whether he would represent Drummond in the charges related to last week’s killings. Farmer expressed a measure of relief, stating on Tuesday regarding Drummond’s capture, “I wouldn’t comment further without Austin’s permission other than to say I’m relieved there hasn’t been any more loss of life.”
The arrest of Austin Robert Drummond represents a critical juncture in this profoundly tragic and complex case. While the apprehension brings a measure of relief to the distressed communities of Tennessee and a step toward accountability, the legal journey is just beginning. The families of James M. Wilson, Adrianna Williams, Cortney Rose, and Braydon Williams, along with the broader community, now look to the forthcoming legal proceedings for answers and ultimately, justice. The intricate details of motive and the full scope of the events surrounding the abandonment of the infant and the slayings of her relatives will continue to unfold as the case moves through the judicial system, a process critical for healing and clarity in the wake of such a devastating series of events.
