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THE man accused of killing four people and abandoning a baby girl in a Tennessee front yard has been arrested after a weeklong manhunt.
Suspect Austin Robert Drummond, 28, was captured by US Marshals on Tuesday and pictured looking sweat-soaked and humiliated a week after his alleged victims were found shot to death.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced Drummond was taken into custody on Tuesday morning.
“This would not have been achieved without the tireless work and dedication of our local, state, and federal partners,” Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box said in a statement.
“Their commitment to justice and public safety around the clock since Tuesday at 3 pm has been invaluable throughout this investigation.
“Also, our citizens have been extremely helpful and cooperative. Thank you so much for always being a willing partner with our deputies and investigators.”
Drummond was caught after a construction crew working in Jackson, Tennessee, saw him walking in the middle of the woods, F&F Construction worker Ricardo Contreras told radio station WNWS-FM.
“I called the police immediately,” Contreras said.
“I’m really glad they got him.”
The capture came just days after Drummond was seen on chilling surveillance footage in Jackson, after cops previously believed he might have left the state entirely.
QUADRUPLE MURDERS
The bodies of Matthew Wilson, Adrianna Williams, Braydon Williams, and Cortney Rose were found just hours after a seven-month-old baby girl was left in a car seat on a random driveway in Tigrett, around 80 miles from Memphis, on July 29.
Police located the baby girl, who is related to all four victims, after receiving a call that a minivan had dropped a baby off in a front yard at around 3 pm, the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office said.
After cops identified the baby, they immediately began searching for her young parents, 20-year-old Adrianna Williams and 21-year-old Wilson, and her grandmother, 38-year-old Rose.
While they searched for the family members, chilling audio from a 911 call to Dyer County police revealed someone reporting Rose and her daughter missing at 10:26 pm.
Later that night, cops found the three family members dead along with the baby’s maternal uncle, 15-year-old Braydon Williams, about 40 miles north of where the baby was found, police said.
Authorities launched a manhunt for Drummond, who they said could be driving a 2016 Audi with Tennessee license plates.
Quadruple murders timeline
Tuesday, July 29: A seven-month-old baby girl was found abandoned in a car seat in the front yard of a residence in Tigrett, Dyer County, Tennessee, at around 3 pm.
Hours later: Four individuals were found dead in Lake County approximately 40 miles from where the baby was located.
Wednesday, July 30: Investigators identify the victims as:
- Matthew Wilson, 21, (the baby’s father)
- Adrianna Williams, 20 (the baby’s mother)
- Cortney Rose, 38, (the baby’s grandmother)
- Braydon Williams, 15, (the baby’s maternal uncle)
Thursday, July 31: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation name Austin Drummond, 28, as a suspect in the quadruple homicide.
Friday, August 1: Cops locate Drummond’s damaged Audi A3 abandoned on a road in Jackson. Tanaka Brown has been arrested and is accused of being an accessory to first degree murder after the fact and tampering with evidence.
Saturday, August 2: Agents arrest second man Giovontie Thomas for accessory to first degree murder after the fact. They also locate a Ford pick up truck believed to be connected to Drummond in Dyer County.
Monday, August 4: Dearrah Sanders is the third person to be arrested and charged for accessory to first degree murder after the fact.
Jackson cops also release footage of Drummond, carrying a rifle and wearing camouflaged gear, trying to get into buildings and stalking driveways.
Tuesday, August 5: Drummond taken into custody after being captured in Jackson. He was arrested after cops issued a shelter-in-place order following a suspected sighting.
Days after the search began, two men were also arrested for allegedly helping Drummond escape.
Police added him to Tennessee’s Most Wanted list and offered a cash reward of $15,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Drummond is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, and multiple gun charges.
Police said the alleged attack wasn’t random.
Drummond had previously dated a sister of Rose, according to a relative of the victims.
The alleged killer has a lengthy criminal rap sheet.
SUSPECT’S CRIMINAL HISTORY
The alleged killer was recently released from prison after serving 13 years for armed robbery and retaliation charges.
He spent years in prison for robbing a convenience store when he was 16 years old and then threatening to go after jurors.
Police’s full statement
Tennessee police shared the following statement to announce the arrest of alleged murderer Austin Drummond:
Sheriff Jeff Box of the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to confirm that the man responsible for the murder of four Dyer County citizens has been captured by the Jackson Police Department.
Sheriff Box expressed his gratitude to all agencies involved. “This would not have been achieved without the tireless work and dedication of our local, state, and federal partners. Their commitment to justice and public safety around the clock since Tuesday at 3pm has been invaluable throughout this investigation. Also, our citizens have been extremely helpful and cooperative. Thank you so much for always being a willing partner with our deputies and investigators.”
The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office recognizes the immense pain and suffering experienced by the families of the victims during this incredibly difficult time. “Our focus now shifts to honoring the lives lost and providing support to their grieving families. We urge the community and the media to respect their privacy as they navigate through this tragic loss.”
The investigation is ongoing and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is the lead investigative agency.
The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work diligently to ensure justice is served for the victims and their loved ones while fostering a safe environment for our community.
Source: DCSO
Drummond finished his sentence and was let out of jail in September.
Then, he was charged with attempted murder in December 2024 for an alleged incident that occurred while he was still behind bars.
At the time of the murders, he was out on bail for the attempted murder charge.
He was also charged with having drugs in jail.
Sick pictures posted to Drummond’s Facebook account while he was in jail showed he was living a luxury life in his prison cell with a Roku, a cell phone, and a pantry filled with snacks.
It’s unclear how he got the illegal items into the prisons, but Drummond was charged four times with getting contraband into a penal facility.
