Tragic Crime Unfolds in Tennessee: Infant Abandoned, Four Lives Lost
On Tuesday, 29th July, an unexpected incident occurred in Dyer County, Tennessee, which quickly gained the attention of the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office; an infant was found abandoned outside a residence. This was merely the starting point for an in-depth investigation now being headed by numerous local law enforcement agencies along with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office officials provided vital updates that evening, discussing their discovery of four deceased individuals in Lake County, Tennessee.
The complications expanded the following day when it was revealed that different law enforcement agencies spanning two counties had been working on this case. The initial report explained an unidentified vehicle, either a minivan or an SUV, abandoning the baby in a car seat near a dwelling close to Old Highway 20, near Tiggrett’s unincorporated community. Law enforcement in Dyer County was informed of the incident around 3:00 p.m. Crockett County Ambulance Service and EMS officials ensured the child was promptly moved from the area.
Few hours later at 5:10 p.m., officials at the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office made a significant announcement of having identified the child. They expressed the need to converse with individuals named Cortney Rose, Adrianna Williams, and James Matthew Wilson. Then, later that night, at nearly 11:00 p.m., the office released another significant update, revealing the irreparable loss of four lives in Lake County. An in-depth investigation was being pursued in collaboration with the Lake County Sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Jeff Box acknowledged, ‘Our community has been deeply affected by these tragic circumstances. We are resolute in our pursuit of truth and justice.’ On Wednesday, 30th July, the TBI elaborated more about the investigation, including the tragic discovery of the four deceased on Carrington Road in Tiptonville, Tennessee. At a press conference held later that day, officials expressed that they consider the incident a suspected homicide.
Reports affirmed that the infant found abandoned was related to the victims, with Adrianna Williams and James Matthew Wilson identified as the child’s parents. The grandmother was reportedly Cortney Rose, Adrianna and Braydon Williams’ mother. District Attorney Danny Goodman identified all four victims as Dyer County residents. Legal proceedings revealed damning evidence – all four victims had succumbed to gunshots.
The TBI announced its collaboration with various local enforcement divisions, including the Tiptonville and Dyersburg Police Departments, along with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. On Thursday, 31st July, the TBI updated their press release around 11:00 a.m, naming Austin Robert Drummond, a 28-year-old man, as a suspect. Along with a warrant for his arrest, Drummond is facing severe charges, including four counts of first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping, among other gun-related offenses.
Drummond’s name appeared on Tennessee’s Most Wanted list a few hours later. A reward of $7,500 was offered by the TBI for information leading to his arrest. By 7:00 p.m., the U.S. Marshals Service had also announced an identical reward. Meanwhile, Drummond was allegedly driving a white 2016 Audi sedan, which police discovered deserted on McO Road in Jackson, Tennessee on Friday, 1st August.
The discovery of the vehicle was publicized by TBI officials around 2 p.m. Subsequently, a coordinated press conference was held by TBI Director David Rausch and officials from different local agencies. While they referred to the event as a grave and violent incident, they acknowledged a possible sign of sympathy in the separation of the child from the crime scene. Law enforcement appealed to Drummond, asking him to come forward voluntarily for a discussion about the incident, which they saw as vital for the ongoing investigation.
However, they cautioned the public to maintain their safety, advising to lock their houses and avoid contact with Drummond. Details about whether the child was deserted before or after the homicide were not confirmed. District Attorney Danny Goodman Jr. spoke of the motive for the murder as seemingly targeted due to the reported previous connection between the suspect and victims. At the time, officials were convinced that Drummond might be hiding around Jackson due to known contacts in the town.
Drummond’s criminal past was disclosed through a post from TBI and DAG Goodman, referring to a bond granted to Drummond for an attempted murder charge, which originated from an event during his incarceration. The investigation proceeded and on Saturday, August 2, it was revealed that Drummond was assisted by two accomplices, identified as Tanaka Brown (29) and Giovonte Thomas (29). Based on warrants obtained on Friday, Brown was charged with being an accessory to the murder.
Brown was then detained at the Lake County Jail without any bail provision. On Saturday, Thomas confronted similar charges and was found to have been already held at the Madison County Jail for failing to appear at a hearing. Further arrangements were made for his transfer to the Lake County Jail for arraignment on the new charges. The investigation turned towards Drummond’s white 1988 Ford pickup truck found near Burnt Mill Road in Dyer County, disclosed by a TBI update. Locals around the area were asked to check their surveillance footage from the morning of the incident for leads on Drummond or his truck.
Further developments saw the reward for Drummond’s capture increase. The USMS upped their individual contribution to $10,000 on Sunday, August 3rd. This, combined with the TBI’s previous reward, amounted to a total of $17,500. On Monday, August 4, federal filings suggested that Drummond may have fled Tennessee, contradicting the TBI’s belief in his presence in West Tennessee. UFAP Warrants are generally filed by federal agencies assisting local or state departments in cases involving local or state arrest warrants.
Additionally, two other suspects, Dearrah Sanders and Brandon Powell, were arrested in relation to the case, as confirmed by DAG Goodman. While officially unconfirmed, the charges leveled against them included drug possession, criminal conspiracy, and accessory after the fact. The suspense intensified as Drummond’s possible locations were traced around Pleasant Plains Road in Jackson, leading to campus lockdown requirements at Union University. Open areas were kept under close surveillance with certain roads temporarily closed during the search. During the afternoon, Dyer County Crime Stoppers pledged additional rewards for information leading to Drummond’s capture, with the cumulative reward reaching $32,500 by late afternoon.
Around sundown, the Jackson Police Department asserted claims of sighting Drummond on surveillance footage the previous night. Drummond, clad in complete camouflage and holding a firearm, was seen trying to gain access to a building near Pipkin Road in Jackson. As tensions escalated, an emergency shelter-in-place was issued on Tuesday, August 5 due to confirmed Drummond sightings in the Saddlebrook Drive vicinity. The drama came to a head when Drummond was apprehended in a neighboring wooded area. Records indicate Drummond’s current holding location in the Obion County Jail. The event concluded with a heartfelt thank-you from the TBI to all participating agencies on their social media, announcing Drummond’s capture and sharing the significant moment.
