An intense multiagency manhunt continued Monday in western Tennessee for a murder suspect wanted in the deaths of four people after a baby was found abandoned last week in a person’s front yard.
Austin Robert Drummond, 28, faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping in the July deaths of James Matthew Wilson, 21; Adriana Williams, 20; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15.
Wilson and Adriana Williams are the parents of the abandoned baby. The bodies were discovered in a wooded area in Tiptonville, according to NBC affiliate WMC of Memphis.
The U.S. Marshals Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said it was offering a combined reward of up to $17,500 for information leading to Drummond’s arrest.
Here’s everything we know about the murders and the search for Drummond.
Abandoned baby found in a person’s yard
The search for Drummond began on July 29, after an infant was found in a car seat in “a random individual’s front yard” shortly before the baby’s parents and two other family members were found dead.
A witness reported seeing a vehicle drop off an infant in the person’s front yard, the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release on Facebook. In an updated post, the office said it wanted to speak with Rose, Williams, and Wilson.
In a July 30 news release, the sheriff’s office said that Rose, Williams and Wilson were among four people found dead in Tiptonville, which is located in neighboring Lake County.
Family members for Drummond did not immediately return a request for comment on Monday.
Who are the victims?
James Matthew Wilson and Adriana Williams are the baby’s parents. Cortney Rose is the baby’s maternal grandmother and Braydon Williams is the maternal uncle.
Authorities haven’t said how they died.
David B. Rausch, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation director, said there is a “familial relationship” between the suspect and the family, but did not provide further details.
A relative of the victims said in a Facebook post that Drummond had dated one of Rose’s sisters. The relative said he had “literally been nothing short of amazing to us and our kids.”
Wilson’s family said in an online obituary that he was a “guiding light and an irreplaceable presence in our lives.”
“He was a devoted father and would do anything to take care of his child and family. Matthew’s quick wit and infectious smile lit up any room he walked into,” they wrote. “Growing up with him was an adventure, he was always there whether to offer a helping hand or to provide a shoulder to lean on.”
Families of the victims could not be reached on Monday.
Two men arrested
Two men described as “associates” of Drummond were arrested on suspicion of helping him.
Tanaka Brown was arrested on Friday, and Giovonte Thomas was taken into custody on Saturday, the state Bureau of Investigation said. Both men, from Jackson, were charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Brown faces an additional charge of tampering with evidence, the agency said in a news release.
It’s not clear if they have obtained attorneys.
Search for suspect continues
Drummond remains a fugitive and is said to be armed and dangerous. Anyone who spots him is asked to call 911 immediately, authorities said.
The U.S. Marshals Service said getting him into custody is a top priority.
He was charged with four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, possession of a gun during a dangerous felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the killings, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
Investigators located two vehicles associated with Drummond. A white 1988 Ford pickup with red side panels was found in Dyer County. Authorities asked people to check their security cameras for video of the truck. A white 2016 Audi A3, believed to belong to Drummond, was found in Jackson. Rausch said investigators believe Drummond may be in the Jackson area.
Authorities said he was out on bond when the killings took place. He had been released in connection with an incident in prison when he was serving time for an unrelated aggravated robbery, said Danny Goodman, the district attorney for Dyer and Lake counties.
