The suspect in a Lake County quadruple murder linked to an abandoned baby is now in custody after police in Jackson apprehended him on Aug. 5.
Austin Drummond was wanted in connection with the killing of four people in Lake County on July 29.
Drummond is facing several charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Here's what we know about Drummond, the crimes he's accused of and how he was captured after a multi-agency manhunt.
What happened in Lake and Dyer counties?
On July 29, witnesses said they saw someone in an SUV leave a child in a car seat on a front lawn in Tigrett, according to the Dyer County Sheriff's Office. Authorities later said there was no relationship between the child and the individual whose lawn the child was left on.
The sheriff's office announced investigators identified the child and were looking to speak with the child's parents, Adrianna Williams and Matthew Wilson, the baby's uncle, Braydon Williams, and the baby's grandmother, Cortney Rose.
But late on July 29, those four family members were found dead in Lake County, District Attorney Danny Goodman Jr. confirmed.
On July 31, Authorities identified 28-year-old Drummond as the suspect in the four murders. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation obtained a warrant for Drummond, who is being charged 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.
Authorities arrested three other people in connection with the murders. On Aug. 1, authorities arrested 29-year-old Tanaka Brown and charged her with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. 29-year-old Giovonte Thomas was charged with the same offense on Aug. 2. Brown was also later charged with tampering with evidence.
Dearrah Sanders, 23, was arrested Aug. 4 and charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
TBI has not specified how Brown, Thomas or Sanders aided Drummond.
How was the Tennessee quadruple murder suspect caught?
Immediately after the TBI identified Drummond as a suspect, they said Drummond was driving a white 2016 Audi A3. That vehicle was found abandoned on July 31 in Jackson. Another vehicle was later linked to Drummond, a 1988 white Ford pickup truck with a red stripe. That vehicle was found abandoned in Dyer County on Aug. 2.
On Aug. 4, The Commercial Appeal reported on an affidavit filed by the U.S. Marshals Service in federal court. In that affidavit, Deputy Marshal Darrel Weldon wrote that "it is believed that Austin Drummond possibly fled the state of Tennessee."
That same day, state and local law enforcement swarmed Jackson and Union University to follow up on a lead about Drummond's whereabouts, deploying drones and K-9s in search of the suspect.
Read more about the manhunt: Police swarm Union University, Jackson as police search for quadruple murder suspect
Later that night, the Jackson Police Department announced Drummond had been spotted on a camera system in the 700 block of Pipkin Road.
Surveillance video released by the Jackson Police Department on Aug. 4 shows Drummond carrying a rifle and wearing a backpack, camouflage pants and a camouflage shirt.
On Aug. 5, the U.S. Marshals Service announced the reward for Drummond's capture had increased to $32,500.
That same morning, Jackson Police urged residents to shelter in place after Drummond was spotted in the area of Saddlebrook and Bridlepath in Jackson. The area around Pleasant Plains and Country Club was temporarily blocked off.
Jackson Mayor Scott Conger announced during an Aug. 5 city council meeting that Drummond was apprehended and was in custody.
What we know about Austin Drummond
Drummond was given a 13-year sentence for charges of aggravated robbery and retaliation for past action in 2014, court records show. He was released in September 2024.
According to public records, a person named "Austin Drummond" was charged with several counts of contraband in a penal facility for possession of meth and a handgun in 2023. In November 2024, the same person was charged with attempted first-degree murder and contraband in a penal facility.
An attorney listed for that person in public court documents declined to comment on whether this was the same Drummond police say is responsible for the murders.
Jack Armstrong covers breaking news and the environment for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @jca2902.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: TN quadruple murder suspect Austin Drummond captured: What we know
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