A Tennessee murder suspect has finally been arrested after a week on the run for allegedly killing four family members in a vicious attack.
Austin Robert Drummond, 28, is alleged to have murdered Adrianna Williams, 20; James Matthew Wilson, 21; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15, in Tiptonville, Tennessee on July 29.
Drummond, who was not related to the family but had dated one of Rose’s sisters, left Wilson and Williams’ baby girl on a ‘random’ front lawn 40 miles from where the bodies were found.
After spending seven days at large and sparking a massive manhunt from law enforcement, Drummond was captured Tuesday morning.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation did not say where he was captured, but shared an image of the murder suspect soaked from rainfall and appearing to be in a wooded area.
Before his arrest, Drummond was last spotted on Sunday night in the city of Jackson, around 70 miles from the murders, wearing camouflage and armed with a rifle.
Officials shared surveillance footage of the alleged quadruple murderer as they warned locals to ‘exercise extreme caution’ until the ‘armed and dangerous’ suspect is caught.
The motive for the murders is still not known, with Drummond out on bond for an attempted murder charge from his time in prison. He had been released from a 13-year prison sentence for armed robbery in September 2024.
Austin Robert Drummond, 28, a Tennessee man suspected of murdering four family members in a vicious attack, has been arrested after a week on the run
Adrianna Williams, 20 and James Matthew Wilson, 21, were found dead in a dense, wooded area
Cortney Rose, 38, Braydon Williams, 15, were also both found dead
Cops warned that Drummond may have also altered his appearance while on the run, and the image released from his capture showed that he had shaved a goatee that he wore in his last mugshot.
The horror episode unfolded after police were first alerted to Wilson and Williams’ baby girl left in a car seat on a ‘random individual’s front yard’ in Tigrett, Tennessee.
A local said they saw a white vehicle had pulled into the yard, dropped off the child and sped away, triggering an urgent search for her family.
Law enforcement said in an initial social media post that they were trying to locate Rose, Williams and Wilson, believing they could be suspects in abandoning the infant.
But during the search, cops made a second, far more chilling discovery around 40 miles away in a wooded area in Tiptonville, Tennessee.
The four family members were found dead with gunshot wounds, and Drummond was announced as the prime suspect two days later on July 31.
Before his arrest, Drummond was last spotted on Sunday night in the city of Jackson, around 70 miles from the murders, wearing camouflage and armed with a rifle
Drummond was wanted on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful firearm possession, and officials were offering rewards upwards of $30,000 for information leading to his arrest
Cops warned that Drummond may have also altered his appearance while on the run, and the image released from his capture showed that he had shaved a goatee that he wore in his last mugshot
In the week that Drummond was a fugitive, cops arrested three people in connection with the murders, including Dearrah Sanders, 23, who allegedly ‘assisted’ the killer.
Tanaka Brown, 29, and Giovonte Thomas, 29, were also arrested during the manhunt, and all three are facing charges of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
Authorities have not yet detailed how the three individuals allegedly helped Drummond.
Drummond was wanted on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful firearm possession, and officials were offering rewards upwards of $30,000 for information leading to his arrest.
The suspect was out on bond over an attempted murder charge that occurred while he was in prison when the killings took place.
Drummond had been recently released from a 13-year prison sentence for armed robbery.
The victims were all family members of an infant who was abandoned on a random front lawn
Drummond had a previous criminal conviction for aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 13 years behind bars
The motive behind the slayings has not been determined, although officials said that Drummond was known to the family.
He had dated one of Rose’s sisters, and often spent time with the family.
Adrianna and Matthew were the baby’s parents, and Cortney was the maternal grandmother. Braydon was also Adrianna’s younger brother.
A relative wrote on social media that during Drummond’s relationship with one of Rose’s sisters, he had been ‘literally been nothing short of amazing to us and our kids.’
