Police ID Suspect in Slayings of Abandoned Baby's 4 Family Members: Here's What We Know About Case
Police are searching for a suspect believed to have killed four family members in rural Tennessee and then abandoned a 7-month-old baby girl in a front yard 25 miles away this week.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified Austin Robert Drummond, 29, as the suspect in the quadruple killing on Thursday. He remains on the run and authorities say he should be considered armed and dangerous.
He is about 5'10" tall, weighs 190 lbs., and has blue eyes, brown hair and a goatee, though his appearance could have changed, per the TBI. He was last seen driving a white Audi A3 sedan with Tennessee license plate RI 01896; the vehicle has damage on the driver's side.
Drummond is wanted on first-degree murder, kidnapping and firearm possession charges in connection with the deaths of Adrianna Williams, 20, James M. Wilson, 21, Cortney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15. The quartet have been identified as the mother, father, grandmother and uncle of the infant. All of them were found murdered on Carrington Road in Tiptonville,
District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. told PEOPLE on Wednesday, July 30 that the four victims were related to the baby, and their deaths would be investigated as homicides. It's not clear if Drummond has any connection to the victims.
Here's what we know about the case so far.
When Was The Infant Found?
On Tuesday, July 29 at approximately 3:11 p.m., the Dyer County Sheriff's Office "received a call regarding a concerning incident on Old Highway 20 near the Tigrett area [in Dyer County]," the agency wrote on Facebook.
"A dark-colored minivan or a white mid-size SUV was reported to have dropped off an infant in a car seat at a random individual's front yard," the sheriff's office added, alongside a photo of the infant. "Thankfully a witness saw the car seat with the child and called 911."
After the baby was identified, the sheriff's office said they wanted to speak with the infant's family.
Four Relatives Found Dead
At about 10:26 p.m., a 911 call was made reporting that Cortney Rose and her daughter, Adrianna Williams, were missing. The caller said they were actively searching around a home with a flashlight, per Action News 5.
Later that night, the Dyer County Sheriff's Office announced that four people had been discovered dead in Lake County, Tenn., which is approximately 25 miles north of Dyer County. Further details surrounding their killings remain unclear.
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What Have Officials and Loved Ones Said?
On Wednesday, July 30, District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr. confirmed to PEOPLE that the four deceased were related to the infant. He said that, along with several local agencies, the FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are investigating the incidents.
'They're devastated. We're just thankful that the baby was spared, grateful for that,' family friend Amy Anderson told WREG 3. 'They were really good people, Adrianna was the sweetest person, she loved being a mama.'
"Everybody don't know what to think," Anderson continued, per the outlet. "There's been rumors here and there, but I just wish everybody would slow down on the rumors and wait until stuff is actually put out there as far as the truth goes so that there's no more heartache than what already is."
Anyone with information concerning Austin Robert Drummond's whereabouts is asked to call 731-415-7962, 731-333-0811, or 1-800-TBI-FIND. If you spot him, do not approach him as he is considered armed and dangerous.
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