Tennessee family members murder suspect Austin Robert Drummond arrested: Authorities detail intense search and what's next
The suspect was arrested soon after police had warned residents of Jackson, which is about 74 miles (119 kilometers) away from the crime scene in Tiptonville, to stay inside their homes, having received a report that he was spotted in a neighborhood, as reported by news agency AP.
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Drummond faces four counts of first-degree murder
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Drummond is scheduled for arraignment in Tiptonville later this week. He faces four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, and weapons charges, officials said, according to AP. It's unclear if he currently has an attorney to speak for him; the public defender's office asked to call back later.
Dyer and Lake counties District Attorney Danny Goodman told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday that he has yet to decide if he'll seek the death penalty but said it was 'very likely' he would.
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Tennessee killings were not a random attack, says District Attorney Danny Goodman
Goodman said Drummond shot the family members, and that Drummond's girlfriend is the sister of the infant's grandmother. 'They were actually all associated with one another,' Goodman said. 'So it wasn't a random attack.' The intense search operation carried out on Tuesday (August 5, 2025) left the community, situated on the Mississippi River in western Tennessee and more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) southwest of Nashville, on edge, according to the district attorney.
'The biggest emotion has been fear,' Goodman said. 'You don't usually hear about in small towns much — you know, a quadruple homicide.' He further stated, 'The two emotions are, one is shock, and the second would be fear.'
Jackson police reveal details of suspect's arrest
Hours before the arrest, Jackson Police posted a roughly 20-second video surveillance clip showing someone they said was Drummond, wearing camouflage and carrying a firearm, trying to enter the door of an unspecified building.
While speaking at a press conference, Jackson Police Chief Thom Corley said on Tuesday (August 5, 2025) that two calls from the public helped officers arrest Drummond, who had been staying in a vacant building near the woods where he was taken into custody, as reported by AP.
Tennessee killings probe
The investigation into the family's killings in Tiptonville began July 29 after an infant in a car seat was found in a front yard in the Tigrett area, roughly 40 miles (65 kilometers) away. The Dyer County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that a caller reported a minivan or midsize SUV had dropped the infant at a 'random individual's front yard.'
The sheriff's office later said they were working with investigators in neighboring Lake County, where four people had been found dead. Officials determined those people were the child's parents, grandmother, and uncle.
Authorities later identified those people as James M. Wilson, 21; Adrianna Williams, 20; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15. Wilson and Adrianna Williams were the infant's parents, while Rose was Adrianna and Braydon Williams' mother.
Investigators determined the four relatives had not been seen since the night before, according to Goodman. A relative had called 911 after finding two vehicles in a remote area, and the four bodies were found in nearby woods, Goodman said.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch has said it's believed the killings were a targeted attack by Drummond. The baby, identified by Goodman as a girl, is safe and being cared for by other relatives.
Goodman said authorities believe Drummond drove the baby from Tiptonville to Tigrett, where she was left in a yard. The TBI has already charged Tanaka Brown, 29, and Giovonte Thomas, 29, with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Investigators allege both men 'assisted' Drummond, 28, in the killings.
Dearrah Sanders of Jackson was arrested on Monday and charged with being an accessory after the killings. Drummond's criminal history includes prison time for robbing a convenience store and threatening to go after jurors. He was also charged with attempted murder while behind bars.
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