The suspect sought after for involvement in a quadruple murder and kidnapping in Tennessee is a recently released inmate who appeared in prison photos alongside a vodka bottle and shelves filled with non-perishable items.
Investigators are actively searching for Austin Drummond, 28, who is accused of the ruthless murder of four family members and leaving a 7-month-old baby on a stranger’s doorstep.
Authorities have identified the victims as James “Matthew” Wilson, 21, his partner Adrianna Williams, 20, the baby’s parents; Cortney Rose, 38, the baby’s grandmother and Williams’ mother; and Braydon Williams, 15, who is Wilson’s brother.
The relatives were all found dead in a wooded area in Tiptonville, about two hours north of Memphis, on Tuesday evening.
The young daughter of Williams and Wilson was discovered in a car seat on a driveway in Tigrett, approximately 40 miles away from where the family members’ bodies were found.
‘FAMILY PROTECTOR’
Wilson’s heartbroken father mourned his son’s death, calling his eldest son and Williams the “best parents anyone could ask for.”
“Matthew is was my first born. He made me a granddaddy first,” Matt Wilson told The U.S. Sun.
“He was a determined young man. He loved his two younger brothers and sisters, always acting as their shield. He was there for everyone no matter what.”
“Adrianna was the best momma a baby could ever ask for. They were both the best parents anyone could ask for.
“My little grandbaby was always taken care of always clean and was always eating. I don’t know what else to say.”
The distraught grandfather added, “I miss my son and I miss Adrianna. I will never left [sic] my grandbaby forget them as long as I live.
“They loved her so much. They loved her more than life itself.”
Upon realizing who the suspect was, Matt sternly declared, “They better locate him before I do,” he remarked to The U.S. Sun, alluding to the police as well as Drummond.
CUSHY PRISON STINT
Drummond was recently released from prison last September after serving more than a decade for armed robbery and kidnapping charges in Jackson, Tennessee, in 2014.
Drummond was active on social media in the latter years of his prison stint, posting frequently on Facebook about his cushy time while behind bars.
In June 2023, Drummond shared a series of selfies, photos of his setup in his cell, and his pizza dinners as he captioned the post, “Chilling 10 more months.”
Quadruple murders timeline
Tuesday, July 29: A 7-month-old baby girl was found abandoned in a car seat in the front yard of a residence in Tigrett, Dyer County, Tennessee, at around 3 pm.
Hours later: Four individuals were found dead in Lake County approximately 40 miles from where the baby was located.
Wednesday, July 30: Investigators identify the victims as:
- Matthew Wilson, 21, (the baby’s father)
- Adrianna Williams, 20 (the baby’s mother)
- Cortney Rose, 38, (the baby’s grandmother)
- Braydon Williams, 15, (the baby’s maternal uncle)
Thursday, July 31: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation name Austin Drummond, 29, as a suspect in the quadruple homicide.
A separate photo showed him and his cellmate posing with a Ciroc vodka bottle inside their cell, captioning the picture, “Ciroc….. almost home living it up till I get there.”
In two separate videos, Drummond uploaded clips of himself watching movies and playing a Nintendo Switch.
Drummond was released on September 1, 2024, after serving nearly 13 years, according to records seen by The U.S. Sun on the Tennessee Department of Corrections website.
FAMILY TIES
The alleged killer was believed to have once dated the aunt of Williams, the mother of the 7-month-old, according to a relative of the victims.
Brier-Ashley Childress claimed in a Facebook post that Drummond once dated her husband and Cortney Rose’s sister, Kaitlyn.
She wrote, “Yes, we cared about him and thought he cared about us. He has literally been nothing short of amazing to us and our kids every time he has been around us up until this point.
“He has been amazing to our niece (Kaitlyn’s daughter). We never expected him to cause any harm to anyone, much less anyone in our family.
“We are heartbroken. We are confused. We are devastated. We are mortified. We are hurting. Our kids are hurting.
“We thought we knew him. Kaitlyn thought she knew him. Cortney, Adrianna, Braydon, and Matthew thought they knew him. We all trusted him.”
She added, “We want justice for my sister in law, niece, nephew, and nieces [sic] boyfriend more than any one of you that had never even met our loved ones. Thank you!”
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations has placed Drummond on its most wanted list, offering up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest.
Drummond is facing four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, four counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, and one count of possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony.
