Police find a car they say was driven by the man wanted in the death of 4 Tennessee family members
Share this @internewscast.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Investigators looking for the suspect in the murders of an infant’s parents, grandmother, and uncle have discovered a vehicle they suspect he was residing in. Authorities announced a ,000 reward for tips that could help locate him.

The unoccupied car that police said 28-year-old Austin Robert Drummond had been driving was found in Jackson, Tennessee, about 70 miles from where the bodies were found and some 40 miles from where the baby was left in a car seat in a front yard.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said at a news conference that he believes it was a targeted attack by Drummond, who had a relationship with the family. He is most likely still in the area and should be considered armed and dangerous, Rausch said.

Drummond dropped off the infant and brought attention to people nearby to come get the child, Rausch said. The baby is safe and being cared for, said Stephen Sutton, a spokesperson for the Lake and Dyer county sheriffs.

“While this was an extremely tragic and violent event, that there was a sign of compassion, if you will, that we know happened,” Rausch said. “That tells us that there’s a possibility that Austin may have a sense that there is hope for him to be able to come in and have a conversation about what happened.”

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has said it obtained warrants for Drummond charging him with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping and weapons offenses.

Authorities have not yet answered questions about the manner in which the four were killed.

According to court records, Drummond had spent years in prison for robbing a convenience store as a 16-year-old and threatening to go after jurors.

He was tried as an adult for the July 2013 robbery in Jackson, Tennessee. During the incident, he pointed a pistol at the gas station store worker and ordered the cash register to be opened, taking the $44 inside, court records show.

At a 2020 hearing in which he was denied parole, Drummond said he was on Xanax the night of the robbery and doesn’t remember robbing the gas station. He said the gun was a BB gun.

After the jury convicted him of one count of aggravated robbery in August 2014, he made threats to go after jurors, Drummond said during the parole hearing. He pleaded guilty in February 2015 to 13 counts of retaliation for past action.

The district attorney that covers Madison County, Jody Pickens, urged against early release for Drummond, writing a letter in 2020 that called him “a dangerous felony offender and a confirmed member of the Vice Lords,” a street gang.

Pickens wrote that Drummond made the threats against jurors and the victim in the robbery during a phone call with his father.

The Associated Press obtained audio and documents from the parole board hearing through public records requests.

Drummond was given a combined 13-year sentence. His sentence ended in September 2024, according to Tennessee Department of Correction records.

As of the 2020 parole hearing, Drummond had more than two dozen disciplinary issues in prison, including possession of a deadly weapon, assault, refusing a drug test and gang activity. Drummond said the assault and the deadly weapon charges occurred because he was almost beaten to death.

Drummond was charged criminally for activities inside the prison, included attempted murder, after he completed the sentence that put him behind bars, District Attorney Danny Goodman said at the news conference. Drummond was out on bond on the other charges at the time of the killings, Goodman said.

The investigation began after an infant in a car seat was found in a front yard in the Tigrett area on Tuesday afternoon. The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted on social media that a caller reported the infant had been dropped off by a minivan or mid-size SUV at a “random individual’s front yard” with a photo of the baby in a paramedic’s arms.

After identifying the infant, the sheriff’s office said later that night that they were working with investigators in neighboring Lake County where four people had been found dead.

On Wednesday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified the four people found dead in Tiptonville as James M. Wilson, 21; Adrianna Williams, 20; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15.

Wilson and Adrianna Williams were the infant’s parents, and Rose was Adrianna and Braydon Williams’ mother, according to Goodman. All four of the victims lived in Dyer County, he said.

Immediately after discovering the infant, investigators started looking for the baby’s family and soon learned the four relatives had not been seen since the night before, Goodman said. Then a relative called 911 after finding two vehicles in a remote area. The four bodies were found in nearby woods, Goodman said.

All four victims had been killed, Goodman said, but he declined to say how.

Authorities did not name the infant, but an obituary for Wilson says he is survived by his daughter, Weslynne Wilson.

An attorney who represented Drummond in his case as a teenager did not immediately return a message requesting a comment.

A telephone listing for Drummond could not be found.

___

Reporter Sarah Brumfield contributed from Cockeysville, Maryland.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

New Exhibit Set to Be Installed at STEAM Center

SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Coastal Heritage Society welcomed a special delivery over…

Tragic Coles County Crash: Mattoon Man Killed, Woman and Child Injured

A tragic incident occurred on Wednesday evening in Coles County, leaving a…

Diddy to Receive Sentence on Friday for Charges Related to Prostitution

Sean “Diddy” Combs will be sentenced by a federal judge on Friday,…

Norovirus Strikes Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship

Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. For the best experience, please…

Is it possible to obtain a passport during a government shutdown?

(NewsNation) — U.S. citizens looking to get or renew a passport amid…

New Report Sheds Light on Orange County Fire Rescue’s Actions Following Stardust Racers Incident التعرض.

ORLANDO, Fla. – A newly released incident report is providing insights into…

Federal Closure Halts Marriage License Issuance in DC

In the nation’s capital, couples ready to tie the knot are facing…

Rays VP Departs After 15 Years with the Team

Related video: Ownership group acquires the Rays Carlos Rodriguez, the Vice President…

Michigan Attorney General Cautions Public About Potential Scams Amid Shutdown

Residents of Lansing, Mich. (WLNS) are being warned by Michigan Attorney General…

Senator Thune Discusses Talks About Avoiding a Government Shutdown

Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. For the best browsing experience,…

Trump Declares U.S. in ‘Armed Conflict’ with Cartels, Administration Informs Congress

The Trump administration has confidentially notified Congress that President Donald Trump has…

Overnight Fire Damages Springfield Home

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Springfield Fire Department is investigating after a…