A CONSTRUCTION worker has opened up about the moment he reportedly spotted a fugitive accused of murdering four family members.

Ricardo Contreras played a crucial role in ending the intense week-long search for the 28-year-old habitual offender, Austin Robert Drummond, by reporting a sighting of him on Tuesday.

Drummond was apprehended by US Marshals after a construction team spotted him dashing into the forest near Jackson, Tennessee, approximately 90 minutes from Memphis.

The fugitive had spent a week avoiding authorities after allegedly abducting a seven-month-old infant, leaving her in the yard of an unknown person, and subsequently killing four individuals.

The murder victims included Adrianna Williams, 20, and Matthew Wilson, 21, who were the parents of the baby. The others were Adrianna’s mother, Cortney Rose, 38, and her younger brother, Braydon Williams, 15.

Moments after the mystery finally came to an end, Contreras revealed the bizarre behavior that ultimately revealed Drummond’s identity.

Speaking to local radio station WNWS, the worker said that people spotted someone walking into the woods while they were on a job and found it odd.

“We thought, ‘Nobody wants to walk in the middle of the woods, in the middle of this stuff,'” he said.

Because of the strange area, Contreras said that he felt “very sure” the man was Drummond.

The brave bystander said that first responders raced over before he even had the chance to hang up after calling 911.

He called the law enforcement “heroes” and said, “I’m really glad they got him.”

TENSE SEARCH

The hunt intensified on Monday night following Drummond’s appearance on video surveillance prowling in Jackson, about 90 minutes from Dyer County, where the infant was located.

The town was put on lockdown, as the suspect, armed with a rifle, was seen trying doors and seemingly attempting to break into buildings.

The reasons behind these actions or Drummond’s connection to the victims remain largely unclear. Nonetheless, some relatives suggest he may have had a romantic involvement with one of Rose’s sisters.

Drummond served 13 years in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping and was released in September 2024.

In December, he was slapped with an attempted murder charge over a fight with an inmate that he had behind bars, but he was bailed out of jail.

He’s also faced charges for allegedly having drugs in prison and is said to be a part of the dangerous Chicago-based gang Almighty Vice Lords.

Three other people have been arrested and accused of helping Drummond pull off the sick crime.

VICTIMS MOURNED

Wilson and Adrianna were remembered as dedicated parents who loved their new baby girl, according to a GoFundMe started by Wilson’s sister.

Rose was a single mother and sole provider to her children.

Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box said that Tuesday’s arrest came after the “tireless work and dedication of our local, state, and federal partners.”

The sheriff’s office said that they were mourning with the families who had suffered such an immense loss.

“Our focus now shifts to honoring the lives lost and providing support to their grieving families,” Box said in a statement.

“We urge the community and the media to respect their privacy as they navigate through this tragic loss.”