The net is closing in on quadruple murder suspect Austin Drummond as the search for him continues.
A manhunt for the 28-year-old began on Thursday after he was identified as the primary suspect in the murders of four family members and the abandonment of a 7-month-old baby in Tennessee.
21-year-old Matthew Wilson, Adrianna Williams (20), Cortney Rose (38), and Braydon Williams (15) were discovered dead in a wooded area in Tiptonville on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, Williams and Wilson’s baby daughter was discovered in a car seat on a 100-degree driveway in Tigrett, about 40 miles south of where the victims were discovered; she is safe and well.
However, officials have provided a significant update in the case, confirming the arrest of two of Drummond’s “associates” who are accused of assisting the fugitive.
Tanaka Brown was arrested by Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) agents in Jackson on Friday.
The 29-year-old is charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.
“TBI investigators, in coordination with a variety of local, state, and federal authorities, identified Drummond as a suspect,” according to the organization.
“Agents obtained warrants charging Drummond in connection with the murders.”
“Further investigation revealed that Drummond’s associate, Tanaka Brown (DOB 11/17/1995), assisted Drummond.”
He is currently in Lake County Jail without bond.
The next day, agents arrested Giovonte Thomas of Jackson, who is also accused of being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
The TBI claimed that their investigation revealed Thomas to be another of Drummond’s “associates”.
“Thomas was already being held in the Madison County Jail on an unrelated charge for Failure to Appear,” they informed us.
“He will be transferred to the Lake County Jail to be arraigned on the new charges.”
NEW CLUE
As well as the arrests, cops have found a new clue that could help them track down the suspected murderer.
On Friday, police confirmed that they had found Drummond’s damaged Audi A3 abandoned on a road in Jackson, his home county, where he was last seen.
However, authorities have located and taken as evidence a second vehicle believed to be connected to the fugitive.
“Investigators searching for Austin Drummond have been wanting to locate this 1988 white Ford pickup truck with a red stripe,” TBI wrote on X on Saturday evening.
“That truck has been located near Burnt Mill Rd. in Dyer County.”
They have now asked residents in the area to check their dash cam and door footage starting Tuesday morning for any signs of Drummond or his truck.
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.
Friday, August 1: Cops locate Drummond’s damaged Audi A3 abandoned on a road in Jackson and arrest alleged associate Tanaka Brown accused of being an accessory to first degree murder after the fact and tampering with evidence.
Saturday, August 2: Agents arrest second man Giovonte Thomas for accessory to first degree murder after the fact. They also locate a Ford pick up truck believed to be connected to Drummond in Dyer County.
Meanwhile, officials continue to request that Drummond hand himself in peacefully.
He is considered “armed and dangerous” and should not be approached by members of the public.
As of Friday, Drummond was thought to still be in the Jackson area, TBI Director David Rausch said, urging locals to keep their doors locks and to be on alert.
DARK PAST
Since Drummond was named the primary suspect in the murder case, a number of concerning revelations about his background have surfaced.
It was discovered that he was on bail for attempted murder when he allegedly killed the four family members.
He was released from prison in September after serving ten years and was on bail for the alleged crime he committed while there.
He also shared disturbing jail pictures on Facebook months before his release.
It has also been revealed that Madison County District Attorney Jody Pickens strongly advised against his early release in 2020.
She informed the parole board that he is “a dangerous felony offender and a confirmed member of the Vice Lords,” a notorious street gang from Chicago.
While a motive has not been revealed, Drummond is thought to have dated Williams’ aunt, the mother of the baby girl found in the car seat.
Drummond is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, four counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, and one count of possessing a firearm during a dangerous felony.
“Getting Austin Drummond in custody is a priority,” the US Marshals Service stated.
TBI is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to his arrest.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-TBI-FIND or email [email protected].
