Who Is Austin Drummond? What to Know About Quadruple Homicide Suspect

Authorities are currently searching for 28-year-old Austin Robert Drummond, the suspect in the recent murders of four people in Lake County, Tennessee.

Newsweek has reached out to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) and the Tennessee Attorney General’s office for comment via email on Saturday.

Why It Matters

Earlier this week, an infant was found abandoned in Dyer County. Hours later, four relatives, including the child’s father and mother, were found murdered in nearby Lake County.

Authorities identified the victims as the child’s parents, Matthew Wilson, 21, and Adrianna Williams, 20, along with the child’s maternal grandmother, Courtney Rose, 38, and maternal uncle, Braydon Williams, 15.

Drummond remains at large.

What To Know

The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office said in a Tuesday Facebook post, “A dark-colored minivan or a white mid-size SUV was reported to have dropped off an infant in a car seat at a random individual’s front yard. Thankfully a witness saw the car seat with the child and called 911.” Hours later, police reported four people were murdered in Tiptonville.

Drummond, a 28-year-old white male weighing 190 pounds and standing 5 feet and 10 inches tall, has been identified as the suspect in the murders. The TBI has issued a warrant for his arrest and added him to its “Most Wanted” list.

He is wanted on 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 the commission of a dangerous felony.

The alert warned that he is “considered armed and dangerous.”

A Saturday update noted that investigators are asking people nearby if they have any footage of Drummond or his 1988 white Ford pickup truck. They located the truck in Dyer County.

A motive has not yet been released.

What We Know About Austin Robert Drummond

Drummond is a resident of Jackson, Tennessee, according to documents reviewed by Newsweek.

He has a previous criminal record, having been indicted by the Madison County Grand Jury and later convicted of aggravated robbery in 2013, according to court documents reviewed by Newsweek. Armed with a pistol, he robbed a Circle K convenience store in Jackson, with the attendant testifying he took $44 from the register.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, which he appealed, and lost. He started his sentence on August 30, 2013, according to documents reviewed by Newsweek.

The Tennessee Department of Corrections database states that Drummond served 13 years, with his sentence end date listed as September 1, 2024. His profile has an updated mugshot from September 2019.

What People Are Saying

Danny Goodman, district attorney for Dyer and Lake counties, told CNN: “The victims were all from Dyer County, and we suspect the person that killed them knew all of them.”

U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller said in a July 31 press release: “Getting Austin Drummond in custody is a priority. Anyone with information about where we can find him should call us immediately. You will remain anonymous.”

What Happens Next?

The TBI has encouraged the public to not approach Drummond but to call 911 if they spot him. In addition, any tips or information can be dialed to 1-800-TBI-FIND.

There is currently a $15,000 reward for information leading to his arrest, $7,500 from TBI and $7,500 from the U.S. Marshals Service.