A manhunt is underway in Tennessee for 29-year-old Austin Robert Drummond, who is accused of killing four people and leaving an infant alive in a nearby front yard. Authorities are calling him armed and dangerous and have urged the public to report any sightings immediately.
The victims—Cortney Rose, 38; her children Adrianna Williams, 20, and Braydon Williams, 15; and Adrianna’s boyfriend, James “Michael” Wilson, 21—were found dead on Tuesday along a roadside in Lake County, located in the northwestern corner of the state near the borders with Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky, News.Az reports, citing ABC News.
Later that same day, Wilson and Williams' baby, identified by family as Weslynne, was discovered in a car seat on the front lawn of a stranger’s home in nearby Dyer County. Authorities confirmed the infant was treated by paramedics and is now safe and in good care.
Officials say the killings were not random. District Attorney Danny Goodman stated that Drummond had known the victims. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued an alert for Drummond, who is now wanted on four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, four counts of felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
The TBI described the case as a deeply tragic and violent event, but noted that the suspect’s decision to spare the baby may suggest “a sense that there is hope for him to be able to come in and have a conversation about what happened.”
Drummond’s white 2016 Audi was found in Jackson, Tennessee, where he is believed to have personal ties. Investigators believe he may still be in the area. According to Goodman, Drummond had previously been out on bond for an attempted murder charge linked to an incident that occurred while he was incarcerated for attempted robbery.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to Drummond’s arrest. Anyone with information is urged to call 1-800-TBI-FIND.
