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The vehicle driven by a suspect in a quadruple murder case in Tennessee, Austin Drummond, was discovered abandoned as more information about his extensive criminal history comes to light.
A manhunt is currently underway for Drummond, a 28-year-old individual wanted for the murders of four people in Tiptonville, Tennessee. The police revealed that an infant found on a stranger’s front lawn is related to all four deceased individuals, who were identified as family members of Drummond’s current girlfriend.
“The Jackson Police Department has located the vehicle driven by Austin Drummond in the woods near the end of MCO road,” the agency stated on Friday regarding a 2016 Audi A3 with a Tennessee license plate. “It appears that he has been residing in the vehicle and may be in the vicinity.
“JPD is urging all individuals in the immediate area of this alert to secure their doors and stay indoors as we actively search for Drummond,” they added. “Please be aware that he is considered armed and extremely dangerous.”
Jackson is situated around 70 miles southeast of Tiptonville, where the victims – James M. Wilson, Adrianna Williams, Cortney Rose, and Braydon Williams – were discovered on Tuesday.
Tennessee District 29 District Attorney Danny Goodman disclosed during a press conference on Friday that at the time of the alleged murders, Drummond was out on bond for an attempted murder while incarcerated on December 12, 2024.
“It was a targeted attack,” Goodman stated during an interview on “Fox & Friends” on Friday.
Goodman further revealed that the four victims were family members of Drummond’s current girlfriend. Rose and Adrianna are half-sisters, and Braydon Williams was the nephew and niece of both siblings.
A reward of $15,000 is being offered for the arrest of Drummond. The exact nature of the alleged crimes is unclear, but the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has issued warrants for Drummond, charging him with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, and weapons offenses.
“Apprehending Austin Drummond is a top priority. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact us immediately. Your identity will remain confidential,” U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller stated in a release. The U.S. Marshals are aiding the TBI in the manhunt.
Drummond had previously served time in prison for robbing a convenience store at the age of 16 and making threats towards jurors, according to court records cited by the Associated Press.
He was tried as an adult for a robbery in Jackson, Tennessee in July 2013. During the incident, he wielded a pistol at a gas station employee, demanded the cash register be opened, and absconded with $44, according to court records.
At a parole hearing in 2020 where he was denied release, Drummond claimed he was under the influence of Xanax the night of the robbery and had no recollection of committing the crime. He also asserted that the gun used was a BB gun.
Following his conviction on one count of aggravated robbery in August 2014, Drummond made threats towards the jurors, as he admitted during the parole hearing. He later pleaded guilty to 13 counts of retaliation for past actions in February 2015.
Jody Pickens, the district attorney for Madison County, advised against early release for Drummond in a letter written in 2020, describing him as “a dangerous felony offender and a confirmed member of the Vice Lords,” a street gang, as per the AP.
Drummond was ultimately sentenced to a combined 13 years in prison. According to Tennessee Department of Correction records, his sentence concluded in September 2024.
At the time of the 2020 parole hearing, Drummond had more than two dozen disciplinary infractions in prison, including possession of a deadly weapon, assault, refusal to undergo a drug test, and involvement in gang activity. Drummond contended that the assault and deadly weapon charges stemmed from an incident where he was almost fatally assaulted.
Contributions to this report were made by Fox News’ Julia Bonavita, Adam Sabes, Samantha Daigle, and The Associated Press.
