16/09/2025
Austin Drummond's Murder of Four Family Members
20-year-old Adrianna Williams. 21-year-old James M. Wilson. 38-year-old Cortney Rose. 15-year-old Braydon Williams.
These are the names of the four people Austin Drummond is accused of killing. Not only did he murder them, but he left them in rural Tennessee and abandoned a 7-month-old baby in a stranger’s yard 25 miles away. Austin’s connection to the victims is unknown.
How Is Everyone Related?
The four people Austin killed and the baby he abandoned were related to each other. The victims were the parents, grandmother, and uncle of the baby.
James and Adrianna were the parents of the infant, who was a girl. Cortney was Adrianna’s mother; therefore, she was the grandmother of the baby girl. This leaves Braydon, who was the uncle of the child.
Finding The Family
On Tuesday, July 29, 2025, someone called the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office about an incident in Dyer County near the Tigrett area on Old Highway 20.
The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office wrote about this in a statement on Facebook and added more information, saying, “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.”
After the baby girl was identified, the police wanted to look for her family. However, at 10:26 p.m. later that night, the case got even more complicated.
Someone called 911 and reported Cortney and Adrianna missing. Later that night, Cortney, Adrianna, James, and Braydon were found dead approximately 25 miles away from Dyer County in Lake County.
Reactions To the Crime
Family friend Amy Anderson told WREG 3 that the family was devastated but grateful that the baby had been spared. She also pointed out that the deceased family members were good people and that Adrianna was the sweetest person who loved being a mother.
“Everybody don’t know what to think. There’s been rumors here and there, but I just wish everybody would slow down on the rumors and wait until stuff is actually put out there as far as the truth goes, so that there’s no more heartache than what already is,” Amy said to WREG 3.
The Suspect
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified Austin Drummond as the suspect and posted this announcement on their page, hoping to spread awareness and ensure he was arrested.
In the post, according to People, this was what the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation mentioned: “He is about 5'10" tall, weighs 190 lbs., and has blue eyes, brown hair, and a goatee, though his appearance could have changed, per the TBI. He was last seen driving a white Audi A3 sedan with Tennessee license plate RI 01896; the vehicle has damage on the driver's side.”
Austin was also said to be armed and dangerous. He was wanted for first-degree murder, kidnapping, and firearm possession charges.
Looking For Austin
A multi-day manhunt began for Austin after he was identified as a suspect, and the authorities finally caught a break when someone saw him on August 5.
The person who saw Austin was Ricardo Contreras, who was working on a house and saw someone in the woods.
Ricardo told WMC that one of his guys had heard something in the woods and that they had initially thought it was a deer. But when Ricardo took a look, he saw that it was not a deer, but a person. Because he knew the police were looking for someone in the area, Ricardo decided to call the police.
“I saw someone moving in the middle of the woods, and he had like a, you know, a sweater with, you know, something on his head or something like that, but it was really hard to see if it was the person that they were looking for, but who else could it be?” Ricardo said to WMC.
Police arrived at the scene after Ricardo’s call. He told WMC that a local resident called and said Austin had been arrested 15 minutes later. This marked the end of the manhunt. Ricardo got several messages after Austin’s arrest, thanking him, which made him believe he did the right thing.
Austin’s Accomplices
On September 3, 2025, several accomplices were indicted for aiding Austin in his crimes.
The first two accomplices who were arrested were 29-year-old Giovontie Thomas and 23-year-old Dearrah Sanders. They were charged with one count of accessory after the fact prior to September 3, 2025, and then received an additional count.
Another accomplice arrested was 29-year-old Tanaka Brown for accessory after the fact and evidence tampering. Tanaka is still facing these charges as of September 3, 2025.
These three were not the only supposed accomplices.
A Madison County Grand Jury indicted two more accomplices for accessory after the fact. Those accomplices were 26-year-old Eric Wise Jr. and 22-year-old Michell Ovelis. Agents claimed Eric and Michell helped Austin evade the authorities.
The Preliminary Hearing
On September 4, 2025, Austin’s preliminary hearing occurred. This hearing included several witnesses taking the stand and telling the court what they knew.
The first witness in the hearing was a Tennessee State Parks ranger who saw three vehicles parked on the side of Carrington Road. According to WREG, these vehicles were a Dodge Charger, a Nissan Rogue, and a Chevy Traverse. The Charger had its trunk open, but no people were near the car. The ranger turned away for two to three minutes, and when he looked back, the Rogue was gone.
Another law enforcement officer said he saw the vehicles, too, and when he approached the Traverse, he saw a red substance that resembled blood. He then noticed male and female bodies covered with a tarp. The scene was secured, and another officer found a shoe in the nearby woods and found another pair of bodies covered with a tarp. The four victims appeared to have been shot to death.
The Rogue had been caught on traffic cameras heading toward Dyersburg. An FBI agent testified and said Michell rented the Rogue and provided it to Austin. Cell phone records showed several places where the Rogue went, such as Dyersburg and the crime scene in Lake County, before heading southbound again toward the home where the baby was found.
This cell phone was pinged in Jackson at Austin’s parents’ house and an apartment complex. The agent continued explaining Austin’s timeline, saying that he called Tanaka to pick him up. They supposedly made a Walmart trip where they bought cleaning supplies and trash bags.
Austin allegedly admitted to being at the crime scene, according to District Attorney Danny Goodman. Because of the evidence provided, Judge Andrew T. Cook found probable cause, and Austin’s case will move forward.
His current charges are four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and possession of a firearm in a dangerous felony.
His next court date is November 17 in Lake Coun ty, where the case will be presented to a grand jury.
Written by: Rachel Borchers
Social Media Contributing Writer
(From left to right: Cortney Rose, James M. Wilson, Adrianna Williams, and Braydon Williams. Photo from People.)
(Austin Drummond. Photo from People.)
