2 Arrests Made in Connection to Tenn. Quadruple Murder Suspect Who Allegedly Abandoned 7-Month-Old Baby

Two men allegedly connected to Austin Robert Drummond — the suspect accused of murdering four family members in Tennessee and abandoning a 7-month-old baby girl on a stranger’s lawn — have been arrested as authorities continue their search for the fugitive.

On Saturday, August 2, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) announced that Tanaka Brown, 29, and Giovonte Thomas, 29, had been charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, according to two news releases.

In an update, the agency also confirmed Brown faces an additional charge of tampering with evidence.

Investigators allege the two men “assisted” Drummond, 28, who is wanted in connection with the killings of James M. Wilson, 21, Adrianna Williams, 20, Cortney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15. The victims were found dead on July 29 in Lake County, Tennessee.

According to the TBI, Thomas was already in custody at the Madison County Jail on an unrelated charge of failure to appear. He will be transferred to Lake County to face the new charges. In a separate statement, authorities said Brown was booked into the Lake County Jail and is being held without bond.

The grim discovery of the four bodies came after police launched an investigation into the abandonment of a 7-month-old baby — the daughter of James and Adrianna — roughly 25 miles away in Dyer County.

On August 3, the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) confirmed that the U.S. Marshals Service had raised its reward for information leading to Drummond’s arrest to $10,000. With an additional $7,500 offered by the TBI, the total reward stands at $17,500.

Drummond is wanted on multiple charges, including four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a U.S. Marshals wanted poster.

On August 1, authorities located Drummond’s abandoned vehicle in Jackson, Tennessee — over an hour’s drive from Tiptonville, where the murders occurred. The DCSO said in a statement that the Jackson Police Department found the vehicle in a wooded area near the end of MCO Road. Evidence at the scene suggested Drummond had been living in the car and may still be in the vicinity.

“JPD asks all people within the immediate area of this alert to lock their doors and stay indoors as we actively search for Drummond,” the warning read. “He is considered armed and extremely dangerous. If you see him, call 911 immediately. Do not approach.”

Authorities say the four victims were the mother, father, grandmother, and uncle of the abandoned baby girl. According to Fox News, they were also relatives of Drummond’s current girlfriend.

At the time of the alleged killings, Drummond was reportedly out on bond stemming from a December 2024 incident in which he was accused of attempting to kill another inmate while incarcerated. He had previously been serving time for a robbery committed when he was 16, and for threatening jurors, per the Associated Press.

The DCSO previously reported that on the afternoon of July 29, officers received a call about a suspicious incident near Old Highway 20 in the Tigrett area of Dyer County. Around 3:11 p.m., a caller reported that either a dark-colored minivan or a white mid-size SUV had left a baby in a car seat in someone’s front yard.

“Thankfully a witness saw the car seat with the child and called 911,” the sheriff’s office stated in a Facebook post, which also included a photo of the infant.

Hours later, four individuals were discovered dead in Lake County. According to the AP, a spokesperson for both the Lake and Dyer County sheriffs confirmed the baby is now safe.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has not released further updates at this time. PEOPLE has also reached out to the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office for additional comment.