Authorities in Lake County, Tennessee, have released the identities of four individuals found dead in a recent homicide case now confirmed to be connected to a baby who was discovered abandoned nearby. According to District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr., the deceased were all relatives of the infant.
The victims have been identified as 15-year-old Braydon Williams, 20-year-old Adrianna Williams, 21-year-old James M. Wilson, and 38-year-old Cortney Rose, per a July 30 update shared by the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office.
In an earlier July 29 Facebook post, the sheriff’s office noted they were seeking to speak with Cortney Rose, Matthew Wilson, and Adrianna Williams in connection to the ongoing investigation.
Later that same day, authorities discovered the four deceased individuals in Tiptonville, a town in Lake County. This was just hours after a 7-month-old girl had been found abandoned in a car seat some 40 miles away, near Tigrett in neighboring Dyer County.
More news: An infant was found abandoned. Then, police discovered 4 people dead.
Reports: Infant’s Parents, Grandmother, and Uncle Among Victims
Outlets including Fox 13, WRAL, and People reported that the four individuals were closely related to the child — among them, the baby’s parents, grandmother, and uncle. Their names were initially withheld until family members could be notified.
Baby Left in a Front Yard, Witnesses Say
Deputies from the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched just after 3:00 p.m. on July 29 following reports of an unattended infant. Witnesses said the baby was spotted in a car seat placed in a front yard in Tigrett.
Officials stated that witnesses reported seeing “a dark-colored minivan or a white mid-size SUV” in the area at the time, believed to be involved in dropping off the infant.
Shortly afterward, the discovery of the four bodies raised immediate concern and led investigators to believe the cases were connected.
Longtime Lake County resident Melissa Peal described the events as “horrific” and told WMC-TV it was “bad for this community.”
Investigation Ongoing; Suspect Charged and at Large
District Attorney Danny Goodman sought to reassure the public, telling reporters the situation “appears to be an isolated incident” and that there was no ongoing threat to the broader community.
On July 31, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced charges against Austin Robert Drummond. He faces four counts of first-degree murder and four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Drummond has also been charged with aggravated kidnapping and possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. Authorities said he remains at large and should be considered “armed and dangerous.”
The investigation continues in cooperation with the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office, the TBI, the FBI, and several other law enforcement agencies.
