JACKSON, Tenn. (Scripps News Nashville) — The man accused of killing four people and abandoning an infant in west Tennessee is speaking out publicly and claims he’s innocent.
Austin Drummond appears in court via video conference Thursday, August 7, 2025. (Court TV)
Austin Drummond was arrested earlier this month in Jackson, Tennessee, about 75 miles from Lake County, where the murders occurred.
Authorities discovered four members of the same family murdered in Lake County on July 29: Adriana Williams, James Matthew Wilson, Cortney Rose and teenager Braydon Williams. That same day, an infant related to the victims was found abandoned but safe in a car seat in a stranger’s front yard in Dyer County.
According to investigators, Drummond knew the victims — he was dating Rose’s sister.
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He was on the run for nearly a week, making national news and terrorizing communities in northwest Tennessee.
Drummond spoke exclusively with Scripps News Nashville, and he stated he was working as a confidential informant after being approached by prosecutors.
He claimed to have assisted authorities, including the FBI — undercover — to help in their crackdown on drug smuggling into jails and prisons.
Drummond confirmed he became a member of the Vice Lords gang during a prior stint behind bars. In recent weeks, before the murders, he was notified that his cover was blown. Then, when the four people were murdered, he ran. Drummond admitted he did the wrong thing by running, but said he was scared.
He said he is innocent and had no reason to kill the four individuals, all of whom he considered to be family. But Drummond did say, without explanation, that he was somehow directly involved in the killings.
Drummond was asked what he knew about how they were killed and why the baby that was found left in a car seat alive in Dyer County played. He was not ready to answer those questions.
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After hearing from Drummond, Scripps News Nashville contacted Lake County District Attorney Danny Goodman, Jr. He was already well aware of the conversation with Drummond.
All jailhouse phone calls are recorded, and this one is now already part of the criminal case file.
Goodman could not comment specifically yet on what Drummond said, but he did say there’s no doubt in his mind that Drummond killed the four and there was a clear motive.
This story was originally written by Nick Beres for Scripps News Nashville, an E.W. Scripps Company.
