TIPTONVILLE, Tenn. (Court TV/AP) — A Tennessee man accused of killing four members of the same family and kidnapping has been indicted by a grand jury.
Defendant Austin Drummond, accused of quadruple murder, leaves the courtroom after a preliminary hearing Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Tiptonville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, Pool)
Lake County District Attorney General Danny Goodman told Court TV that Austin Drummond has been indicted on four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted violent felon, aggravated kidnapping and possession of a weapon during the commission of a dangerous felony.
Goodman also said his office has filed a Notice of Intent to seek the death penalty against Drummond.
Drummond was arrested after a weeklong manhunt. Authorities say he killed four people on July 29 in Tiptonville, then kidnapped a baby and abandoned the girl in a stranger’s front yard in Dyer County.
The victims were identified as the baby’s parents, James M. Wilson, 21, and Adrianna Williams, 20; Williams’ brother, Braydon Williams, 15; and their mother, Cortney Rose, 38.
Investigators determined the four relatives had not been seen since the night before, according to Goodman. A relative had called 911 after finding two vehicles in a remote area, and the four bodies were found in nearby woods, Goodman said.
Drummond’s girlfriend is the sister of the infant’s grandmother, according to Goodman.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
