Austin Drummond named suspect in quadruple slaying in Tennessee in which baby abandoned near home

Authorities named a suspect Thursday in the quadruple killing of a rural Tennessee family, whose baby was abandoned outside of a random home far away from where they were found dead.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said they are searching for Austin Drummond, 28, after linking him to the slayings of the baby girl’s parents, her grandmother and her teenage uncle.

Officials said Mr. Drummond remains at large and should be considered armed and dangerous. He faces charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and weapons-related offenses.

The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office described Mr. Drummond as a 5-foot-10 White man who weighs 190 pounds. He has brown hair, blue eyes and a goatee, although authorities said he may have changed his appearance.

Police said he is believed to be driving a 2016 Audi A3 with Tennessee plate RI 01896. The vehicle has visible damage to the driver’s side.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation began Tuesday after a witness spotted a baby girl in a car seat being dropped off in the front yard of their home. The witness said they had no connection to the baby, which was left outside on a sweltering day.

Authorities said they originally set out to find the baby’s parents — James Matthew Wilson, 21, and Adrianna Williams, 20 — and bring them in for questioning.

But police later found the parents dead alongside the infant’s 38-year-old grandmother, Cortney Rose, and 15-year-old uncle, Brayden Williams, inside a Lake County home more than 20 miles away.

Lake County is about two hours north of Memphis in the western part of the state.

Officials have not described how the victims were killed.

“This is a deeply saddening day for our community. We are committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice is served,” Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box said late Tuesday.

Dyer County District Attorney Danny Goodman said the slaying was an isolated incident and doesn’t believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.

Friends and family of the victims are grieving the sudden loss of their loved ones.

“Matthew and Adrianna were the best parents anyone could ask for,” Matt Wilson, the father of James Matthew Wilson, told KFVS. “Our hearts will forever have a hole in it.”

Amy Anderson, a family friend, told WREG-TV she was devastated by the killings, but added, “we’re just thankful that the baby was spared, grateful for that.”