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As the search continues for the man accused of killing four people and abandoning an infant in rural Tennessee, a heartbroken relative is speaking out, describing the suspect as someone once deeply trusted by their family.
“He was close to our family,” wrote a woman who identified herself as the sister-in-law and aunt of three of the victims in a Facebook post. “Yes, we cared about him and thought he cared about us. He has literally been nothing short of amazing to us and our kids every time he has been around us up until this point.”
The statement was posted Thursday after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified the suspect as 28-year-old Austin Robert Drummond.
Drummond is wanted for first-degree murder, kidnapping, and unlawful firearm possession in connection with the murders of Adrianna Williams, 20, Matthew Wilson, 21, Courtney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15, police say.
The four victims have been identified as being the mother, father, grandmother, and uncle of the baby girl Drummond allegedly kidnapped and then abandoned on a lawn.
A link between the suspect and the slain family had not been identified by police, but relatives say Drummond had a long-standing connection to the victims.
“We NEVER expected him to cause ANY harm to ANYONE, much less anyone in our family,” the post continues.
“We are heartbroken. We are confused. We are devastated. We are MORTIFIED. We are hurting. OUR KIDS ARE HURTING.”
“We want justice for my sister in law, niece, nephew, and nieces boyfriend,” she adds. The woman said she is married to the brother of one of the victims.
Drummond remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous, authorities said. He may be driving a 2016 Audi A3, which has Tennessee license plate RI 01896. A $15,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest.
Drummond is about 5'10, weighs 190 lbs, and has blue eyes, brown hair, and a goatee, though he may have altered parts of his appearance since the killings, according to the TBI. He has been added to the state’s “most wanted” list.
Drummond has a history of violent offenses.
According to public records, he was convicted of armed robbery in Madison County in 2014 and released from prison last September.
Just two months later, he was charged with attempted murder and drug-related crimes while incarcerated at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County. He was out on bond at the time of the recent killings, authorities said.
He is facing other charges, including attempted first degree murder and drug charges stemming from his time in prison.
Police became aware of the murders after receiving a call about a "concerning incident" at around 3:11 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Dyer County Sheriff's Office.
“A dark-colored minivan or a white mid-size SUV was reported to have dropped off an infant in a car seat at a random individual’s front yard," the sheriff's office wrote alongside a photo of the child. "Thankfully a witness saw the car seat with the child and called 911.”
Once the deputies identified the baby they wanted to speak with her family.
Around 10:26 p.m., a 911 call reported two of the victims were missing. The caller said they were searching around a home with a flashlight, according to Action News 5.
The discovery of the infant and the missing persons call eventually led the deputies to Lake County where they found the victims. The crime scene is approximately 25 miles north of where the baby was found, according to deputies.
A family friend, Amy Anderson, remembered Adrianna Williams, 20, as the “sweetest person.”
“They’re devastated. We’re just thankful that the baby was spared, grateful for that,” Anderson told WREG 3. “They were really good people, Adrianna was the sweetest person, she loved being a mama.”
District Attorney General Danny Goodman Jr said the TBI and FBI are working on the case alongside several local and regional law enforcement agencies.
