In the quiet, tree-lined streets of Jackson, Tennessee, a gripping saga of crime, evasion, and justice came to a dramatic close on Tuesday morning, August 5, 2025. Austin Robert Drummond, a 28-year-old fugitive accused of the chilling murders of four family members in Lake County, was finally apprehended, thanks to the courage and quick thinking of a local resident, Ricardo Contreras Mendoza. What began as a shocking discovery of an abandoned infant and four lifeless bodies spiraled into a relentless, multi-agency manhunt that held an entire community in its grip for a week. This is the story of a killer on the run, a town on edge, and a hero who brought a nightmare to an end.

It all started on July 29, when a chilling scene unfolded in Dyer County. A 7-month-old baby girl was found abandoned in a car seat in a stranger’s front yard near Old Highway 20 in the Tigrett area. A witness reported seeing a dark-colored minivan or white SUV drop off the infant around 3:11 p.m., sparking immediate concern. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, ensuring the baby’s safety, but the discovery raised urgent questions: Where were her guardians? The answer, uncovered hours later, was far more horrifying than anyone could have imagined.

In Tiptonville, roughly 40 miles away in Lake County, the bodies of four family members were found along a wooded road. The victims were identified as James Matthew Wilson, 21, Adrianna Williams, 20, Cortney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15. They were the baby’s parents, maternal grandmother, and maternal uncle, respectively, all brutally slain in what authorities described as a targeted attack. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) quickly named Austin Drummond as the prime suspect, charging him with four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and multiple weapons offenses. The manhunt was on, and the warning was clear: Drummond was armed, dangerous, and still at large.

Drummond, a Jackson resident with a troubled past, was no stranger to law enforcement. At 16, he had robbed a convenience store at gunpoint, taking just $44 but leaving a trail of fear. Convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to 10 years, he later faced charges of attempted murder while incarcerated in 2024, yet was out on bond when the killings occurred. Authorities painted a picture of a man capable of extreme violence, and the community braced for a tense and uncertain hunt.

As the days passed, the search intensified. On Friday, August 1, Drummond’s white 2016 Audi A3 was found abandoned in the woods near MCO Road in Jackson, about 70 miles southeast of Tiptonville. The discovery suggested he was still in the area, possibly living out of his vehicle. The next day, a 1988 white Ford pickup truck with a red stripe, also linked to Drummond, was located in Dyer County. The TBI urged residents and businesses along Highway 78 to check surveillance footage for any sign of these vehicles, hoping to trace his movements.

The manhunt took a dramatic turn on Sunday night, August 3, when a home security camera on the 700 block of Pipkin Road captured chilling footage of Drummond. Dressed in full camouflage, a brown backpack slung over his shoulder and a black rifle in hand, he was seen prowling through the night, even attempting to open a door at Cornerstone Community Church. The images sent a shiver through Jackson, and authorities issued a stark warning: lock your doors, stay indoors, and do not approach the suspect. Schools, including Union University, went into lockdown on Monday as law enforcement swarmed the city, with helicopters buzzing overhead and K-9 units scouring the ground.

The TBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and local police coordinated a sprawling operation, following leads across multiple counties. Three of Drummond’s associates—Tanaka Brown, 29, Giovonte Thomas, 29, and Dearrah Sanders, 23, all from Jackson—were arrested over the weekend and charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Brown faced an additional count of tampering with evidence, though the exact nature of their assistance to Drummond remained unclear. A fourth individual, Brandon Powell, was also arrested, charged with drug possession and criminal conspiracy. The arrests hinted at a network that may have helped Drummond evade capture, but the fugitive himself remained elusive.

By Monday, the reward for information leading to Drummond’s arrest had climbed to $32,500, with contributions from the Tennessee Governor’s Office, the TBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, Dyer County Sheriff’s Office, 731 Crime Stoppers, and even the Uvalde Foundation for Kids. The urgency was palpable, and the community was on high alert. Then, on Tuesday morning, the breakthrough came.

In a residential area near Saddlebrook Drive and Bridlepath Drive, Ricardo Contreras Mendoza, a Jackson resident, spotted Drummond. With remarkable bravery, Mendoza acted swiftly, detaining the fugitive until police could arrive. While the precise details of the capture remain under wraps, authorities hailed Mendoza as the hero who ended a week of terror. The Jackson Police Department issued a shelter-in-place alert as they secured the area, blocking off roads around Pleasant Plains and Country Club Lane to ensure public safety. Drummond, the man who had haunted West Tennessee, was finally in custody.

The community exhaled, but questions lingered. How had Drummond managed to evade capture for so long? Who else might have aided him? And what drove him to commit such a heinous act against a family he reportedly knew well? District Attorney Danny Goodman confirmed the murders were not random, noting Drummond’s connection to the victims through his relationship with Cortney Rose’s sister. The baby’s survival, left unharmed in a stranger’s yard, was described by TBI Director David Rausch as a glimmer of compassion in an otherwise inhumane act, offering a faint hope that Drummond might still have a shred of humanity.

As authorities work to unravel the timeline of Drummond’s movements and investigate potential accomplices, the focus now shifts to justice for James Wilson, Adrianna Williams, Cortney Rose, and Braydon Williams. Their family described James as a devoted father with an infectious smile, a guiding light snuffed out too soon. The baby, now safe and cared for, remains a poignant reminder of the lives lost and the resilience of a community that refused to let fear win.

The Jackson Police Department continues to seek information from the public, urging anyone with details to call 731-425-8400. For now, Jackson can rest a little easier, thanks to the courage of Ricardo Contreras Mendoza, whose decisive action brought a dangerous fugitive to justice and ended a chapter of tragedy that will not soon be forgotten.