Two charged amid hunt for suspect in deaths of four people after infant abandoned on stranger’s lawn
Two men have been charged in connection with the murders of four people in Tennessee that saw an infant abandoned on a stranger’s front lawn.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has charged Tanaka Brown, 29, and Giovonte Thomas, 29, with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
Deputies from the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office responded Monday afternoon following reports that a dark-colored minivan had dropped off the child in a car seat at a random individual’s front yard. The seven-month-old girl is now safe.
Just hours later, four people were found dead. They have since been identified as James Wilson, 21; Adrianna Williams, 20; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15.
Wilson and Adrianna Williams were the infant’s parents, and Rose was Adrianna and Braydon Williams’ mother.
On Friday, investigators named 28-year-old Austin Robert Drummond as the suspect in the murders. The two men arrested allegedly “assisted” Drummond in the killings, though authorities did not specify or elaborate on how.
It is also still unclear as to the manner in which the four relatives were killed and how the baby ended up in a car seat on a front lawn roughly 40 miles away.
As of Sunday law enforcement officers were still searching for Drummond.
“He should be considered armed and dangerous,” the TBI said in a Saturday news release announcing charges against Thomas. Brown, who also faces one count of tampering with evidence, was arrested a day earlier.
Thomas was in custody at the Madison County Jail on an unrelated charge and would be transferred to the Lake County Jail to be arraigned on the new charges, authorities said. A listed phone number for Thomas could not be located Sunday.
Brown was booked into Lake County Jail, according to authorities. A listed number for Brown could not be located Sunday. Email messages seeking comment were sent to Brown on Sunday.
On Friday, authorities said they found the car they believe Drummond was driving. It was located in
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said authorities believe it was a targeted attack by Drummond, who had a relationship with the family. The baby is safe and being cared for, authorities have said.
Authorities obtained warrants for Drummond charging him with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping and weapons offenses. His criminal history includes prison time for robbing a convenience store and threatening to go after jurors. He was also charged with attempted murder while behind bars.
No listed number for Drummond could be found. An attorney who represented him as a teenager has not returned messages from The Associated Press.
