TBI Director David Rausch speaks during a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation press conference concerning a quadruple homicide that took place in Lake County in Jackson, Tenn., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect new information

On Aug. 2, a press release published at 9:33 p.m. by TBI revealed that a secondary associate, Giovante Thomas, of the quadruple murder suspect in Tiptonville, Tenn., Austin Robert Drummond, has been arrested.

Thomas, who was arrested on Aug. 2, is believed to have "assisted Drummond," according to TBI. He has been charged with Accessory After the Fact to First Degree Murder.

Drummond remains on the run and is considered to be armed and dangerous.

TBI reports that Thomas has previously been held in the Madison County Jail on an unrelated Failure to Appear charge.

Thomas will be transferred and booked into the Lake County Jail on the new charges to be arraigned.

According to TBI, on the evening of Aug. 2 at 6:36 p.m., Tanaka Brown, 30, was also arrested and charged with Accessory After the Fact to First Degree Murder in connection with Drummond's quadruple homicide.

Brown has been booked into the Lake County Jail, where he remains without bond, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

The TBI previously identified Drummond as a suspect in connection with the quadruple homicide in Lake County on July 29.

On July 31, Drummond, 29, was listed as a most wanted suspect for a crime that took place in a wooded area in Tiptonville along Carrington Road.

Drummond is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm, and one count of a posession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.

He remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous.

Photos depicting Austin Robert Drummond, the key suspect for a quadruple murder that took place in Lake County shown during a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation press conference in Jackson, Tenn., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.

Four individuals deceased hours after infant abandoned

The Dyer County Sheriff's Office reports that on July 29 at approximately 3:11 p.m., the department received a call regarding an abandoned infant on Old Highway 20 near the Tigrett area. The infant was dropped off in its car seat in the front yard of a random individual's home.

Crockett County Ambulance Service and Medical Center EMS evaluated the child, who was determined to be healthy.

A short time later, the Dyer County Sheriff's Office posted to its social media page that they had identified the child and requested to speak to Cortney Rose, Matthew Wilson, and Adrianna Williams.

Later that same day, in the evening of July 29, the sheriff's department made another post at 10:51 p.m., stating that they were working in collaboration with the Lake County Sheriff's Office regarding four deceased individuals.

The four deceased victims were identified as James Wilson, 21, Adrianna Williams, 20, Cortney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15.

In a press conference at TBI headquarters in Jackson on August 1, TBI Director David Rausch says Drummond's relationship to the victims was "familial."

TBI Director David Rausch speaks during a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation press conference concerning a quadruple homicide that took place in Lake County in Jackson, Tenn., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.

Rausch also cited that this act of violence was a targeted attack, and not a random incident.

"This is why I think it's critical for us to reach out and appeal to Austin [Drummond] and those who may be assisting him, to turn himself in for them to call us and let us know where he is so that we can bring him to question him about what took place," he said.

A history of violence

Danny Goodman, District Attorney General for the 29th Judicial District, who requested the launch of the current investigation, shared that Drummond has a history of prior charges.

Danny Goodman, District Attorney General for the 29th Judicial District, speaks during a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation press conference concerning a quadruple homicide that took place in Lake County in Jackson, Tenn., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.

He was previously convicted of aggravated robbery in Madison County.

While serving time for these convictions at Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, additional charges were brought against Drummond.

"We actually took him to [the] grand jury in Lake County because, since it occurred at the prison, it was in our jurisdiction," Goodman said.

"He had some drug charges that we indicted him for, and then shortly after that, he actually was charged and indicted in Lake County for attempted first-degree murder, which took place inside the prison."

Authorities issue a reward for the arrest

A reward of up to $15,000 — $7,500 from TBI and $7,500 from the U.S. Marshals — for information leading to Drummond's arrest.

"This individual has shown a propensity for violence, and he needs to be taken off the streets," Tyreece Miller, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee, said. "We would like to do that peacefully. We would like him to turn himself in; that would be the goal."

Tyreece Miller, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee, speaks on the bounty issued for information leading to Austin Drummond's arrest during a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation press conference concerning a quadruple homicide that took place in Lake County in Jackson, Tenn., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.

The U.S. Marshals and TBI report that Drummond is a white male, standing at 5 feet and 10 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde or brown hair. He may have altered his appearance.

He is believed to be driving a white 2016 Audi A3, with damage to the driver's side, and a Tennessee plate reading RI 01896.

Rausch added that he was last seen in Jackson on July 30 and that the white Audi was found abandoned at McO Road in Jackson.

"In terms of the location of the suspect at this time, we believe that the suspect is still in the area based on the potential information that we are working through," Rausch said.

TBI advises not to approach Drummond, but to instead call 911, 731-415-7962, 731-333-0811, or 1-800-TBI-FIND.

"We're asking him to give us a call, let us pick you up, or bring yourself in," Rausch said, speaking to Drummond. "Find a legal representative and come by and let us sit down and have a conversation about what happened."

A number of local, state and federal agencies are involved in the investigation including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Police Department, Tiptonville Police Department, Dyer County Sheriff's Office, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Crockett County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee State Parks, and Tennessee Highway Patrol.