Topline: In a jailhouse call, the man accused of four murders says he’s not a killer, but a confidential informant caught in the middle.
Published: August 21, 2025 8:00 am ET
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TIPTONVILLE, TN — The man accused of murdering four people and leaving an infant abandoned in a stranger’s yard in Tennessee is now speaking publicly for the first time—and claiming he was an innocent FBI informant whose cover was blown.
Austin Robert Drummond, 28, was arrested on August 6 in Jackson, Tennessee, after a week-long manhunt that followed the discovery of four bodies in rural Lake County.
The victims — Adrianna Williams, 20; James M. Wilson, 21; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15 — were found on July 29 along Carrington Road in Tiptonville, a quiet town on the banks of the Mississippi River. Hours earlier, a seven-month-old girl, the daughter of Wilson and Adrianna Williams, had been left alone in a car seat in the front yard of a Dyer County home. She was found unharmed.
Speaking from jail in a recorded phone call to WTVT, Drummond maintained that he is not the killer, but admitted he was “somehow directly involved.”
Though he would not elaborate on how the murders unfolded or what role he played, he insisted he had no reason to hurt people he considered “family.” Drummond had been dating Rose’s sister — a former corrections officer — and was close to the victims through that relationship.
“I did the wrong thing by running,” Drummond said, adding that he fled out of fear after hearing that his identity as a confidential informant had been exposed.
Drummond told WTVT he had been working undercover, helping law enforcement — including the FBI — combat drug smuggling operations inside Tennessee prisons. According to his account, he infiltrated criminal networks, aiding in the arrests of drug dealers, gang leaders, and corrupt officers. But in the weeks leading up to the murders, he says, he was warned that his cover had been blown.
Whether or not this claim has any bearing on the case is unclear. Lake County District Attorney Danny Goodman, Jr. declined to comment directly on Drummond’s recorded call, which has now become part of the official case file, but stated unequivocally: “There’s no doubt in my mind Drummond killed the four, and there was a clear motive.”
Drummond has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and multiple firearm offenses. He appeared by video for his arraignment in Lake County on August 14, wearing a striped prison uniform and showing no visible emotion. The judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and ordered him held without bond. Prosecutors confirmed they will seek the death penalty.
Authorities say Drummond’s ties to the Vice Lords street gang and his criminal past may provide context for the killings.
According to records reviewed by WREG and the Associated Press, Drummond’s rap sheet dates back to 2011, when he was a teenager. At 16, he robbed a convenience store in Jackson, Tennessee, pointing a pistol at the clerk and fleeing with just $44. Tried as an adult, he was convicted of aggravated robbery in 2014 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After the verdict, he made threats against jurors and the victim — leading to an additional 13 charges and three more years behind bars.
While incarcerated, Drummond racked up over two dozen disciplinary violations, including possession of a deadly weapon, assault, and gang activity. He later told the parole board that many of the infractions stemmed from being attacked in prison. He also alleged that his weapon possession charge came after he was nearly beaten to death.
Drummond served the entirety of his sentence and was released in September 2024. But before leaving custody, he faced new charges related to conduct inside the prison, including attempted murder and possession of contraband. He was later granted bond in those cases and returned to Lake County, where authorities say he had continued access to vehicles, including an Audi and a pickup truck found during the manhunt.
District Attorney Goodman has emphasized that Drummond was out on bond at the time of the killings and was due back in court for unrelated charges. “He has court dates that have been set, has actually appeared in court — and now has these current charges that had just occurred,” Goodman said.
As CrimeCod previously reported, law enforcement launched a multi-county search the day the bodies were found. Drummond’s name quickly circulated as the prime suspect. He was eventually captured in Jackson — a city where, by his own admission, he has deep personal connections and gang affiliations.
According to the affidavit of complaint, Drummond is accused of kidnapping the infant with a firearm before abandoning her in a car seat in front of a home in Tigrett, roughly 40 miles from the murder scene. Officials have not yet detailed how or why the child was left there, or whether Drummond acted alone.
In the aftermath of the killings, the surviving family has expressed grief and resolve. Kim Hamil, the mother of victim James Wilson, told the Associated Press the baby girl is now in the care of family. “It’s a whole family gone. It’s unbelievable,” she said. “We’re just broken.”
As the case moves toward a preliminary hearing in early September, prosecutors are expected to lean heavily on Drummond’s criminal history and gang ties. For now, though, the only person with definitive answers remains largely silent — offering, at best, contradictions and cryptic remarks about his role in a tragedy that devastated a Tennessee family.
MORE COVERAGE:
Tennessee Man Could Face Death Penalty in Quadruple Murder Case
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Tenn. Quadruple Murder Suspect Claims He Was FBI Informant Whose Cover Was Blown
In a jailhouse call, the man accused of four murders says he’s not a killer, but a confidential informant caught in the middle.
By Jacob Charles
Published: August 21, 2025 8:00 am ET
TIPTONVILLE, TN — The man accused of murdering four people and leaving an infant abandoned in a stranger’s yard in Tennessee is now speaking publicly for the first time—and claiming he was an innocent FBI informant whose cover was blown.
Austin Robert Drummond, 28, was arrested on August 6 in Jackson, Tennessee, after a week-long manhunt that followed the discovery of four bodies in rural Lake County.
The victims — Adrianna Williams, 20; James M. Wilson, 21; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15 — were found on July 29 along Carrington Road in Tiptonville, a quiet town on the banks of the Mississippi River. Hours earlier, a seven-month-old girl, the daughter of Wilson and Adrianna Williams, had been left alone in a car seat in the front yard of a Dyer County home. She was found unharmed.
Speaking from jail in a recorded phone call to WTVT, Drummond maintained that he is not the killer, but admitted he was “somehow directly involved.”
Though he would not elaborate on how the murders unfolded or what role he played, he insisted he had no reason to hurt people he considered “family.” Drummond had been dating Rose’s sister — a former corrections officer — and was close to the victims through that relationship.
“I did the wrong thing by running,” Drummond said, adding that he fled out of fear after hearing that his identity as a confidential informant had been exposed.
Drummond told WTVT he had been working undercover, helping law enforcement — including the FBI — combat drug smuggling operations inside Tennessee prisons. According to his account, he infiltrated criminal networks, aiding in the arrests of drug dealers, gang leaders, and corrupt officers. But in the weeks leading up to the murders, he says, he was warned that his cover had been blown.
Whether or not this claim has any bearing on the case is unclear. Lake County District Attorney Danny Goodman, Jr. declined to comment directly on Drummond’s recorded call, which has now become part of the official case file, but stated unequivocally: “There’s no doubt in my mind Drummond killed the four, and there was a clear motive.”
Drummond has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and multiple firearm offenses. He appeared by video for his arraignment in Lake County on August 14, wearing a striped prison uniform and showing no visible emotion. The judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and ordered him held without bond. Prosecutors confirmed they will seek the death penalty.
Authorities say Drummond’s ties to the Vice Lords street gang and his criminal past may provide context for the killings.
According to records reviewed by WREG and the Associated Press, Drummond’s rap sheet dates back to 2011, when he was a teenager. At 16, he robbed a convenience store in Jackson, Tennessee, pointing a pistol at the clerk and fleeing with just $44. Tried as an adult, he was convicted of aggravated robbery in 2014 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After the verdict, he made threats against jurors and the victim — leading to an additional 13 charges and three more years behind bars.
While incarcerated, Drummond racked up over two dozen disciplinary violations, including possession of a deadly weapon, assault, and gang activity. He later told the parole board that many of the infractions stemmed from being attacked in prison. He also alleged that his weapon possession charge came after he was nearly beaten to death.
Drummond served the entirety of his sentence and was released in September 2024. But before leaving custody, he faced new charges related to conduct inside the prison, including attempted murder and possession of contraband. He was later granted bond in those cases and returned to Lake County, where authorities say he had continued access to vehicles, including an Audi and a pickup truck found during the manhunt.
District Attorney Goodman has emphasized that Drummond was out on bond at the time of the killings and was due back in court for unrelated charges. “He has court dates that have been set, has actually appeared in court — and now has these current charges that had just occurred,” Goodman said.
As CrimeCod previously reported, law enforcement launched a multi-county search the day the bodies were found. Drummond’s name quickly circulated as the prime suspect. He was eventually captured in Jackson — a city where, by his own admission, he has deep personal connections and gang affiliations.
According to the affidavit of complaint, Drummond is accused of kidnapping the infant with a firearm before abandoning her in a car seat in front of a home in Tigrett, roughly 40 miles from the murder scene. Officials have not yet detailed how or why the child was left there, or whether Drummond acted alone.
In the aftermath of the killings, the surviving family has expressed grief and resolve. Kim Hamil, the mother of victim James Wilson, told the Associated Press the baby girl is now in the care of family. “It’s a whole family gone. It’s unbelievable,” she said. “We’re just broken.”
As the case moves toward a preliminary hearing in early September, prosecutors are expected to lean heavily on Drummond’s criminal history and gang ties. For now, though, the only person with definitive answers remains largely silent — offering, at best, contradictions and cryptic remarks about his role in a tragedy that devastated a Tennessee family.
MORE COVERAGE:
Tennessee Man Could Face Death Penalty in Quadruple Murder Case
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Tenn. Quadruple Murder Suspect Claims He Was FBI Informant Whose Cover Was Blown
In a jailhouse call, the man accused of four murders says he’s not a killer, but a confidential informant caught in the middle.
By Jacob Charles
Published: August 21, 2025 8:00 am ET
TIPTONVILLE, TN — The man accused of murdering four people and leaving an infant abandoned in a stranger’s yard in Tennessee is now speaking publicly for the first time—and claiming he was an innocent FBI informant whose cover was blown.
Austin Robert Drummond, 28, was arrested on August 6 in Jackson, Tennessee, after a week-long manhunt that followed the discovery of four bodies in rural Lake County.
The victims — Adrianna Williams, 20; James M. Wilson, 21; Cortney Rose, 38; and Braydon Williams, 15 — were found on July 29 along Carrington Road in Tiptonville, a quiet town on the banks of the Mississippi River. Hours earlier, a seven-month-old girl, the daughter of Wilson and Adrianna Williams, had been left alone in a car seat in the front yard of a Dyer County home. She was found unharmed.
Speaking from jail in a recorded phone call to WTVT, Drummond maintained that he is not the killer, but admitted he was “somehow directly involved.”
Though he would not elaborate on how the murders unfolded or what role he played, he insisted he had no reason to hurt people he considered “family.” Drummond had been dating Rose’s sister — a former corrections officer — and was close to the victims through that relationship.
“I did the wrong thing by running,” Drummond said, adding that he fled out of fear after hearing that his identity as a confidential informant had been exposed.
Drummond told WTVT he had been working undercover, helping law enforcement — including the FBI — combat drug smuggling operations inside Tennessee prisons. According to his account, he infiltrated criminal networks, aiding in the arrests of drug dealers, gang leaders, and corrupt officers. But in the weeks leading up to the murders, he says, he was warned that his cover had been blown.
Whether or not this claim has any bearing on the case is unclear. Lake County District Attorney Danny Goodman, Jr. declined to comment directly on Drummond’s recorded call, which has now become part of the official case file, but stated unequivocally: “There’s no doubt in my mind Drummond killed the four, and there was a clear motive.”
Drummond has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and multiple firearm offenses. He appeared by video for his arraignment in Lake County on August 14, wearing a striped prison uniform and showing no visible emotion. The judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and ordered him held without bond. Prosecutors confirmed they will seek the death penalty.
Authorities say Drummond’s ties to the Vice Lords street gang and his criminal past may provide context for the killings.
According to records reviewed by WREG and the Associated Press, Drummond’s rap sheet dates back to 2011, when he was a teenager. At 16, he robbed a convenience store in Jackson, Tennessee, pointing a pistol at the clerk and fleeing with just $44. Tried as an adult, he was convicted of aggravated robbery in 2014 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After the verdict, he made threats against jurors and the victim — leading to an additional 13 charges and three more years behind bars.
While incarcerated, Drummond racked up over two dozen disciplinary violations, including possession of a deadly weapon, assault, and gang activity. He later told the parole board that many of the infractions stemmed from being attacked in prison. He also alleged that his weapon possession charge came after he was nearly beaten to death.
Drummond served the entirety of his sentence and was released in September 2024. But before leaving custody, he faced new charges related to conduct inside the prison, including attempted murder and possession of contraband. He was later granted bond in those cases and returned to Lake County, where authorities say he had continued access to vehicles, including an Audi and a pickup truck found during the manhunt.
District Attorney Goodman has emphasized that Drummond was out on bond at the time of the killings and was due back in court for unrelated charges. “He has court dates that have been set, has actually appeared in court — and now has these current charges that had just occurred,” Goodman said.
As CrimeCod previously reported, law enforcement launched a multi-county search the day the bodies were found. Drummond’s name quickly circulated as the prime suspect. He was eventually captured in Jackson — a city where, by his own admission, he has deep personal connections and gang affiliations.
According to the affidavit of complaint, Drummond is accused of kidnapping the infant with a firearm before abandoning her in a car seat in front of a home in Tigrett, roughly 40 miles from the murder scene. Officials have not yet detailed how or why the child was left there, or whether Drummond acted alone.
In the aftermath of the killings, the surviving family has expressed grief and resolve. Kim Hamil, the mother of victim James Wilson, told the Associated Press the baby girl is now in the care of family. “It’s a whole family gone. It’s unbelievable,” she said. “We’re just broken.”
As the case moves toward a preliminary hearing in early September, prosecutors are expected to lean heavily on Drummond’s criminal history and gang ties. For now, though, the only person with definitive answers remains largely silent — offering, at best, contradictions and cryptic remarks about his role in a tragedy that devastated a Tennessee family.
MORE COVERAGE:
Tennessee Man Could Face Death Penalty in Quadruple Murder Case
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
