2 Arrests Made in Connection to Tenn. Quadruple Murder Suspect Who Allegedly Abandoned 7-Month-Old Baby By Becca Longmire

Two men allegedly linked to Austin Robert Drummond, who is accused of killing four family members in Tennessee and abandoning a 7-month-old baby girl in a front yard, have been arrested amid the ongoing manhunt for the murder suspect.

On Saturday, Aug. 2, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) confirmed Tanaka Brown, 29, and Giovonte Thomas, 29, had been charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, per two news releases.

Brown is also facing a charge of one count of tampering with evidence, an update stated. 

The TBI alleged that both suspects “assisted” Drummond, 28, who is wanted for the murders of James M. Wilson, 21, Adrianna Williams, 20, Cortney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15. The victims were all found deceased on Tuesday, July 29 in Lake County, Tenn.

“Thomas was already being held in the Madison County Jail on an unrelated charge for Failure to Appear. He will be transferred to the Lake County Jail to be arraigned on the new charges,” the TBI said in a release.

A separate post stated, “Brown was booked into the Lake County Jail where he remains [without] bond.”

Police discovered the four bodies amid the ongoing investigation into the abandonment of James and Adrianna’s 7-month-old baby daughter 25 miles away in Dyer County, Tenn., PEOPLE previously reported.

On Sunday, Aug. 3, the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) confirmed that the U.S. Marshall had increased its reward for the capture of Drummond to $10,000. With the TBI also offering $7,500, this brings the reward total to $17,500, per a Facebook post.

Drummond is wanted for first-degree murder x 4, aggravated kidnapping, possession of a firearm during commission of a dangerous felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, per a U.S. Marshals “wanted” poster.

On Friday, Aug. 1, Drummond’s empty car was located in Jackson, Tenn., over an hour’s drive away from Tiptonville, where his four alleged victims were discovered, the DCSO said in an “alert” shared on Facebook.

“The Jackson Police Department has located the vehicle driven by Austin Drummond in the woods near the dead end of MCO road. It appears that he has been living in the vehicle and may be in the area,” the DCSO said.

“JPD asks all people within the immediate area of this alert to lock their doors and stay indoors as we actively search for Drummond,” the alert warned. “Remember, he is considered armed and extremely dangerous. If you see him, call 911 immediately. Do not approach the suspect.”

The quartet killed have been identified as the mother, father, grandmother and uncle of the abandoned infant and, according to Fox News, they were all family members of Drummond’s current girlfriend.

The outlet also reported that at the time of the alleged quadruple murder, Drummond was out on bond for allegedly attempting to kill someone while he was in prison in December 2024. He was behind bars for robbing a convenience store at age 16, and for threatening to go after jurors, according to the Associated Press.

On the evening of July 29, at about 10:26 p.m. local time, a 911 call was made reporting that Cortney Rose and her daughter, Adrianna Williams, were missing. The four bodies had been found hours after the infant was abandoned.

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The DCSO previously said in a Facebook post that officers had “received a call regarding a concerning incident on Old Highway 20 near the Tigrett area [in Dyer County]” at approximately 3:11 p.m. on July 29.

“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,” they added, alongside a photo of the infant. “Thankfully a witness saw the car seat with the child and called 911.”

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In an update hours later, the sheriff’s office said that four individuals had been discovered dead in Lake County. Stephen Sutton, a spokesperson for the Lake and Dyer county sheriffs, has since said the baby was now safe, the AP reported.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation didn’t have any additional information to add when contacted by PEOPLE. PEOPLE has also reached out to the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office.