Third Person Arrested in Tennessee Murder Case Involving Abandoned Baby
JACKSON, Tennessee — A third person was arrested Monday in connection with a series of murders involving the family of a baby found abandoned alive last week. Dearrah Sanders, 23, faces charges of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
Sanders was taken into custody after authorities accused her of assisting Austin Robert Drummond, the primary suspect in the killings of four of the baby’s relatives. The 28-year-old Drummond remains at large, and the TBI has issued warrants against him for multiple charges, including four counts of first-degree murder.
On the same day, law enforcement was searching a wooded area near Union University in Jackson, tied to the investigation of Drummond—who is believed to have links to the Vice Lords gang. Two other suspects, Tanaka Brown and Giovontie Thomas, both 29, were arrested last week under similar allegations. Brown also faces charges for tampering with evidence.
Authorities have not disclosed specific details regarding how the suspects are alleged to have helped Drummond. The Vice Lords gang is known for involvement in violent crimes, including murder and drug trafficking.
Drummond is wanted after the bodies of James M. Wilson, Adrianna Williams, Cortney Rose, and Braydon Williams were discovered in Tiptonville on July 29. The four were found dead hours after the baby—a daughter of victims Wilson and Williams—was located in a car seat in a front yard in Tigrett, approximately 40 miles away from where the bodies were found.
Authorities have initiated searches following a confirmed sighting of Drummond captured by a resident’s security camera in Jackson on Sunday night. In response, the nearby Jackson Christian School was placed on lockdown, with teachers present but no students.
A vehicle associated with Drummond, a 1988 white Ford pickup truck, was found in Dyer County earlier in the search. As the investigation unfolds, the TBI has not revealed any motives for the killings or the reasons behind the baby’s abandonment.
Drummond has a lengthy criminal history, including prior convictions for robbery and threats made while incarcerated. He was released from prison in September 2020 and was on bail at the time of the recent murders.
A reward of $32,500 has been offered for information leading to Drummond’s arrest, with multiple law enforcement agencies collaborating on this case.
According to Danny Goodman, the district attorney for Dyer and Lake counties, all victims were known to Drummond, and he called the situation tragic and concerning for the community.
