Three people have been arrested in connection with the murders of the parents, grandmother and uncle of an infant found alive in Tennessee, as a manhunt for the suspected killer continues, officials said.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Monday arrested Dearrah Sanders of Jackson, alleging that the 23-year-old “assisted” 28-year-old Austin Robert Drummond, who is wanted in the murders. Sanders was charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, authorities said.
Sanders’ arrest came two days after investigators announced that two men were linked to Drummond and his alleged crimes. Tanaka Brown, 29, and Giovonte Thomas, 29, were charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
Authorities have left many questions unanswered, including how the three alleged accomplices helped Drummond, how the relatives were killed, and how the baby ended up in a car seat in the Tigrett area, roughly 40 miles from the bodies.
Law enforcement officers were still searching for Drummond as of Monday. The Tennessee governor’s office, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Dyer County Crime Stoppers and the U.S. Marshals are offering a combined reward of up to $30,000 for information that leads to Drummond’s arrest.
“He should be considered armed and dangerous,” the bureau 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 on Sunday.
Brown was booked into Lake County Jail, according to authorities. A listed number for Brown could not be located on Sunday. Email messages seeking comment were sent to Brown on Sunday.
On Friday, authorities said they found a 1988 white Ford pickup truck with a red stripe, which they believe Drummond was driving. It was located in Jackson, Tennessee, about 70 miles from where the bodies were discovered and some 40 miles from where the baby was left.
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.
Authorities have identified the four people found dead in Tiptonville as James M. 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.
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