A grand jury in West Tennessee has formally indicted 28-year-old Austin Drummond on multiple charges including four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and weapons violations. Investigators say Drummond allegedly killed four members of one family and then abducted a baby, leaving the child abandoned in a stranger’s yard. The local District Attorney’s office has announced its intent to seek the death penalty if Drummond is convicted.
Family Targeted, Infant Abandoned
According to court documents, the killings occurred on July 29 in rural Lake County, Tennessee. The victims — the baby’s parents, a sibling and the grandmother — were discovered shot in a wooded area near the family’s vehicle. Investigators later located the infant alive but abandoned in a car seat on the front porch of an unrelated home about 40 miles away.
Authorities say Drummond had a prior criminal history, including a conviction for armed robbery and various prison disciplinary infractions. At the time of the homicides, he was out on bond, according to the prosecutor.
Charges Filed, Death Penalty on the Table
The indictment issued by the grand jury includes four first-degree murder counts, four counts of unlawful firearm possession by a convicted violent felon, aggravated kidnapping and a weapons-during-commission-of-felony charge. The District Attorney announces that a “Notice of Intent” to seek capital punishment has been filed pending conviction.
Additional charges have been brought against three individuals accused of assisting the suspect after the killings by providing shelter, transportation and communications tools.
What Comes Next
Drummond has pleaded not guilty and the case is set to proceed toward a capital trial. Given the severity of the crime and the intent to pursue the death penalty, court officials expect a lengthy pre-trial phase including evidence review, motions and possibly a jury selection focused on whether the state meets the legal threshold for capital sentencing. The motive behind the killings remains under investigation.
