The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has detained two individuals in connection with a suspect in a murder case. Giovonte Thomas, 28, and Tanaka Brown, 29, have been charged with being accessories to first-degree murder in relation to the ongoing search for Austin Drummond. Additionally, Brown faces a charge of tampering with evidence, according to the agency.
Drummond, who is 28, is currently on the run after allegedly killing four people in Tiptonville, a town approximately 125 miles from Memphis. Notably, a toddler tied to all four victims was found abandoned on the lawn of a nearby home. The victims are reportedly related to Drummond’s girlfriend.
“Capturing Austin Drummond is our utmost priority. We urge anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact us anonymously,” stated former US official Tillis Miller, who announced that the reward for information leading to Drummond’s arrest has increased to $17,500.
It’s unclear how Thomas and Brown may have assisted Drummond, though the TBI has referred to them as “associates.” Thomas was already in custody at Madison County Jail for unrelated charges and is expected to be moved to Lake County Jail to face these new accusations. As for Brown, he remains in Lake County Jail awaiting further proceedings.
Drummond has been charged with multiple counts, including four counts of criminal homicide and one count of aggravated assault with a weapon. The TBI has deemed him armed and dangerous.
Last Friday, local police located a vehicle believed to be driven by Drummond at a dead-end road in Jackson, around 70 miles southeast of where the murders occurred.
The victims have been identified as James M. Wilson, 21, Adriana Williams, 20, Courtney Rose, 38, and Braydon Williams, 15, all of whom were discovered earlier this week in Tiptonville.
