Tennessee killings probe intensifies as authorities make third arrest amid search for suspect; details here

In a major update in the Tennessee killings case, where the parents and uncle of an infant were killed, police in the US state have charged a 23-year-old woman with assisting the man wanted in the murders. The infant was found alive miles away from the crime scene. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Dearrah Sanders of Jackson, Tennessee, was arrested on Monday (August 4, 2025) and charged with being an accessory after the killings, as reported by the news agency AP.

Investigators also arrested two men over the weekend on similar charges, alleging they helped 28-year-old Austin Robert Drummond after the July 29 killings. Drummond remained on the run on Monday afternoon, the TBI said in a news release.

Amid the investigation, authorities were seen searching a wooded area near a private university in Jackson, Tennessee, on Monday (August 4, 2025), a law enforcement source told CNN.

Authorities left questions unanswered

Following the three arrests made by the authorities, they left several questions unanswered, including how the three people allegedly helped Drummond, the manner in which the victims were killed, and how the baby ended up in a car seat in the Tigrett area, roughly 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) from the bodies.

Earlier, authorities stated that they found the car in Jackson that they believe Drummond had been driving. Authorities believe the family murders were a targeted attack by Drummond, who had a relationship with the victims, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said. The baby is safe and being cared for.

Officials have warrants for Drummond that charge 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.

Victims identified

Authorities have identified the four people found dead in Tiptonville as James M. Wilson, 21, and 20-year-old Adrianna Williams, the baby's parents; 15-year-old Braydon Williams and 38-year-old Cortney Rose, the mother of Adrianna Williams and Braydon Williams.