The Tiptonville Murders: A Timeline of Terror
- Cassian Creed
- Aug 3
- 7 min read
Timeline of the Tiptonville Murders
Before July 2025:
Prior to 2014: Austin Drummond develops an extensive criminal history, including aggravated robbery and retaliation against justice officials, leading to incarceration.
Late 2014: Austin Drummond is incarcerated after being sentenced for prior crimes, including retaliating against jurors.
Release from Prison: Austin Drummond is released from a 13-year sentence, but is out on bond for an attempted murder charge he incurred while in prison.
Ongoing Relationship: Austin Drummond is in a volatile and controlling relationship with Kaitlyn Speed, sister of Courtney Rose.
Early July 2025 (approx. 32 days prior to murders): The relationship between Austin Drummond and Kaitlyn Speed significantly degrades, with Drummond exhibiting threatening and coercive language in communications.
Early-Mid July 2025: Kaitlyn Speed seeks support from her sister, Courtney Rose, regarding her deteriorating relationship with Austin Drummond. Courtney Rose actively intervenes, attempting to de-escalate or protect her sister, thus becoming a direct target of Drummond's rage.
July 29, 2025 (The Day of the Murders):
6:24 AM: James "Matthew" Wilson makes his last known phone call to his mother, informing her he has finished his work shift and is heading home.
Approx. 6:30 AM - Early Afternoon: The "Nine Hours of Silence" begins. Austin Drummond confronts/abducts Courtney Rose, Adrianna Williams, James "Matthew" Wilson, Braydon Williams, and 7-month-old Weslynne Wilson. This is believed to have escalated from a domestic situation into a kidnapping. Drummond establishes and maintains total control over the five victims, likely using the infant as leverage.
During the "Nine Hours of Silence": A plea is likely made by one of the victims (likely Adrianna or Courtney) for Weslynne's life. Drummond accepts this for tactical or transactional reasons.
During the "Nine Hours of Silence": Drummond drives 40 miles to Tigrett, Dyer County, to abandon Weslynne. This is a deliberate, separate act of relocation to delay discovery of the primary crime scene and inflict psychological torment.
During the "Nine Hours of Silence" (after infant drop-off): Drummond drives the remaining four victims to a pre-selected, secluded, wooded area off Carrington Road in Tiptonville, Lake County.
Before 3:00 PM: Courtney Rose, Adrianna Williams, James "Matthew" Wilson, and Braydon Williams are executed by Austin Drummond at the Carrington Road location.
Approx. 3:00 PM: Austin Drummond begins his escape, stealing James Wilson's 1988 white Ford pickup truck.
3:11 PM: A resident on Old Highway 20 in Tigrett discovers 7-month-old Weslynne Wilson in her car seat on their lawn and places a 911 call. This act triggers the entire investigation.
Late Afternoon/Evening: Dyer County Sheriff's deputies respond to the 911 call. They use social media to post a photo of the infant, leading to tips and the identification of Weslynne as the daughter of Adrianna Williams and Matthew Wilson. Calls to the family go unanswered.
Late Night: Acting on information, deputies discover the family's vehicles near a remote, wooded area off Carrington Road, Tiptonville, Lake County.
Late Night: Deputies push into the woods and discover the bodies of Courtney Rose, Adrianna Williams, James "Matthew" Wilson, and Braydon Williams. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is called in to lead the investigation.
July 30, 2025 - August 2, 2025 (The Manhunt & Breakthroughs):
July 30 (Day after murders): TBI begins processing the two distinct crime scenes (homicide in Tiptonville, abandonment in Tigrett). Austin Drummond is quickly identified as the primary suspect due to his past relationship with Kaitlyn Speed and his violent criminal history. Warrants are served for phone records and social media accounts of victims, Drummond, and Kaitlyn Speed.
July 31: TBI issues a BOLO (Be On The Lookout) for Austin Drummond's white 2016 Audi A3, including its description and license plate.
July 31 (Evening): Drummond's Audi A3 is found abandoned on a dead-end street in Jackson, Tennessee (approx. 70 miles southeast of the crime scene), indicating he has a support network there and has swapped vehicles.
August 1: Law enforcement, acting on intelligence from the Jackson area, arrests 29-year-old Tanaka Brown in Jackson. Brown is charged with Accessory After the Fact to First-Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence. This is the first major breakthrough.
August 2: The 1988 white Ford pickup truck belonging to James "Matthew" Wilson (stolen from the crime scene) is found abandoned on Burnt Mill Road in Dyer County, near the infant drop-off site. This confirms Drummond's two-stage escape route.
August 2: Investigators announce the arrest of 29-year-old Giovonte Thomas, also in Jackson, on charges of Accessory After the Fact. Thomas was already in custody on unrelated charges.
August 3: TBI officially adds Austin Drummond to their "Most Wanted" list, plastering his face across the state. The reward for information leading to his capture escalates to $17,500. Unverified sightings flood tip lines.
August 5, 2025 (Capture and Pre-Trial):
August 5: A U.S. Marshals task force, acting on intelligence (likely from captured accessories), locates Austin Drummond hiding in a dilapidated shed on the outskirts of Jackson, Tennessee. He surrenders without a fight.
August 5 (Post-Capture): Drummond is transported to the Lake County Jail.
Initial Court Appearance: Drummond appears in court, charged with four counts of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and multiple firearms offenses. He enters a "not guilty" plea. A public defender is appointed.
Post-Arrest Legal Proceedings: The presiding judge imposes a strict gag order due to national media attention. District Attorney General Danny Goodman announces the intention to seek the death penalty.
Year Following Arrest (2025-2026):
Discovery Process: Prosecution begins turning over thousands of pages of police reports, forensic analyses, surveillance footage, and digital data to the defense.
Motions Filed: Drummond's defense team files numerous motions, including challenging search warrants (for cell phone data), seeking to sever co-defendants (Brown and Thomas), and attacking witness credibility (Kaitlyn Speed).
Plea Deals: Tanaka Brown and Giovonte Thomas accept plea deals in exchange for their testimony against Austin Drummond.
Judicial Rulings: The judge grants a continuance for discovery and rules that the testimony of Brown and Thomas is admissible.
Fall 2026: A firm trial date is set for Austin Drummond.
Cast of Characters
The Victims (Deceased):
Courtney Rose: (38 years old) The matriarch of the family, mother of Adrianna and Braydon, and grandmother to Weslynne. Described as fiercely protective and the anchor of her family. She had a past connection to Austin Drummond through her sister, Kaitlyn Speed, and tragically intervened in the conflict between Drummond and Speed, making her the primary target of his rage.
Adrianna Williams: (20 years old) Courtney's daughter and Weslynne's mother. Her life revolved around her infant daughter and her partner, James "Matthew" Wilson. She was a gentle and kind young woman, caught in the violence due to her familial connection. It is highly probable that her final act was to plead for and secure her daughter's survival.
James "Matthew" Wilson: (21 years old) Weslynne's father and Adrianna's partner. He was a devoted father and hard worker, known as the quiet, steady force in his young family's life. He had no direct connection to Austin Drummond but was killed as a perceived physical threat and a symbolic act of destruction against the family unit. His truck was stolen by Drummond after the murders.
Braydon Williams: (15 years old) Courtney's son, Adrianna's younger brother, and Weslynne's uncle. A high school-aged boy. His murder is believed to be a calculated act of witness elimination by Drummond, as he was old enough to identify the perpetrator.
The Survivor:
Weslynne Wilson: (7 months old) The infant daughter of Adrianna Williams and James "Matthew" Wilson. She was found unharmed, abandoned in her car seat on a stranger's lawn, 40 miles from the murder scene. Her survival is believed to be a result of a plea from her mother or a tactical decision by Austin Drummond to delay the discovery of the bodies and inflict psychological torment.
The Perpetrator:
Austin Robert Drummond: (28 years old) The alleged killer. An ex-convict with a violent past, confirmed membership in the Vice Lords street gang, and a documented history of aggravated robbery, retaliation against justice officials, and prison assaults, including an attempted murder charge while incarcerated. He was out on bond when the Tiptonville murders occurred. His motive is identified as "Aggrieved Entitlement and Retaliatory Annihilation," stemming from his volatile relationship with Kaitlyn Speed and Courtney Rose's protective intervention. He is described as a "mixed" offender, organized in planning the murders but disorganized in his escape. He was eventually captured in Jackson, TN.
Key Witnesses & Accessories:
Kaitlyn Speed: Courtney Rose's sister and Austin Drummond's ex-lover. She is the catalyst for the murders, as her decision to leave Drummond and her family's support for that decision directly led to the retaliatory rage. She is a critical witness for the prosecution, providing the "why" behind the crime. Her testimony is considered highly credible.
Tanaka Brown: (29 years old) A Jackson, Tennessee resident and criminal associate of Austin Drummond. He was arrested three days after the murders and charged with Accessory After the Fact to First-Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence, indicating he actively helped Drummond conceal the crime. He later accepted a plea deal to testify against Drummond.
Giovonte Thomas: (29 years old) Another Jackson, Tennessee resident and criminal associate of Austin Drummond. He was arrested shortly after Tanaka Brown and also charged with Accessory After the Fact. He was already in custody on unrelated charges. He also accepted a plea deal to testify against Drummond.
Law Enforcement & Judicial Figures:
Cassian Creed: The author of "Austin Drummond: The Tiptonville Terror" and a seasoned investigative analyst. He uses his proprietary AI-AL (Forensic Analysis Engine) to dissect the case.
AI-AL (Forensic Analysis Engine): Cassian Creed's proprietary Artificial Intelligence tool used for forensic analysis, victimology, perpetrator profiling, and scenario probability assessment in the investigation.
David Rausch: TBI Director, who publicly commented on the infant's survival as a "sign of compassion" by the fugitive.
Danny Goodman: 29th District Attorney General, leading the prosecution against Austin Drummond and seeking the death penalty.
Dyer County Sheriff's Deputies: Local law enforcement who responded to the initial 911 call about the abandoned infant and initiated the search for her family.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI): The lead agency in the homicide investigation, responsible for crime scene processing, evidence collection, and coordinating the multi-agency manhunt.
U.S. Marshals Service: Specifically, the Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force, who assisted in the intensive manhunt for Austin Drummond and ultimately apprehended him.
Jackson Police Department: Assisted in the investigation and manhunt in Jackson, Tennessee, where Drummond's vehicle was found and his accessories were arrested.
Presiding Judge (unnamed): The judge overseeing Austin Drummond's legal proceedings, who imposed a strict gag order on the case.
NotebookLM can be inaccurate; please double check its responses.
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