RECAP: More details revealed in preliminary hearing for Austin Drummond
TIPTONVILLE, Tenn. — Emotions ran high as the family of the Lake County quadruple homicide victims attended Austin Drummond’s preliminary hearing.
Witnesses take the stand for testimony
The prosecution presented enough evidence to send the case to trial.
Austin Drummond appeared in court Thursday for the hearing.
District Attorney Danny Goodman called several law enforcement officials to the stand to establish probable cause.
“Tell me how they were when you found them,” asked the prosecution.
“The male was laying on his back under his mother and there was a tarp over the top of them,” said Hunter Brady, Lake County sheriff’s deputy.
Deputy Brady also testified that blood was found in the passenger side of one of the victim’s vehicles located on Carrington Road.
“And I noticed some red pools of what appeared to be blood, and then, we just kind of shined in the woods, and there was–you could see two more bodies under tarps,” Brady continued.
During TBI Special Agent Justin Tubbs’ testimony, emotions flared from victims’ family members as he described the injuries.
“Mr. Wilson had been shot in multiple places in his body for approximately 11 times,” said Tubbs.
“I got to get out of here. I got to get out of here. Please. Please. Please help me,” said Matthew Wilson’s mother.
Three vehicles were spotted on Carrington Road, two belonging to the victims and a rental car that later left the scene. Authorities tracked the vehicle throughout West Tennessee and a recently purchased cell phone traveling with it.
“Our phone toll analysis identified that at 7:25, as the number was leaving the crime scene, it was jumping on a three-way conference call with Tanaka Brown and Giovonte Thomas,” said Scott Lawson, special agent with the FBI.
On the day of the murders, the phone was tracked to several of Drummond’s known locations, including his girlfriend’s and parent’s residences.
“We theorized that something as far as getting rid of evidence or weapons or something had happened at that Bikini Bottoms area,” said Lawson.
At Bikini Bottoms in Dyersburg, law enforcement recovered Matthew Wilson’s driver license and his car in the ravine.
Both sides make closing remarks
Austin Drummond’s defense attorney argued that there is no proof Drummond fired a weapon at the crime scene.
“There’s been no evidence whatsoever that Mr. Drummond fired any weapon,” said Brian Huffman, defense attorney.
The prosecution contends Drummond was at the crime scene and was caught on video surveillance from nearby buildings. According to prosecutors, at 6:27 p.m. on the morning of July 29, the Chevy Traverse and Dodge Charger tied to the case were seen traveling northbound on state highway 78 in Tiptonville.
Later at 6:30 p.m., the older pickup truck passed the same camera with what appears to be two people on board.
At 7:25 p.m., the truck is seen driving away from the scene of the crime, but with only a driver in the vehicle, according to the prosecution.
Investigators say the truck was later found at Bikini Bottoms Off-Road Park in north Dyer County.
Investigators also say the Nissan Rogue tied to the case was a rental reserved the night of the 28th and picked up from a residence at noon on on the 29th.
It was recorded passing the intersection of Highway 78 and Radio Road in Dyersburg heading north toward Tiptonville, according to investigators.
A witness contends the Nissan Rogue was noticeably dusty as it left Tiptonville as Carrington Road ends in a gravel “parking lot.”
“From what I recall, when you first turn onto the road it’s semi-paved, then turns into a gravel road, and the area where the crime scene actually is–where the cars and the bodies were–was a gravel parking lot,” said Tubbs.
Drummond’s next court date is scheduled for November 17 at 1 p.m. If convicted at trial, Drummond could face the death penalty.
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