Following a weeklong manhunt, Austin Robert Drummond was arrested after an infant was found abandoned on a stranger’s lawn in Lake County, and the bodies of the infant’s mother, father, grandmother, and uncle were found at their home in Dyer County. The murders and manhunt rocked the state of Tennessee, particularly those in West Tennessee. After Drummond’s arrest in early August, he was charged with four counts of first-degree murder, as well as aggravated kidnapping and abandonment.
After the district attorney stated that he intended to seek the death penalty, the judge denied Drummond bond. But how does Drummond qualify for a possible death sentence, and what options do his defense attorneys have in avoiding it?
How Do You Get the Death Penalty in Tennessee?
A conviction of first-degree murder is the only way to get the death penalty in Tennessee until 2024. However, for the over 2,500 first-degree murder convictions in the past 40 years, Tennessee has only imposed a sustained death sentence for 86 of them – that’s only in 3.44% of cases.
In 2024, the Tennessee legislature passed a new law to allow those who have been convicted of aggravated child molestation to receive the death penalty. This could prove to be an issue due to the Supreme Court stating in 2008 that only those convicted of first-degree murder can be put on death row. No one has yet been given the death penalty for aggravated child rape, so that issue has not yet been litigated.
Drummond Spoke Out For the First Time – With a Possible Defense?
On August 20, 2025, Drummond spoke publicly for the first time to Nashville’s NewsChannel 5. In the prison phone interview, Drummond stated that he went on the run after news of the murders came out for an unexpected reason – he had been working with law enforcement as a confidential informant as part of a previous plea deal. He claimed that he has been working with Tennessee law enforcement, TBI, and the FBI to uncover dirty cops and gang members associated with drug trafficking.
Drummond said he had learned that his cover had been blown the day of the murders, and that was why he ran. He was dating the sister of one of the women murdered and thought that “things would happen to me” if he stuck around. While he denies the killings, he did say that he was directly tied to them, but would not explain what that meant.
It’s an unexpected twist in a case that could result in him facing death row. While the District Attorney declined to confirm whether Drummond was, in fact, an informant for police at the time of the murders, the DA did say that there was “no doubt” in his mind that Drummond did kill the four. Drummond’s claims would bring his motive into question, as well as whether or not he actually committed the murders or has possibly been framed. This could give his defense attorneys some bargaining power as they progress towards trial.
Plea Deals & Possible Complications
A key part of this case will be the communication between the prosecution and Drummond’s defense attorneys. Although, as mentioned above, very few first-degree murder convictions actually result in a death sentence, Drummond’s attorneys will likely seek to work with the state to convince them that a capital trial would not be worth the effort. This belief that a trial for the death penalty would be too risky and costly was cited in two other multiple homicide cases in Tennessee in recent years. It’s very likely that a deal avoiding the death sentence – like life without possibility of parole in exchange for a guilty plea – could be pursued, as it was in a 2021 quadruple murder case in McMinn County.
A big issue will be Drummond’s lengthy criminal record dating back to his youth. In the phone interview with NewsChannel 5, Drummond confirmed that he was a member of the Vice Lords gang during his last prison stint. In fact, he was on parole when the murders took place. While prior bad acts are typically not admissible as evidence, it will likely make it more difficult for him to be permitted bond (if the death penalty is dropped) as a repeat offender and due to the severity of the charges.
Questions? Contact Us
High-profile cases like Drummond’s aren’t the only ones that deal with complex fact-patterns and high stakes. Every case is unique and requires a thorough understanding of the law as well as a dedicated advocate on your side. If you’re in need of a criminal defense attorney, contact PNC Law today at (615) 785-2000 or philip@tncriminaldefenseattorney.com.