Tiptonville, TN (WOKI) A manhunt is now underway for a suspected quadruple murderer wanted out of Lake County in Northwest Tennessee.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has obtained warrants for 28-year-old Austin Robert Drummond charging him with four counts of First Degree Murder and one count of Aggravated Kidnapping among other charges.
The warrants come after the discovery of four bodies overnight Tuesday in Tiptonville. TBI officials later confirming the bodies were family, including her mother and father, to a baby girl abandoned Tuesday afternoon in Dyer County.
“At this time, Drummond remains at large and should be considered armed and dangerous,” the TBI said. “Anyone with information concerning his whereabouts is asked to call 731-415-7962, 731-333-0811, or 1-800-TBI-FIND.”
According to Danny Goodman, Dyer and Lake County District Attorney, this act was not random, and the community is not in danger.
“This is a deeply saddening day for our community,” said Dyer County Sheriff Jeff Box. “We are committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice is served.”
Deputies were called to a home in Dyer County, where a seven-month-old girl in a car seat was abandoned in a stranger’s yard on Tuesday afternoon.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Eleven people with outstanding warrants are arrested this week during a property crime crackdown operation in Knoxville and Knox County.
Knoxville Police Department officials announcing Thursday that the operation, conducted Tuesday and Wednesday with the assistance of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Department of Corrections’ (TDOC) Parole and Probation, resulted in the arrest of 11 individuals with outstanding warrants to include five individuals with felony theft charges and three people with violations of probation or parole for previous property crime charges.
KPD says the two-day operation is a part of its ongoing efforts to proactively address persistent property crimes and repeat offenders.
Before the operation began, detectives and crime analysts with KPD’s Property Crimes Unit worked with KCSO and TDOC to identify individuals with outstanding warrants relating to property crimes. During the search, there was also a focus on individuals who were on parole or probation.
Knoxville Police singled out one person arrested during the operation, 34-year-old Zachary Littleton, sharing that he had eight outstanding warrants, which included charges of felony theft, felony evading arrest, and assault on a first responder.
“Property crimes impact quality of life and the sense of safety in our community,” KPD Deputy Chief and Investigations Bureau Commander Joe McHale said. “We take our mission to prevent those crimes and address the individuals who commit them seriously. I greatly appreciate our officers and partners for their collaborative and intentional efforts to plan and execute this operation, which will undoubtedly prevent future property crimes.”
ATLANTA – Tennessee veteran defensive lineman Bryson Eason was named to the 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List on Thursday.
The redshirt senior was one of a record 116 nominees for this year’s award, which recognizes college football players from across the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) who exemplify community service, academic excellence and athletic achievement.
Widely regarded as college football’s premier award for community service, the Wuerffel Trophy celebrates student-athletes who use their platforms to serve others and create positive change. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who turned his football success into a lifelong mission of service, the award reflects his legacy of leadership and humanitarianism. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the trophy’s founding.
Eason enters his sixth and final season with the Volunteers after opting to return for one more year following a productive 2024 season that saw him start all 13 games and finish with 24 total tackles and a career-high seven tackles for loss while helping lead UT to its first College Football Playoff appearance.
The Memphis native represented the Vols at SEC Media Days in mid-July and is one of the undisputed team leaders entering this season. Eason is also a nominee for the 2025 Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team thanks to his involvement in the community.
The 2025 Wuerffel Trophy finalists and winner will be selected by a national voting committee, with input from a fan vote. The 2025 recipient will also serve as Captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show on Dec. 12, airing on ESPN. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Presentation Gala will follow on Jan. 31, 2026, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
The full watch list for this year’s Wuerffel Trophy can be found HERE. A comprehensive list of preseason honors for Tennessee players and coaches can be seen below.
Jermod McCoy, DB, Jr. Jim Thorpe Award Watch List Nagurski Trophy Watch List Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List First Team All-American (Athlon, PFF, Walter Camp) First Team All-SEC (Athlon, Media)
Jackson Ross, P, R-Jr. Fourth Team All-SEC (Athlon)
Knoxville –As of Wednesday, July 30, 2025, there are 82,848 active registered voters in the city of Knoxville that are eligible to vote in the 2025 City of Knoxville Primary Election. A breakdown of the number of active registered voters in each Knoxville City Council district is as follows:
1st District – 12,012
2nd District – 20,053
3rd District – 17,579
4th District – 19,601
6th District – 13,603
TOTAL: 82,848
NOTE: There are a total of 97,274 active registered voters in the City of Knoxville, but 14,426 reside in the 5th City Council District, and cannot vote in the 2025 City of Knoxville Primary Election.
EARLY VOTING
Early voting begins Wednesday, August 6th at 12 p.m. at six (6) locations across the city of Knoxville.
The locations are:
DOWNTOWN City County Building, Small Assembly Room (400 Main Street)
WEST Downtown West (1645 Downtown West Blvd., Unit 40)
EAST Eternal Life Harvest Center at Five Points (2410 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.)
NORTHWEST Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Highway)
SOUTH Meridian Baptist Church (6513 Chapman Highway)
NORTHEAST New Harvest Park (4775 New Harvest Lane)
Hours are generally 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. There are a handful of exceptions to the standard hours, and all details can be viewed at www.knoxvotes.org.
The first day (Wednesday, August 6), and all Wednesdays, all locations will open at 12 noon. On those days, all locations except Meridian Baptist in south Knoxville will be open until 7 pm (Meridian will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays).
LAKE COUNTY, TN (WMC – Story Courtesy of WVLT) – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says one or more suspects are being sought after the overnight discovery of four bodies in Northwest Tennessee, which has since been connected to an abandoned infant case.
According to Danny Goodman, Dyer and Lake County District Attorney, this act was not random, and the community is not in danger.
“There doesn’t need to be a lot of concern in the community as far as their safety. This appears to be an isolated incident,” he said.
Goodman went on to say more about those involved, “It’s not that these people were randomly chosen. So, I don’t think there needs to be any kind of concern or fear in the community.”
The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office says this seven-month-old girl was abandoned by an unknown vehicle on a stranger’s lawn on July 29, hours before her mother, father, grandmother and uncle were found murdered about 40 miles away in the neighboring Lake County.(Dyer County Sheriff’s Office)
A TBI spokesperson confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the deaths are being considered homicides and that investigators are working to develop information on the suspect(s) responsible.
The four bodies were found Tuesday night on Carrington Road in Tiptonville, located in Lake County, approximately 40 miles away from where a seven-month-old girl was dropped off in a Dyer County yard.
The Dyer County District Attorney’s Office has identified the victims as the baby’s father, 21-year-old Matthew Wilson; mother, 20-year-old Adrianna Williams; maternal grandmother, 38-year-old Cortney Rose; and maternal uncle, 15-year-old Braydon Williams.
The TBI and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been requested to respond to assist with this case.
“This is a deeply saddening day for our community,” said Dyer Co. Sheriff Jeff Box. “We are committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring justice is served.”
Around 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dyer Co. deputies were called to a home in the area of Old Highway 20 near Tigrett, where a seven-month-old girl in a car seat was abandoned in a stranger’s yard.
The witness called 911, and the child was taken to the hospital to be checked out.
Before the tragic update from the neighboring agency, Dyer County deputies said they were searching for the baby’s parents and grandmother because they were believed to be possibly involved in the abandonment case.
Audio from Dyer County 911 reveals that a call came in at 10:26 p.m. Tuesday reporting Rose and her daughter missing. The dispatcher can be heard in the audio saying that the caller was actively searching around a home with a flashlight.
The circumstances regarding the family members’ deaths remain unknown at this time.
The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office remains dedicated to resolving both the abandoned infant case and the ongoing investigation at the crime scene. We will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. Please remember everyone in your prayers.
Partial statement, Dyer County Sheriff’s Office
Lake County Sheriff Bryan Avery released the following statement, noting that the TBI will be taking over:
“This remains a very active and ongoing investigation, and we want to assure the public that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is leading this case with the highest level of diligence and professionalism.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends, families, and the entire community impacted by this tragic situation. We know this is a difficult time, and we stand with you.
We are grateful to all the agencies and individuals who are working tirelessly on this investigation. Your dedication and commitment to justice do not go unnoticed.
Out of respect for the integrity of the investigation, we will defer any questions or requests for updates to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
We will continue to support their efforts and provide assistance as needed.
Lake County Sheriff Bryan Avery
If you have any information related to this incident, please contact the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office at 731-285-2802.
KNOXVILLE, TN (Story courtesy of WVLT) – Two people have been charged after a child told authorities he would allegedly get locked in a dog kennel for misbehaving and get hit with a metal pole.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office said 911 received a report Tuesday morning about two small children standing in the wood line in the 3000 block of Clear Springs Road at around 7:23 a.m.
Deputies responded to the area and saw the two kids walking around the road without an adult. They determined the children, both of whom were around six years old, lived at a nearby home with 27-year-old Jason Hoffer and 28-year-old Amber Hoffer.
27-year-old Jason Hoffer and 28-year-old Amber Hoffer(KCSO)
According to warrants obtained by WVLT News, one of the children had severe bruising on his leg, and they both told deputies they were hungry and had not eaten.
Deputies went to the home, and during the investigation, detectives determined there were seven children living there in “very deplorable and uninhabitable conditions.” The warrant said there was trash all over the floor and feces smeared on the walls and in the bathroom sink. Additionally, there was no running water in the home.
The children, all aged between one-month-old and seven-years-old, were taken to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital for evaluation.
While at the hospital, the warrant said DCS and deputies spoke to the children. One of the children said Jason would keep him in a “cage” in the middle of the living room if he got in trouble and padlock it. He would also allegedly hit the child with a metal pole through the cage. That child, authorities said, had “severe welts” on his hip and bruises on his buttocks and shoulders that “appear to have been from an assault.”
The child said he escaped the cage that morning and told another child to leave the home with him, leading to them being found near the road, the warrant said.
Authorities went back to the home, according to the warrant, and found the metal dog kennel. There were no pets living inside or outside the home.
Jason Hoffer was charged with one count of child endangerment and one count of aggravated child abuse (Haley’s Law). Amber Hoffer was charged with two counts of child endangerment. They are being held at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility.
DCS removed the children from the home, KCSO said.
UPDATE: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Silver Alert for missing Middle Tennessee man 83-year-old Robert Stidham has ended.
He has been found safe in Sevier County.
ORIGINAL STORY: #TNSilverAlert We need your help to find Robert Stidham, who is missing from Wilson County.
The 83-year-old is 5’11”, 280 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen driving to Gallatin at 10:00 a.m. CST.
He may be driving a black 2022 Honda HRV with the TN license plate 440BBYV. His car was last seen heading northbound at 8:30 p.m. EST on Rutledge Pike at the Blaine, TN city limits.
Robert was last seen wearing a light-colored t-shirt, gray joggers, and tan boat shoes. He has medical conditions that may impair his ability to return safely without assistance.
If you have seen Robert or have information about his whereabouts, please contact the Mt. Juliet Police Department at 615-754-2550 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
For more details on this alert, TBI’s Silver Alert program, and more resources, download the TBI Find App! tbi.pub/TBIFindApp
Maryville, TN (WOKI) A Maryville couple is facing child abuse charges after deputies find a four-year-old child living in “squalid conditions.”
Officials with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office say 29-year-old Allen Westmoreland and 27-year-old Sandra Gridley were arrested Tuesday evening at a home on Calderwood Highway following a tip about dogs being tied up which didn’t have access to food, water or shelter.
Deputies found three dogs that appeared emaciated chained up behind the house and a four year old boy inside the home described as being in “squalid conditions, rife with bugs and animal feces throughout the [residence].”
Additionally, BCSO says there was no electricity and minimal running water in the home.
Westmoreland and Gridley were charged with felony child abuse/neglect and are set to appear in court on August 6.
The child was placed in the custody of DCS. A total of four dogs were turned over to Blount County Animal Control; they are receiving care at the Blount County Animal Center.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
29-year-old Allen Westmoreland and 27-year-old Sandra Gridley. (Courtesy: BCSO)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The start of preseason camp officially got underway Wednesday as the 2025 Tennessee Volunteers hit the practice field for the first time this season on a hot and humid morning on Rocky Top.
Wednesday’s opening day of camp was a welcomed sight for everyone in the program as the excitement and urgency was ratcheted up a notch with the season opener just 31 days away.
Day one on the grass featured a lot of individual and group work as the team prepares for the rigors of another preseason training camp.
“Good first day, a bunch of individual and some group work focus,” head coach Josh Heupel said after Wednesday’s practice session. “The key to this whole thing is not making the same mistake twice and continuing to get better.”
Naturally, a lot of the talk during Heupel’s post-practice press conference was centered around the ongoing quarterback battle between redshirt freshman returner Jake Merklinger, senior transfer Joey Aguilar and true freshman George MacIntyre.
When asked what he’s looking to see from that group, Heupel laid out what he expects from his signal callers throughout the early portion of fall camp.
“Constant growth. Don’t make the same mistake twice and learn from the other guys that are at the position group,” Heupel said. “I think that is important for everybody no matter what position you are playing. There’s not enough reps for everybody to get every single look and every single install. You have to continue to learn from everything. That’s all on the field and then of course practice.”
Blount County, TN (WOKI) A judge has granted a motion to recuse Blount County District Attorney General Ryan Desmond in the case of a former Heritage High School teacher who faces multiple child sex crimes charges.
Fifty-one year old Shane Rewis of Maryville is a former teacher and coach at Heritage High in Blount County. In November, a Blount County grand jury indicted him on several charges: two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child, trafficking for a commercial sex act, three counts of exploitation of a minor by electronic means and sexual exploitation of a minor. He was arrested in Georgia.
The court granted the motion filed by Rewis’s legal team to recuse DA Desmond who was representing the state; no word on why the judge saw fit to remove Desmond.
For his part, Desmond has signaled his office’s intention to pursue the possibility of appealing the Court’s decision:
“While the District Attorney’s Office review of applicable law and authority lead us to conclude that recusal was not warranted in this case, we will always respect the decision of the Court. We will be consulting with the State Attorney General’s Office regarding the legal remedy of appealing the Court’s decision, but no matter the outcome, our office will either zealously prosecute this case or provide all the appropriate information and support necessary to ensure a substituting District Attorney’s Office can appropriately proceed with the prosecution.” – Ryan K. DesmondDistrict Attorney General
A status hearing is scheduled for August 11.
Blount County DA recused in case of former Heritage High teacher charged with child sex crimes. (Credit: Frankly Media)
