Crime
Quadruple murder suspect Austin Drummond taken into custody
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Austin Drummond, the suspect wanted in connection with a quadruple homicide in West Tennessee, was taken into custody Tuesday morning, according to law enforcement officials.
Drummond’s arrest followed an intense manhunt that prompted a shelter-in-place alert for residents in Jackson, Tennessee, after the Jackson Police Department confirmed a sighting of the fugitive.
Police issued an emergency advisory stating:
“Due to the sighting of suspect Austin Drummond in the area of Saddlebrook Drive and Bridlepath Drive, please shelter in place immediately.”
Authorities also closed the area of Pleasant Plains and Country Club, warning residents to remain indoors, lock all windows and doors, and avoid unnecessary travel during the active search.
The search for Drummond had intensified over the past several days.
On Monday, Union University was placed on lockdown, and multiple law enforcement agencies were deployed to the area. Roads near Pleasant Plains Extension and Oil Well Road were also blocked off as part of the manhunt.
Drummond had been on the run since Tuesday of the previous week, when four members of the same family were found murdered in Lake County.
His vehicle was later located in Jackson on Friday, leading investigators to believe he remained in the area.
On Sunday night, Drummond was captured on a citizen’s home surveillance system in the 700 block of Pipkin Road. In the footage, he was seen wearing camouflage, carrying a rifle, and wearing a backpack.
One of the surveillance videos shows him attempting to open a door.
Jackson Police are urging residents to continue reporting any suspicious activity by calling 731-425-8400.
Crime
2 Christian County deputies killed in the line of duty, suspect Richard Bird also dead
The name of the second deputy has not yet been publicly released pending family notification.
Christian County, Mo. — A massive multi-agency manhunt in Christian County has ended with the suspect dead, but not before claiming the lives of two sheriff’s deputies and injuring two others.
According to Brad Cole, the suspect, Richard Bird, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers early Tuesday morning near the roundabout on State Highway 160 close to Reeds Spring.
Authorities confirmed that two deputies with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office were killed in the line of duty during the operation.
One of the fallen deputies has been identified as 30-year-old Deputy Gabriel Ramirez.
The name of the second deputy has not yet been publicly released pending family notification.
In addition to the two fatalities, one Christian County deputy and one deputy from the Webster County Sheriff’s Office were wounded during the exchange of gunfire.
Sheriff Cole stated that their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The violence began around 4:00 p.m. Monday when a Christian County deputy conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of State Highway 160 and Route HH, south of Highlandville.
During that stop, Deputy Ramirez was fatally shot, prompting a Blue Alert and a large-scale manhunt for Bird.
After Bird’s vehicle was located abandoned, officers from across the Ozarks converged on the area. Sheriff Cole said approximately 100 officers, deputies, and state troopers participated in the search effort, along with federal partners including the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and the ATF.
The search continued for hours into the early morning. A helicopter operated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol detected a moving heat signature in a wooded area near Reeds Spring. As deputies approached the location, Bird reportedly opened fire. Law enforcement officers returned fire, fatally striking the suspect and ending the threat.
While the suspect was neutralized, the outcome has left the community in mourning. Two deputies lost their lives in the line of duty, and two others were injured.
Sheriff Cole described the loss as devastating for the department and the broader community. Families of the fallen deputies are now grieving, and colleagues across multiple agencies are reflecting on the risks law enforcement officers face daily.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing as authorities continue to process the scene and review the circumstances surrounding the shootings.