Crime
Ricardo Contreras Mendoza, the man who caught Quadruple murder suspect Austin Drummond
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The manhunt for quadruple murder suspect Austin Drummond came to an end Tuesday morning after he was captured by a Jackson resident, identified as Ricardo Contreras Mendoza, according to law enforcement.
Ricardo Contreras called police this morning when he saw Austin Drummond walking in the woods.
Drummond had been the subject of an intense, multi-agency search following the August 1 discovery of four family members fatally shot in Lake County, Tennessee.
The weeklong manhunt reached a critical point Tuesday after Drummond was spotted in a residential area of Jackson, Tennessee, prompting a shelter-in-place alert for residents near Saddlebrook Drive and Bridlepath Drive.
The Jackson Police Department issued a public safety message urging residents to:
“Shelter in place immediately. Lock all doors and windows, remain indoors, and avoid unnecessary travel.”
Authorities also blocked off roads in the Pleasant Plains and Country Club area as the search intensified.
Law enforcement said Ricardo Contreras Mendoza played a pivotal role in Drummond’s apprehension.
Details surrounding the exact circumstances of the capture have not yet been released, but officials confirmed that Mendoza was instrumental in spotting and detaining the fugitive until police arrived.
Drummond had evaded capture since last Tuesday, when he allegedly killed four relatives in Lake County. His abandoned vehicle was discovered in Jackson on Friday, leading authorities to believe he was hiding somewhere in the area.
On Sunday night, a home surveillance camera captured footage of Drummond on Pipkin Road, wearing camouflage, a backpack, and carrying a rifle. In one clip, he could be seen attempting to open a door.
The manhunt resulted in heightened police presence near Pleasant Plains Extension and Oil Well Road, as well as a temporary lockdown at Union University on Monday as sightings continued to pour in.
Authorities are now working to piece together the timeline of Drummond’s movements over the past week and determine whether anyone may have assisted him while he was on the run.
The Jackson Police Department is continuing its investigation and encourages anyone with further information to call 731-425-8400.
Crime
Attorneys Argue Jacob Bard Actions in Deadly Kentucky State University Shooting Were Legally Justified
Attorneys representing Jacob Bard, the man accused in a deadly shooting at Kentucky State University, contend that his actions were legally justified and undertaken in defense of his family amid what they describe as a violent and uncontrolled situation on campus.
In a press release issued Monday afternoon, Bard’s legal team from the Indiana-based law firm Danks & Danks asserted that Bard “was completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force.”
Bard is accused of fatally shooting one Kentucky State University student and wounding another during an incident at a campus dormitory.
According to the attorneys’ statement, Bard traveled to Kentucky State University after his younger son reported being attacked on multiple occasions.
The release alleges that on Monday, December 8, a group of approximately 20 to 30 individuals gathered outside the son’s dormitory, some allegedly armed, and began beating on the door. Campus police were reportedly called to respond to the disturbance.
The following morning, Bard and his wife met with Kentucky State University police. While the attorneys stated that officers appeared sincere in their efforts, they claimed it was evident to the family that campus police were “ill-prepared to deal with the out-of-control and violent environment.”
The legal team further alleges that both the university and its police department failed to adequately address what they described as multiple armed and violent felonies against Bard’s sons, ages 18 and 19, as well as other students in the days preceding the shooting.
Those alleged incidents included burglaries and armed assaults.
Later that morning, the family attended a meeting at Young Hall with campus police and a university dean.
According to the release, the meeting left the family convinced that the university would not be able to maintain a safe environment, prompting them to begin removing the son’s belongings from the dormitory.
When the family returned to the residence hall, the attorneys claim that individuals previously involved in the alleged assaults were present, despite assurances they would not be allowed inside.
The statement further alleges that those individuals photographed the family and made verbal threats.
The attorneys contend that, even with two armed Kentucky State University police officers present, a group of 20 to 30 individuals gathered in the dormitory lobby and “violently and viciously attacked” Bard’s son and family members.
According to the release, Bard’s son was slammed into the concrete floor and beaten by multiple people, and the officer on scene allegedly lost control of the situation.
“In the chaos,” the attorneys wrote, Bard attempted to pull attackers off his son but was struck himself. Believing his son to be in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, Bard then drew his firearm and shot two individuals whom the attorneys say were actively assaulting his son.
The legal team also stated that no charges have been filed against others allegedly involved in the confrontation and claimed the Bard family has continued to receive death threats.
The release further alleges that the mother of the deceased student has publicly called for retaliation against Bard’s son and sought assistance from criminal groups—claims that have not been independently verified by authorities.
The case against Bard was presented to a grand jury on December 16.
During a previous court hearing, a detective testified that at least one video reviewed by investigators did not show the shooting victims assaulting Bard’s son.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not issued a final determination regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.