Discovery of 4 bodies believed to be connected to baby abandoned in stranger’s front yard

LAKE COUNTY, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) – Four people were found dead in Tennessee on Tuesday night, and investigators say they believe the deaths are connected to an abandoned infant case from earlier in the day.

The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office said at around 3 p.m. Tuesday, deputies were called to a home in Tigrett, where a 7-month-old girl in a car seat was abandoned in a stranger’s yard. The homeowner called 911, and the child was taken to the hospital to be checked out.

Four bodies were found later that night on Carrington Road in Tiptonville, approximately 40 miles away from where the girl was abandoned.

The Dyer County District Attorney’s Office 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.

A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesperson confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the deaths are being considered homicides and that investigators are working to develop information on the suspect(s) responsible.

“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.”

The circumstances regarding the family members’ deaths remain unknown at this time, but according to Danny Goodman, Dyer and Lake County district attorney, this act was not random.

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.

It is unclear at this time how the 911 call may be connected to the case.