FOUR FOUND DEAD IN LAKE COUNTY AS ABANDONED INFANT CASE UNFOLDS; MULTI-AGENCY INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY
DYER COUNTY, TN — A wave of shock and grief has swept through West Tennessee as the heartbreaking discovery of four bodies in rural Lake County has now been linked to the deeply troubling case of an infant abandoned earlier this week in Dyer County. A multi-agency investigation is underway, with authorities working around the clock to piece together what they are calling a complex and tragic case of disappearance and suspected foul play.
Timeline of Events: A Family Disappears
The alarm was first raised on July 29, 2025, when family members reported that four individuals had vanished without a trace:
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Adrianna Williams, mother of the infant
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Matthew Wilson, father of the infant
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Courtney Rose, Adrianna’s mother (the child’s grandmother)
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Braydon Williams, Adrianna’s younger brother (the child’s uncle)
According to loved ones, none of them had been seen or heard from since that morning. Matthew’s mother reported her last contact with him came at 6:43 AM, when he called to say he was leaving his overnight shift at Big River Steel and heading home.
By 3:11 PM, a disturbing 911 call came into the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office. A resident on Old Highway 20 near the Tigrett community reported a baby had been left strapped in a car seat in their front yard, with no sign of who dropped her off. The child was found physically unharmed, quickly identified as Adrianna and Matthew’s daughter, and placed under immediate medical care and protection.
What began as a puzzling case of child abandonment has now escalated into a full-scale investigation after the bodies of four individuals — believed to be the missing adults — were discovered on the outskirts of Lake County late Tuesday evening. Although official identification is pending autopsy and next-of-kin notification, authorities have stated the remains appear to match the description and clothing of the missing family members.
Disturbing Discovery and Ongoing Search for Answers
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the FBI, are now involved in a coordinated investigation. The area where the bodies were found has been cordoned off as a crime scene, and forensic teams are processing evidence.
Authorities have not yet released the cause or manner of death but confirmed that the deaths are being treated as suspicious, and homicide is not being ruled out. The fact that the baby was safely abandoned rather than harmed has raised as many questions as it answers.
Vehicles Sought in Connection
Law enforcement continues to seek public assistance in locating or tracking movements of the following vehicles that may be connected to the victims:
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A late ’80s Ford truck with a white stripe
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A 2008 black Dodge Charger
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A small white SUV (possibly a crossover model)
Investigators are asking for any dashcam footage, sightings, or surveillance videos from the area of Old Highway 20, Highway 78, and surrounding rural roads between 6 AM and 4 PM on July 29. They are also urging anyone with knowledge of the family’s plans or who may have spoken with them before their disappearance to come forward.
A Community in Mourning, A Call for Justice
The Dyer County and Lake County communities are stunned and grieving as they process the news. Vigils are already being planned, and local churches are offering grief counseling and support services to the many people affected. The family of the victims described Adrianna, Matthew, Courtney, and Braydon as close-knit, caring, and “the last people who would ever choose to disappear or abandon their child.”
“This is not who they were,” said a family spokesperson. “They loved that baby more than anything. We are devastated and we are demanding answers.”
The infant, whose name is being withheld for privacy, remains safe and is currently under protective custody. Authorities have confirmed that arrangements are being made for her long-term care.
Public Urged to Come Forward
If you have any information that could assist in this investigation — no matter how small — please contact the Dyer County Sheriff’s Office at (731) 285-2802, your local law enforcement agency, or dial 911 immediately. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s tip line.
This case is still developing, and more details are expected to emerge in the coming days as autopsy results, forensic analysis, and digital records are examined.
We will continue to update this story as new information becomes available.
