Who is Ricardo Contreras? The Quick-Thinking Tennessee Man Who Helped Capture Quadruple Murder Suspect Austin Robert Drummond

Ricardo Contreras, a humble house painter from Tennessee, is being praised for his sharp instincts and bravery after helping police capture Austin Robert Drummond, the suspect in a shocking quadruple murder case.

The dramatic events unfolded on the morning of Tuesday, August 5, 2025, in Jackson, Tennessee. Contreras was working with his painting crew when he spotted someone moving suspiciously in the woods behind the house they were painting. At first, he thought it might be an animal, but then noticed the figure appeared to be wearing a sweater with a hood or something covering the head.

Contreras and his coworkers were already aware of the manhunt underway for Drummond, who was wanted for the targeted killing of four people in northwest Tennessee on July 29. The victims were Matthew Wilson (21), Adrianna Williams (20), Cortney Rose (38), and Braydon Williams (15). A baby related to the victims was found abandoned nearby the same day, raising further alarm.

Realizing the man in the woods might be the suspect, Contreras didn’t hesitate — he called 911 immediately. He told the operator, “I don’t want to make a big thing on this, but I know you have been working hard to get this guy… I’m not sure if it’s him or not, but you need to know that it’s somebody back there.”

Thanks to Contreras’ call, officers and a helicopter unit responded within 15 minutes and arrested Drummond without incident. Contreras was still on the phone as law enforcement moved in.

Speaking to WMC News, Contreras — a father of two — expressed relief: “We can sleep better tonight. Even my kids — the last three or four nights, they’ve been sleeping with us because they were scared about this.”

Authorities had been offering a $37,000 reward for information leading to Drummond’s arrest, but Contreras said he wasn’t aware of the reward and simply did what he believed was “the right thing.”