Man accused in fatal shooting of Rhodes student arrested
The U.S. Marshals have arrested Rainess Holmes, one of the people accused in connection with the fatal shooting of a Rhodes college student during what police said was a home invasion robbery.
Holmes, 36, was arrested Tuesday, Oct. 5 at a home in the 3100 block of Powell in Memphis. The U.S. Marshals Service Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force along with Memphis police officers found Holmes inside a house.
Holmes faces charges of first-degree murder, two counts of especially aggravated robbery, three counts of aggravated burglary and murder in perpetration of aggravated burglary.
Police said Holmes and three other men went to a home early Sunday, Oct. 3 in the 700 block of North McLean. Wearing hoodies tightly drawn around their faces, the men allegedly entered the home and took electronics and other property.
One of the men was armed with a gun and 22-year-old Andrew “Drew” Rainer was shot and killed on the scene. A 20-year-old woman was also shot and was taken to Regional One in non-critical condition.
Police said Holmes was the primary suspect in the fatal shooting of Rainer. He was arrested after leads and Crimestoppers tips led police to the home on Powell at 9:40 a.m. Tuesday.
Rainer was a senior at Rhodes and the shooting happened at an off-campus home near the college.
Memphis police issued an arrest warrant for Holmes Monday, Oct. 4. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation added Holmes to its Most Wanted list and a reward of $2,500 was offered for information about his arrest.
“We are thankful for the strong partnership our agencies share, as we effectively take violent criminals into custody,” MPD Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis said in an emailed statement. “We are hopeful the capture of Rainess Holmes will lead us to others who may have played a part in this crime. Our commitment is to seek justice for the victims and family members who are impacted by such heinous acts.
“In this same spirit, we will work relentlessly to rid our community of violent offenders who pervasively threaten the safety and livelihood of our citizens.”
It was not immediately known if any other people have been arrested in the case.
Topics
Rhodes College Homicides Rainess Holmes Andrew RainerYolanda Jones
Yolanda Jones covers criminal justice issues and general assignment news for The Daily Memphian. She previously was a reporter at The Commercial Appeal.
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