Tennessee repeat felon charged in Rhodes College student's 2021 murder learns his fate
Share and Follow

A repeat felon charged in connection with a Rhodes College student’s 2021 murder and home invasion pleaded guilty on Monday and received his prison sentence.

Rainess Holmes, now 40, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to serve 100% of a 20-year prison sentence, plus a combined nine years for three separate burglary cases.

Holmes, a career criminal with charges dating back to 2005, was one of four men who broke into a Memphis home housing several college students, including 22-year-old senior Andrew “Drew” Rainer, at 5:40 a.m. on Oct. 3, 2021, Shelby County court records state.

The surviving residents told Memphis police that four men with hoodies drawn over their faces kicked in their door and demanded the students’ electronics.

Andrew Rainer in a hoodie

A memorial fund created in Rainer’s name called “Live Like Drew” says he “loved with great intensity, and showed enormous courage and self-sacrifice.” (Live Like Drew)

“One arrest has been made relative to this homicide,” Major Webb Kirkdoffer of the Memphis Police Department’s Homicide Bureau said in a statement. “However, investigators still need the public’s help identifying additional individuals who are responsible for Rainer’s murder.”

A memorial fund created in Rainer’s name called “Live Like Drew” says he “loved with great intensity, and showed enormous courage and self-sacrifice.” He was also an accomplished musician who played in an 80s rock band, an avid reader, an Eagle Scout, and a devoted member of the Catholic Church, according to his obituary.

“Drew was a loving son, brother, nephew, cousin and friend. He was a kind, cheerful, intelligent and outgoing young man, who was loved by his friends,” his obituary said.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Texas Tech restricts teaching of race and gender, faculty could be disciplined for violating rule

Texas Tech Enforces New Restrictions on Race and Gender Education, Faculty Face Potential Discipline for Non-Compliance

In a recent move, Texas Tech University System Chancellor Brandon Creighton has…
Larry Summers hit with lifetime ban by high-profile economics club over Epstein ties

Economics Club Bans Larry Summers for Life Amid Epstein Scandal: What It Means for His Legacy

In a significant move, the American Economic Association (AEA), one of the…
Dead Texas college student's phone was 'thrown in the woods,' grieving mother says

Shocking Discovery: Texas Student’s Mysterious Death Unveiled as Phone Found Discarded in Woods

The mother of a Texas A&M University student, whose body was discovered…
Cowboys-Chiefs Thanksgiving game draws record-shattering 57 million viewers

Thanksgiving Showdown: Cowboys vs Chiefs Game Smashes Viewership Records with 57 Million Fans Tuning In

The Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys delivered a Thanksgiving showdown that…
Hillary Clinton blames social media for radicalizing young Americans against Israel

Hillary Clinton Attributes Youth Radicalization Against Israel to Social Media Influence

Hillary Clinton has attributed the rise in anti-Israel sentiment among young Americans…
FILE - New vehicles are seen at an auto-processing facility at the Atlantic Terminal of the Port of Baltimore, March 27, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

Trump Administration’s Proposal Aims to Loosen Vehicle Mileage Standards, Sparking Environmental Concerns

WASHINGTON (AP) — On Wednesday, President Donald Trump unveiled a proposal aimed…
Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP food aid from Democrat-led states unless they provide recipient records

Trump Administration to Withhold SNAP Aid from Certain States Over Record Disclosure Dispute

In a recent development from Washington, President Donald Trump’s administration announced plans…
What should you do? | Crime and safety expert shares advice after road rage ends in shooting

Expert Tips: Staying Safe on the Road Amid Rising Road Rage Incidents

Following a road rage incident on Monday that escalated into a shooting,…