Tennessee Repeat Felon Charged in Rhodes College Student’s 2021 Murder Learns His Fate

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.

Rainess Holmes

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.

Andrew Rainer

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 was told to type in the pass code to his iPad and when he failed to do so was shot,” the arrest affidavit states.

The suspects left the home with “several phones, gaming systems, video games” and other electronics belonging to the victims, police said.

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Holmes was not the suspect who fatally shot Rainer. Memphis police are still searching for the other three suspects involved in the home invasion and murder.

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