In the early morning hours of October 3, 2021, a tragic event unfolded in a Memphis, Tennessee, home that claimed the life of 22-year-old Andrew 'Drew' Rainer. A senior at Rhodes College, Rainer, a White male, was with his girlfriend and other students when multiple armed individuals forcibly entered the residence. The intruders, with their faces covered, demanded electronics and other valuables from the terrified students, instructing them to keep their heads down.
The situation escalated when one of the assailants demanded that Rainer provide the passcode for his iPad. When he did not comply, he was fatally shot in the chest. In a heroic attempt to protect his girlfriend and wrestle the weapon away from the gunman, Rainer was shot, and his girlfriend sustained a gunshot wound to her hand. The intruders fled the scene with several phones, gaming systems, and other electronics. Police later found Rainer deceased at the bottom of a staircase.
The investigation quickly led authorities to a suspect. One of the stolen iPads was tracked to a nearby hotel, which led police to Rainess Holmes, then 36. Though he initially escaped, Holmes was apprehended two days later. He had a lengthy criminal history, including multiple convictions for theft and burglary, and was on probation at the time of the murder. Holmes was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and murder while committing a burglary. Another individual, Raquel Lori Frye, was also arrested and faced charges of facilitation in connection with the crime, though these charges were later dropped.
In April 2025, Rainess Holmes, then 40, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and three counts of aggravated burglary. While he was one of the four men who broke into the home, it was stated that he was not the shooter. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder, with three-year concurrent sentences for the burglary charges. The other three suspects involved in the home invasion and murder of Drew Rainer remain at large, and authorities continue to seek information leading to their arrests.
