MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rainess Holmes, the man accused of killing a Rhodes College student in a violent home invasion robbery, was appointed an attorney in a court appearance Thursday.
“Today is the very, very start of what I imagine will be a long process,” Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman said.
He said he had spoken with family members of both victim Drew Rainer, and a woman who was shot in the incident but survived.
“They are, I know, incredibly interested in the prosecution of the case,” Hagerman said.
According to police, Rainer was shot in the chest in a deadly Midtown home invasion Sunday when he did not type in the password to his iPad. Reports said before his death he fought with the gunman, who then fired another shot at the woman.
Holmes, 36, was taken into custody by a U.S. Marshal’s task force Tuesday and charged with first-degree murder and multiple charges of aggravated robbery and burglary.
Pierre Landaiche, who attended church with Rainer, described him as “a fine young man. Sweet, nice, polite, genuine, smart. Loved to sing, play music, hunt ducks.”
Landaiche said Rainer had escorted his daughter to some dances.
“May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, Rest In Peace,” Landaiche said in a Facebook post.
