For Immediate Release
Queries: (901) 525-5122, CrimeStoppers of Memphis and Shelby County
(901) 568-3079, Memphis Police Department
$5,000 CrimeStoppers award announced
for help identifying Rhodes student attackers
Memphis, TN — A $5,000 award has been offered to anyone who can help authorities arrest individuals responsible for the shooting death of a Rhodes College student in a home invasion last fall.
Andrew (Drew) Rainer, Jr. was killed at his home in Midtown in the early hours of October 3, 2021 when several suspects forced their way into the house and robbed the victims. A second individual in the house was wounded during the incident.
“One arrest has been made relative to this homicide,” said Major Webb Kirkdoffer of the Memphis Police Department’s Homicide Bureau. “However, investigators still need the public’s help identifying additional individuals who are responsible for Rainer’s murder.”
Authorities were able to quickly track down one man in the murder case. On October 5, 2021 U.S. Marshals arrested Rainess Holmes, 36. Holmes was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and murder while committing a burglary.
Rainer’s family has posted $3,000 with CrimeStoppers. With CrimeStoppers’ usual $2,000 award in homicide cases, a total of $5,000 is the extraordinary cash award available in this case to anyone who contacts CrimeStoppers anonymously with information that can lead to an arrest.
“We know that someone in the community knows something that can help bring more perpetrators of this murder to justice,” said E. Winslow (Buddy) Chapman. “All a citizen has to do is call 528-CASH and we will pass the information on to detectives.”
Drew Rainer was 22 years old and a senior and Clarence Day Scholar at Rhodes. He also was an accomplished musician.
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