Charges against a woman implicated in the home invasion that resulted in the death of a Memphis college student have been dismissed. Following a court decision on Monday, Lori Frye, 34, is no longer facing the ten counts against her, which included facilitation of first-degree murder and kidnapping, WREG reports.
Frye was initially arrested by U.S. Marshals in 2022, with allegations connecting her to the death of Rhodes College senior Andrew Rainer. The case took a turn when, on Monday, Shelby County Court records indicated that Judge Lee Coffee honored the prosecutors’ request to drop all charges against Frye, as reported by Action News 5. Details around Frye’s alleged involvement have not been disclosed, and since 2023, she has been free on bond.
In the case against the other accused parties, Raineess Holmes III pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Rainer earlier this month and will serve a 20-year sentence. It has been determined that while Holmes was involved in the break-in at North McLean where Rainer was staying, he was not the person who fired the shots that killed 22-year-old Rainer, FOX13 Memphis indicates. The tragic shooting, which allegedly took place over an iPad, involved Holmes and three other men.
At the time of his death, Andrew Rainer was recognized as a Clarence Day Scholar and an accomplished musician. The case initially drew attention not only for its violent nature but also for the potential involvement of Frye, whose charges have now been completely dismissed, leaving more questions than answers regarding her role in the events of October 2021.
