PICAYUNE —
Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department investigators suspect arson was involved in a structure fire that occurred at a home where James Raine was killed last year.
The home at 24 Emma Lane was the scene of what investigators believe was the murder of the 37-year-old Raine in October, 2011.
At about 4:04 a.m. Wednesday, emergency officials received a call of a fire at that address, said Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier.
Nothing was left of the large, brick home by Friday morning, as Sheriff’s Department investigators, ATF agents and agents with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation searched through the ashes. An arson dog was used to detect the presence of accelerants. As the ATF arson dog was led through the area where the front door used to be, it alerted to several areas where it detected a substance was possibly used to start a fire.
About a month ago Saucier said the department also received a report from Emma Raine, the current owner of the home, that a burglary had occurred at the home.
Officials attempted to contact Emma Raine about Wednesday’s fire and to get permission to search through the ashes and what was left of the structure for clues, but were unable to reach her. Saucier said the department had to secure a search warrant for investigators to conduct their investigation.
“We have secured a search warrant to recover evidence in reference to what we believe to be an arson,” Saucier said.
On Oct. 21, 2011, investigators with the Sheriff’s Department received a call that James Raine was found dead in the home. His body was discovered by his mother after Emma Raine called her to say she was unable to reach James Raine, her husband, on his cell phone. Emma Raine stated she was out of town at the time of James Raine’s death, according to a previous Item story.
Investigation into the cause of death determined James Raine died from multiple gun shots to the head, and that there were signs of forced entry, the story states.
Saucier said the department has not closed the case on James Raine’s death and investigators are still determining who may be suspects and are exhausting every resource to solve the crime.
Local News
Related Photos
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ACCELERANT CHECK — An ATF investigator used his arson dog to sniff out locations of possible accelerants used to start the fire. Here the investigator rewards the dog with a snack after it alerted to several spots where the front door used to be. Jeremy Pittari
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