Investigators still searching for culprit in 2011 homicide

Published 7:00 am Saturday, November 5, 2016

Emma Raine, 52

Emma Raine, 52

The 2011 homicide of a Poplarville man remains unsolved after five years of investigation.

One suspect, Emma Raine, now 52, was sentenced in August, in relation to an unrelated case, to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of soliciting the murder of her second husband, Ernest Smith, in Orleans Parish, according to the Times-Picayune.

In a separate case, Raine’s third husband, James Raine, was found dead in his home on Oct. 21, 2011 with multiple gunshots to the head, according to previous coverage by the Picayune Item.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Fulfilling the request of James Raine’s family, Emma Raine was sentenced on the five-year anniversary of his death, according to coverage by the Times-Picayune.

James Raine’s body was discovered after Emma Raine called his mother to report she was out of town and could not reach him.

After his mother found James Raine’s body, The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations opened an investigation, discovering evidence of forced entry to the home, located at 24 Emma Lane, Poplarville, according to previous coverage.

An autopsy showed James Raine’s death was the result of homicide, Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier said at the time.

Emma Raine became a suspect because, “Strictly statistically speaking, most murders are committed by someone closest to the victim,” Chief Deputy Shane Tucker said recently.

The Sheriff’s Department and the MBI are still investigating multiple suspects, Tucker said.

Because the events occurred more than five years ago, the case is considered cold, but not closed, Tucker said.

Investigators are actively investigating and seeking any new information, he said.

Emma Raine was convicted for soliciting the murder of Smith on Aug. 12 of this year by Criminal District Judge Tracey Flemings-Daviller, according to the Times-Picayune.

The investigation into Smith’s death began in March 2012 after the death of James Raine, the Times-Picayune states.

In December 2014 Alfred Everette, 32, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of the second-degree murder of Smith.

About a year after James Raine’s death, their house at 24 Emma Lane burned to the ground, an incident later ruled as arson, according to previous coverage.

The house was destroyed in the fire, and an arson dog allegedly detected the presence of accelerants, previous coverage states.

Emma Raine’s first husband, Leroy Evans, also died under mysterious circumstances in 1994 after being fatally struck by a car, the Times-Picayune states.

The District Attorney hasn’t been presented with enough evidence to prosecute any suspect for the death of James Raine, Tucker said.

Emma Raine is currently being held at the Pearl River County jail for the U.S Marshalls.

About Julia Arenstam

Staff Writer

email author More by Julia