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Newaygo County Man Died After Being Stabbed Once Through the Heart

Posted at 2:23 PM, May 09, 2014
and last updated 2014-05-09 14:36:08-04
charles franklin rainey2

Charles Rainey III, Sand Lake, Mich.

WHITE CLOUD, Mich. (May 9, 2014) — An autopsy performed on a Newaygo County man shows he was stabbed one time through the heart with a kitchen knife when he was killed this week in his Ensley Township home, said a court magistrate.

Charles Rainey III, 28, died Monday night in the home he shared with his girlfriend, Tricia Hill and best friend, Charles Anderson.

Hill was arrested Thursday and charged with second-degree murder after she admitted to investigators and to FOX 17 that she stabbed Rainey out of self defense.  She is being held on a $250,000 bond and will be back in court May 15.

The roommate who was home at the time of the killing spoke to FOX 17 News Thursday evening.  Anderson said he didn’t see what happened and that the day began by doing a cold water challenge with his roommates.

“It was just a really good day and I don’t really remember what happened,” Anderson said. “I just don’t understand why anything could’ve led up to what happened. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Tricia Hill

Tricia Hill, arrested Thursday, May 8, 2014.

Anderson said he went to sleep later that evening. When he woke up he learned his best friend was killed.

Anderson lived with the couple for two weeks in their Ensley Township home. But, said he also lived with them prior to that for about two years before the couple moved to Tennessee.

“I waited a year and a half for him to get back and talked to him every day,”Anderson said. “He said things here and there about his relationship not being the greatest and family finally got back up here [Michigan] and I only moved in two weeks ago and then now he’s gone.”

Anderson said he’s witnessed violent outbursts from Hill and that he worried something bad would happen to his friend.

“She’s scared me a few times and I have seen her be violent a few times,” Anderson said. “I was scared for his [Rainey’s] life honestly for a while. I was just scared. I didn’t’ know what could happen to him if nobody was there to help him.  You know…she scares me.”

Rainey’s funeral is scheduled for Monday.