Shivangi Sinha
In February 2019, Michael Holmes left his house in Camas, Washington. A few hours later, his family tried calling him but were unable to get in touch with him. What followed was an extensive search that lasted for months, ending with the discovery of Michael’s remains. The revelation came as a huge shock to his family, especially because the person responsible was someone they had never suspected. ID’s ‘Bodies in the Water: Blood in the River’ explores the details of the case and the police work that ultimately led to it being solved.
Michael Holmes’ Remains Were Found Months After an Official Search Began
On August 14, 1966, Doug and Eunice Holmes welcomed their firstborn son, Michael Chad Holmes, into their family. Growing up alongside his sisters, Wendee and Stacee, Michael enjoyed a happy and playful childhood in Camas, Washington. He attended Camas High School and graduated in 1984. After finishing school, Michael decided to remain in the community he had known since childhood. He went on to work as a journeyman meat cutter for Safeway and Costco and was content living the simple, easygoing life he had built for himself.
Along with his wife, Wendy Moore-Holmes, Michael raised their children: Heather, Michael, Lorena, Joshua, Faith, and Aidan. The large family also had a pet dog named Little, to whom Michael was very attached. On February 5, 2019, at around 3 pm, he left his home and never returned. The situation was particularly unusual because Little was about to give birth. When the family tried calling him to let him know the time had come, they were unable to reach him. An extensive search was launched immediately but came to a close on April 9, 2019, when Michael’s remains were recovered from the Washougal River at Hathaway Park. Investigators later determined that he had died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Michael Holmes’ Killer Sympathized With His Family During the Search
On February 5, 2019, when Michael Holmes left his home, he had been picked up by his neighbor, Randy Schmidt, in his GMC Yukon. Michael had told his family that the trip was related to some storage containers they were going to look at, but a few hours later, Randy returned alone. He told the family that he had dropped Michael off at the intersection of Riley and Blair Roads and that Michael had walked away. He even helped his kids in the search and called in the non-emergency number to report his neighbor missing. However, witnesses reported seeing Randy wearing different clothes and driving a different vehicle when he returned, which led investigators to question him. Randy maintained that he had parked the Yukon in Ridgefield and sold it a couple of days later.
Randy was never able to provide the names of the people he claimed to have sold the vehicle to, nor could he produce any receipts to support his story. His cellphone records also placed him in the area where he said he had parked the Yukon. In March 2019, detectives discovered a Yukon submerged in the Lewis River. Blood was found on the passenger seat, and DNA analysis later confirmed that it belonged to Michael. Investigators became increasingly interested in Randy and reviewed his past records, uncovering an incident from 2012 in which he had allegedly fired at an occupied vehicle on his property.
Reports also suggested that he had allegedly shot several storage containers belonging to Holmes in an effort to steal from them. After Michael’s remains were found, Randy was called in for questioning once again. This time, he changed his story and claimed that he and Michael had gotten into a fight inside the vehicle. According to Randy, a shotgun that was on the floor of the car accidentally discharged during the struggle. Investigators, however, were not convinced by his account, and he was soon arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Randy Schmidt is Being Held in a Prison in Washington Today
In August 2021, Randy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was subsequently sentenced to 18 years in prison, along with a deadly weapon enhancement. The 55-year-old is currently being held at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton, Washington. At his sentencing, he apologized to the family and said that he had ruined his life. According to reports, his family also cut all ties with him. Details regarding his parole eligibility or potential release date have not been made publicly available.
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