Church accepting donations for Warren family killed in fire

Staff report

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Holmes

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Kimble

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Mari’Auna

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Marniece

WARREN

The AGAPE Assembly church will accept donations of cash and checks to help the family of fire victim Yolanda Holmes.

Donations can be given from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and Friday at the church, 426 Nevada Ave. SW.

Pastor George H. Johnson Sr. of AGAPE said he will accept the gifts on behalf of the family.

The money will be used to pay funeral expenses for Holmes and her two daughters, who were killed Saturday morning in a house fire at 160 Austin Ave. NW.

The money will also be used to replace the belongings of another daughter of Yolanda Holmes, Shajuanda Bruner, 19, who lived at 160 Austin but wasn’t home the night of the fire.

Killed were Holmes, 38, her boyfriend, Edtawn Kimble, 32, and two of Holmes’ daughters, Mari’Auna Holmes, 13, and Marniece Holmes, 9, who were students at the Warren City Schools’ Willard K-8 school.

All four were dead at the scene from the 3:21 a.m. fire, which investigators say started in the stove area of the kitchen.

“We’ve just lost everything,” Sheauntie Murry of Warren said at AGAPE on Wednesday.

Murry is godmother to Ranisha Bruner, one of Yolanda’s other daughters, and was Yolanda’s best friend, Murry said.

She decided to organize a way to get help for burial expenses and otherwise help Holmes’ three remaining daughters because people have asked how they could help, she said.

Calling hours for Holmes and her daughters will be from 10 a.m. until noon Monday at NorthMar Church, 3855 E. Market St., followed by funeral services at noon.

Kimble’s funeral was Wednesday, Murry said.