A Des Moines man accused of stabbing a woman to death two years ago has pleaded to a murder charge after twice telling a judge he was declining plea deals and wanted to proceed to trial.
Brantlee Rainey, now 25, was charged with first-degree murder in the November 2023 death of Alyssa Anne Maher, 20. Police went to a hotel after a report of a stabbing there and found Maher bleeding and unresponsive, and Rainey in the room with blood on his clothes and a pocket knife and cuts on his hands. One witness reportedly told police the Rainey and Maher had been dating.
Rainey, who was listed in court filings as homeless, has been in custody since Maher’s death and appears to have been deeply conflicted about taking a plea deal. In December, with Maher’s family in attendance, he appeared in court for what was supposed to be a plea change and sentencing hearing, only to tell the judge he wanted to go to trial…