The trial is ongoing in the murder case of 20 year-old UTM nursing student Holly Bobo.
Bobo disappeared in April 2011 and with her remains were found in Decatur County in 2014 by two ginseng hunters. This case has been one of the most exhaustive and expensive investigations in the history of the state of Tennessee, as mentioned by defense attorney Jennifer Thompson.
Currently taking place in Savannah, the new trial includes testimony from Bobo’s mother and brother. According to The Tennessean, the trail began on a dramatic note when Karen Bobo, the mother, collapsed during her testimony. Bobo was quoted as saying, “I feel like I can’t breathe.” The defense attempted to call for a mistrial following her collapse but the motion was denied.
Zach Rye Adams, who is now 33, is the first of three men on trial. The other two men, John Dylan Adams and Jason Autry, were granted immunity from testifying.
Adams is charged with the kidnapping, rape and murder of Bobo. He faces the death penalty if found guilty of murder.
According to prosecutor Paul Hagerman, per The Tennessean, Zach Adams allegedly told his friend (Autry) that he, John Adams and Shayne Austin kidnapped, raped and murdered Bobo. Austin has since died. Defense attorney Thompson has mentioned the exhaustive and expensive nature of the case, as well as the other suspects brought up, who were not convicted.
Other information from CBS News mentions that blood collected from the carport of Bobo matches the slain woman. Her brother claims to have seen blood in the carport, which could indicate a sign of struggle.
Updated Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 at 9:00 p.m. :
According to CBS News, on Friday, Sept.22 Zach Adams, 33, was found guilty on all charges, which includes felony murder, two counts of kidnapping, and three counts of aggravated rape. Felony murder alone is enough to warrant the death penalty, but Adams was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Sept. 23.
Defense attorney Jennifer Thompson maintains that Adams is innocent. Adams was clearly upset about the verdict, according to Thompson. “He was really shaking his head. He was as white as a ghost.”
Also according to CBS News, Thompson claimed that other suspect Jason Autry “sold” a made up story to the government to avoid the death penalty.
Autry was one of a number of witnesses to testify in the case and did so on Thursday, Sept. 14 for leniency. His testimony revealed disturbing details about the woman’s death.
According to News 2 WKRN, Autry contacted Adams to buy drugs. Adams claimed to be busy then later called back saying that he needed help. He arrived to find Bobo’s body wrapped in a farm blanket and was asked by Adams to help bury the body. He agreed and they planned to bury the body though decided against this since they did not have a shovel or pickaxe. They then decided to “gut” her and dump her body in a part of the Tennessee River where the turtles would “eat her up.”
When they arrived at the river, the body moved and made a noise. Shocked, Adams shot her while Autry stood guard. Shortly after, the two left the scene and parted ways.
In a later meeting, Autry asked about what happened to the body and Adams said they disposed it around Kelly Ridge. He also asked Autry to murder his brother, Dylan, who had not slept since the murder and constantly spoke of it.
Autry agreed and took Dylan on a fishing trip to murder him, but did not when they were seen by an acquaintance of Dylan’s.
The day of her kidnapping Autry also alleged that Adams told him the three men went to the Bobo home to teach Bobo’s brother, Clint, how to manufacture meth. They instead encountered Holly yelling. The men then kidnapped and raped her in a nearby barn.
