As the trial for the 2011 murder of 20-year-old Holly Bobo entered its seventh day Monday, prosecutors were expected to finish calling witnesses against Zach Adams. Adams, 33, was charged with the rape, murder and kidnapping of the young woman six years ago.
The state called a number of witnesses in the case, each revealing potentially crucial bits of information about the crime. After a little more than a week of testimony, here is everything we know about the case so far.
Bobo, a 20-year-old nursing student, went missing in 2011 in the woods near her family’s West Tennessee home.
Bobo’s brother, Clint, saw her entering the woods with a man dressed in camouflage. He initially thought the man was her boyfriend but alerted authorities when he found blood near the house.
The ensuing search for Bobo was the most expansive and costliest in Tennessee history. Despite the scope, it uncovered no trace of the young woman.
Bobo’s remains were not found for more than three years. In 2014, a ginseng hunter stumbled upon a skull in the woods. Authorities were able to use dental records to determine that the skull was Bobo’s.
Zach Adams was arrested in March 2014 and charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and first-degree felony murder. His brother, Dylan Adams, and a third man, Jason Autry, were also charged in the case. All three pleaded not guilty.
Five witnesses in the trial were granted some form of immunity at either the state or federal level. Autry was given federal immunity as well as a deal that said his sentence could be reduced if he testified against Adams, according to WHBQ.
The trial was delayed in July after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation uncovered the gun allegedly used to kill Bobo. The judge granted extra time for the gun to be analyzed.
Reports asserted there was no forensic evidence linking Adams to Bobo’s murder. Analysis of the gun produced no notable DNA results. Adams’ attorney said the state had been “very clear…that there is no DNA that links Holly Bobo to Zachary Adams.”
The trial for Adams began last week. Should he be convicted, he could face the death penalty.
In opening arguments last week, prosecutors asserted that Adams kidnapped Bobo from her home, drugged her, raped her and shot her before dumping her body. Adams asked Autry, who was his friend, to help dispose of the body, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors asserted that Adams boasted of the crime to his friend. “I couldn’t have picked a prettier b----,” Adams allegedly said to his friends. “It was fun.”
Photos shown during the trial revealed blood stains inside the Bobo’s garage in pictures taken the day she went missing. DNA testing previously determined the blood matched that of the young woman. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Lawrence James testified that the bloodstains indicated that Bobo struggled with someone inside the garage.
Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper Warren Rainey testified in court that he visited Adams a week and a half after Bobo’s disappearance and that Adams was visibly scared and shaking.
The man who found Bobo’s remains was called to the stand to describe finding her skull in the woods. Larry Stone was hunting ginseng at the time and initially thought the object was a bucket.
Other witnesses were called to describe finding Bobo’s belongings. John Graces recalled finding Bobo’s lunchbox in a creek, while Gerald Stephens remembered finding Bob’s pink underwear in the area where she vanished.
Autry was called to the stand Thursday, at which point he testified about helping Adams dispose of Bobo’s body. Autry said he initially went to Adams looking for drugs, but realized his friend wanted help getting rid of Bobo’s body.
Autry alleged that as he and Adams were transporting Bobo’s body inside a car wrapped in a sheet, they realized she was still alive. “I see a foot moving and I hear a sound of distress come out of the blanket,” he said. “At that time I walked to the door of the passenger side … and I told [Adams] ‘This f----- b---- is still alive. She’s heard my name called and me talking and all.’”
Autry said when Adams realized she was still alive, he pulled out a gun and shot her.
