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  • Holly Bobo Case: Charges Filed Without Physical Evidence

    Holly Bobo, a nursing student who disappeared four years ago when she was just 20 years old, has a family that wants answers. When her remains were found last September by a pair of hunters, three men were later arrested in connection with her murder, but despite nearly 500 pieces of evidence that just went through analysis, the state hasn’t linked the men to any of it. The wait has been hard on everyone.

    Holly’s family members haven’t said much since the arrests were made, but released a statement on a Facebook page dedicated to bringing her home safely last March.

    “In the recent days, it feels like everything has come against our hope and it seems that all our trust was shattered. We still have hope because of who our hope is in. Holly had that same hope and faith, because of Jesus Christ we will see her again. Jesus will provide us the strength and grace to see us through,” Holly Bobo’s family wrote.

    Zachary Adams and Jason Autry were taken into custody last year and charged with the kidnapping and murder of Holly Bobo; Zachary’s brother, John Dylan, was arrested for raping her. All three have pleaded not guilty, and their defense teams say they don’t understand why they have been held so long without being charged in connection with physical evidence.

    “I still have very little understanding of what he’s accused of doing. I have no physical evidence whatsoever linking him to the kidnapping and murder of Holly Bobo,” said Jennifer Thompson, who is Zach Adams’ attorney.

    Holly’s brother was one of the last people to see her alive after he witnessed her walking into the woods with a man wearing a camo jacket. Believing the man was her boyfriend, he wasn’t alarmed until she failed to return home. It would take years for the family to have any sense of closure.

    “The finding of her body was more of a relief than anything. They had already come to grips with the idea that she was dead,” said Sheriff Keith Byrd in an interview with ABC News.

    Several pieces of evidence have been sent to the FBI for analysis, and until they come back, the case will likely be held up. Judge Creed McGinley says he’s frustrated with the delay, but hasn’t set another court date in the Holly Bobo case.

    “I’ve run out of patience. This case is going to move,” McGinley said.

  • Holly Bobo: Remains Found and Identified

    Holly Bobo, a nursing student from rural Parsons, Tennessee, went missing back in 2011. Her brother was the last to see her–walking toward the woods with a man dressed in camouflage. He mistakenly believed the man was Holly’s boyfriend. She was never seen again.

    Human remains discovered on Sunday, not far from her hometown, have been confirmed as hers. She was just twenty years old when she disappeared.

    Holly Bobo’s remains were found on property that belongs to Zachary Rye Adams’ family. He was previously charged with kidnapping and murdering the young woman. He and a second man also charged in her disappearance–Jason Autry–have pleaded not guilty.

    Keith Byrd took over as sheriff of Decatur County, Tennessee just days before the remains of Holly Bobo were discovered. When first taking office, he pledged to bring her case to a close.

    “The finding of her body was more of a relief than anything,” Byrd said in an interview with ABC News. “They had already come to grips with the idea that she was dead.”

    The Huffington Post reports that two men found a skull on the aforementioned property. It is uncertain as to whether an entire body–or just the skull–was found. What matters, of course, is that Holly Bobo was identified, and now her family can finally make plans to lay her to rest.

    Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director Mark Gwyn said during a news conference that ‘the Bobo investigation has been the most expensive and exhaustive in TBI history, and is not over yet.’

    Holly Bobo’s family is expected to make a statement to the media some time on Tuesday.

  • Holly Bobo Gag Order Request Denied By Judge

    Earlier today it was reported that the prosecution in the Holly Bobo case was seeking to have a gag order issued.

    If granted, the gag order would ensure that anyone attached to the case could not discuss any relevant information. Persons who violated the gag order would have been held in contempt of court.

    The prosecution felt that suspect Jason Autry would not be able to obtain a fair trial should persons involved with the case discuss important details with the media.

    Circuit Court Judge Charles Creed McGinley said on Wednesday that he had no intention of issuing a gag order “at this time”.

    McGinley also stated that in the 26 years he has been a judge, he has not once issued such an order.

    The judge did issue a warning to Autry regarding “his right to remain silent”.

    The request for a gag order came following the airing of a WTVF NewsChannel 5 interview with the 39-year-old. During the exclusive interview, Autry discussed his connection to the other suspects in the case and how he knew the victim.

    The manner in which the interview was able to happen was also of concern. The prosecution claimed that Autry’s lawyer Fletcher Long used deception to grant a reporter and cameraman access to the videoconferencing system for the interview.

    Inmates in segregation are not permitted to do interviews. The video conferencing system used for the interview is reserved for attorneys needing to communicate with their clients.

    Autry is one of the persons charged in connection with Holly Bobo’s disappearance and murder. Bobo vanished on April 13, 2011 from her family’s home near Parsons, Tenn.

    Despite multiple men being detained for possibly being responsible for Bobo’s death, investigators say that her body has not been recovered.

    Autry and suspect Zachary Adams have both been charged with aggravated kidnapping and murder.

    Image via YouTube

  • Holly Bobo Case: Prosecution Wants Gag Order

    Prosecutors in the Holly Bobo case are requesting a gag order be placed on one of the suspects.

    According to the Tennessean, a gag order motion was filed in Decatur County Criminal Court in order to stop Jason Autry and anyone attached to the case from sharing details. The prosecution claims that this is a necessary step in order to assure a fair trial for the suspect.

    If this motion is granted, it would mean that anyone involved in the case that commented on relevant details such as evidence or documents could be held in contempt of court.

    On April 29th, Autry was indicted by a grand jury for the kidnapping and murder of Holly Bobo.

    A gag order was requested following an interview with the suspect that aired on WTVF NewsChannel 5.

    Autry revealed details such as his relationship with the victim and her family as well as his connection to other suspects.

    Nearly a week after this interview aired the prosecution has accused WTVF of violating the Tennessee Department of Correction policy after they interviewed Autry in a manner meant solely for the Davidson County attorneys attempting to communicate with their clients.

    Autry’s lawyer Fletcher Long had requested to use the videoconferencing system reserved for attorneys. Authorities were then told by Long that he would need a “private” cameraman in order to record the session with his client.

    The filing for the gag order said that Long used deception in order to get a reporter and cameraman from Channel 5 news into the view room to conduct an interview.

    The Tennessean reports that corrections officials contacted WTVF to inform them of the violation and asked them not to air the recorded interview.

    Autry is expected to appear in court on Wednesday as part of of a previously scheduled hearing.

    Image via YouTube

  • Holly Bobo Case: Judge Denies Ruling On Immunity Agreement

    On Tuesday, a chancery court judge said that she does not have the jurisdiction to preside over an immunity agreement dispute in the Holly Bobo case. The case will be moved from the Decatur County Chancery Court to the Decatur County Circuit Court.

    Holly Bobo was a 20-year-old woman who went missing in 2011. She was last seen by a relative who reported that a man was dragging Bobo toward a wooded area. Her body has not been seen since the incident.

    Two men have already been charged with kidnapping and murder, but the authorities are still looking for Bobo’s body.

    On March 6, the prosecution granted Shayne Austin, one of the suspects, an immunity agreement in exchange for aiding the investigators in finding the location of Bobo’s body. The agreement stated that it “agrees to grant him (Shayne Austin) immunity for all charges arising out of the disposal, destruction, burial and/or concealment of Holly Bobo’s Deaceased body, conditioned upon him assisting us in recovering the body of Holly Lynn Bobo.”

    However, the prosecutors revoked the immunity agreement, as they said Austin was not cooperative with them, which makes the deal null and void. With this, Austin can now be indicted.

    Jake Evans, Austin’s lawyer, countered the prosecution by filing a breach of contract lawsuit in order to prevent the indictment of his client. Although Austin has not yet been charged, the defense states that the prosecutors are violating his rights. The defense is demanding an explanation why the immunity deal was revoked.

    Shayne Austin appears in court

    No date has been set for the hearing at the circuit court.

    Outside the court, Austin was greeted with reporters asking for comments. He refused to answer questions and just said, “No comment.”

    Bobo’s family was also present in court. Bobo’s mother, Karen, said off camera that Holly’s rights should not be forgotten. “Justice for Holly and ignore this circus side show that these attorneys are having,” she said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Holly Bobo Suspect Zachary Adams Pleads “Not Guilty”

    The man suspected of the 2011 kidnapping and murder of Holly Bobo pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.

    Zachary Adams was arraigned on the charges related to Bobo’s death in a Decatur County, Tenn. courtroom in a hearing that lasted approximately five minutes. Attorney Jennifer Lynn Thompson entered the plea on behalf of Adams.

    When questioned about his role in the Bobo case, Adams told the Jackson Sun, “I’m not the one.”

    Despite his claims, prosecutors seem prepared to go forward with a case against Adams, whose connection to the victim remains shrouded in mystery. Many questions remain, especially the role that investigators feel that Adams has to the disappearance and death of Bobo.

    Nashville defense attorney David Raybin believes that the most likely explanation for the timing of charge is that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation likely found significant evidence. This would certainly explain sudden increase of activity in a case that had gone quite cold, despite the reluctance of investigators to come forward with what generated the turnaround in the case.

    Raybin suspects that a reason there has been no mention of a body despite the murder charge is that investigators believe that there is no way Bobo’s remains will ever be found.

    Said Raybin, “They may have concluded that…the case is not going to get any stronger. Witnesses die and evidence evaporates.” The lawyer shared that he believed the prosecution was faced with a “now or never” scenario.

    Ronda Philpott, a former student at the school where Bobo’s mother taught says that the community has largely accepted that the 20-year-old nursing student is probably deceased. Said Philpott, “The most important thing now is for her poor family to have some peace.”

    Prior to the recent movement in the case, Bobo’s family had held on to the narrow hope that Bobo was alive, but simply unable to come home.

    Should Adams be convicted for Bobo’s murder, the prosecution is considering asking for the death penalty.

    Image via YouTube

  • Holly Bobo: Suspect Pleads Not Guilty To Murder

    Holly Bobo, a young Tennessee nursing student who went missing in 2011, is believed to have been kidnapped and murdered, although investigators still have not said whether a body has been found or what the motive might have been for her abduction. 29-year old Zachary Adams was arraigned on Tuesday of aggravated kidnapping and first-degree murder, but has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

    Adams was also charged with the aggravated assault of another woman last week, but continues to deny involvement in Bobo’s disappearance. Bobo went missing in April of 2011 after her brother said he saw someone dressed in camouflage lead her into a wooded area. Although investigators have not said what Adams’ connection is to Bobo, they have conducted searches on his property in recent weeks and it is believed that officials were worried about losing any more time in a case that is growing colder by the day.

    “They may have concluded that they will never find a body and the case is not going to get any stronger,” Nashville attorney David Raybin said. “Witnesses die, and evidence evaporates. It could be that it was now or never.”

    Country singer Whitney Duncan, Bobo’s cousin, has been vocal about the disappearance since it happened and has used social media to spread the word. Duncan was present at Adams’ arraignment on Tuesday and has been sharing memories of her cousin on Twitter.

    The Bobo family released a statement this week, saying their hopes have been dashed but they will continue to try and find justice for Holly.

    “In the recent days, it seems like everything has come against our hope and it seems that all our trust was shattered. We still have hope because of who our hope is in. Holly had that same hope and faith, because of Jesus Christ we will see her again. Jesus will provide us the strength and grace to see us through.”

    Image via Twitter

  • Holly Bobo: Parents Still Have Many Questions

    Don Franks, pastor of the grieving family of Holly Bobo, has been by their side since the disappearance of the promising young nursing student almost three years ago.

    That time has been anything but easy and Franks has been there to witness the ups and downs of family life ever since tragedy struck the household.

    Franks told WKRN, “Every day is a difficult day and of course when I having things go on like we had go on, it’s a roller coaster for them. It really is”.

    Since their daughter was taken from her home in Parsons, Tenn., Holly’s parents have been left with many questions.

    The accusation made against Zachary Adams has been baffling to both family and the community, who’ve observed multiple search warrants executed in recent days.

    Adams had not been previously named as a suspect in Bobo’s disappearance and speaking on behalf of her family, Franks said that they were not aware of any connection between the missing nursing student and Adams.

    Adams’ property in Holladay, Tenn. was the site of a thorough search by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. It is located nearly 15 miles from where Bobo was taken.

    Though charges of murder and aggravated kidnapping have been filed against Adams in relation to Bobo’s death, the man already in custody.

    Adams is currently being held on a $1 million bond for aggravated assault and drug-related charges. He was arrested at the Benton County home of his girlfriend.

    It has been recently reported that he will be arraigned for the assault and drug charges on March 11th.

    Even though plenty of questions remain regarding Adams’ alleged role in Holly Bobo’s death and location where her body was found, Franks says that her parents are “very thankful for everything law enforcement is doing.”

    He commended the investigators on their “very hard and diligent” work.

    Though Holly Bobo’s parents must continue to wait for answers in the case, there is now a greater chance at arriving at a place of truth and finally understanding how and why their daughter disappeared.

    Image via YouTube

  • “Survivor” Engagement News: Country Singer To Wed

    “Survivor” contestant and country singer Whitney Duncan is all set to marry Keith Tollefson, whom she met on the show.

    Duncan was actually married when she appeared on the show, to KingBilly singer Donny Fallgatter; however, the two had allegedly kept their vows a secret, and when she met Tollefson and fell for him, it was the beginning of the end for her prior relationship. Their divorce was finalized at the end of 2011, freeing her up to marry Tollefson. The singer shared a picture of her engagement ring on Twitter recently and received well-wishes from fans and friends alike; she also spoke a bit about her relationship with Fallgatter.

    Duncan also acknowledged on Twitter the news that her cousin, Holly Bobo, has still not been found after reportedly being abducted by a man wearing camo; a witness said he saw her being led into the woods from her home in April of 2011 and the case is still open. Holly disappeared from Decatur County, Tennessee; a reward is being offered for her safe return. She is five foot, three inches tall and weighs 110 pounds, with blue eyes and shoulder-length blonde hair. She was last seen wearing a pink shirt, blue jeans and black flip flops.

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