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.”
Remains found of nursing student abducted from outside her home in 2011 –> http://t.co/4ypDcastzr pic.twitter.com/PMsTdTM23r
— wusa9 (@wusa9) September 9, 2014
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.