Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘Justice for Holly Bobo’ of ABC’s ’20/20′ profiles the sudden disappearance and gruesome murder of Holly Bobo in 2011 while also covering all the intricate details of the investigation that followed. Although the investigation was led by the police, the victim’s parents also played their part along with hundreds of others who got involved in the search. Through the exclusive interviews with Holly’s loved ones, it was evident that her mother and father were the most affected out of the lot.
Karen and Dana Bobo Searched for Their Daughter Along With the Police
Karen and Dana gave birth to Holly Bobo on October 12, 1990, about five years after welcoming their first child, Clint Bobo. Being working parents, they handled parenthood quite well, providing a loving and caring household for their son and daughter. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Science degree in Administration and Supervision, Karen worked as a teacher/academic coach at Scotts Hill Elementary School at the time of their daughter’s sudden disappearance on April 13, 2011. On the fateful day, before leaving for work, Karen had packed Holly’s lunch.
Soon after reaching the school, she received a call from one of her neighbors, who told her about the situation at her residence. After calling 911, she was driven home by a friend of hers because she was very hysterical. Upon reaching her house, she discovered a pool of blood belonging to Holly in their garage, after which she ran to the woods where her son, Clint, had last seen her with a man. She screamed her daughter’s name, but unfortunately, she could not be found. According to Dana, before leaving for work, he did not see his daughter on the fateful morning. After a few hours, he received a call from a neighbor and his wife about the abduction of Holly.
Upon hearing the news, he left work and rushed to the house, where he found a crowd of about 50-100 people in the yard. As per his claims, after talking to three people, he took his handgun and began searching for Holly with his wife and son while the police inspected the crime scene. As the investigators indicted four suspects for the disappearance of Holly, Karen found out that a couple of them, Zach Adams and Jason Autry, were her former students in grade school. In September 2014, when Karen’s daughter’s partial remains were found, she and Dana were devastated.
Where Are Karen and Dana Bobo Now?
During the trial of one of the accused, Zach Adams, Karen Bobo was called to the stand for her testimony. But only a few minutes after she was asked to hold a few things that belonged to her daughter, at about 2:30 pm, she began feeling sick. She ended up passing out due to low blood pressure, resulting in the courtroom being cleared for half an hour or so. However, she returned to the stand to complete her testimony against the defendant. When the prosecution decided to grant Zach Adams life imprisonment and avoid the death sentence, Karen and Dana were in favor of it as they were keen on beginning the healing process.
However, the Bobos also claimed that none of the punishments would be enough. At the sentencing of one of the perpetrators, Zach, Karen was given the opportunity to address the court, including the defendant and the jury. Demanding him to face the mother of his victim, she stated, “I know that my daughter fought and fought hard for her life. I want you to look at me. I know that she begged for her life because my daughter loved and enjoyed her life, but you chose to take that from her, and you have shown absolutely no remorse for anything that you have done. Furthermore, she said, “This decision that was made this morning had absolutely nothing to do with that animal. It had to do with the future of our family.”
Although Dana Bobo did not speak much during or after the verdict, he gave a wide smile, showcasing his satisfaction and relief. According to Karen, the right people responsible for her daughter’s murder are in custody. In Holly’s remembrance, she wears the promise ring that Drew, Holly’s boyfriend, gifted her. After going through a heart-wrenching six years, the Bobo family started their healing process. From the looks of it, Karen and Dana still reside in Darden, Tennesee, where the former serves as a member of the Henderson County Board of Education.
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