Shivangi Sinha
In April 2013, 20-year-old Holly Bobo was abducted from her home in Darden, Tennessee. Her brother, Clint, was present at the time and saw Holly walking away with someone he assumed was her boyfriend. In 2014, Holly’s remains were discovered, and by then, the police had arrested four individuals, including Zach Adams, a resident of the town. ABC’s ’20/20′ episode titled ‘Justice for Holly Bobo’ thoroughly investigates the questions and issues that have arisen since Zach’s indictment.
Zach Adams Was Arrested on the Basis of His Friend’s Testimony
When Holly Bobo disappeared on the morning of April 13, 2011, the police had very few leads. They initially suspected Terry Britt, a registered sex offender living in the area, but he couldn’t be physically linked to Holly’s abduction and suspected murder. Months later, an anonymous tip led the police to suspect four men: Zachary Rye Adams, Jason Autry, Dylan Adams, and Shane Austin, all from the Darden, Tennessee region. Holly’s mother recalled having taught Zach when he was in school. He had experienced a rough patch in his life, falling victim to drug abuse and dependency.
The police questioned Dylan, who had intellectual disabilities, and he confessed that on the day Holly disappeared, he saw Zach wearing camouflage clothing, matching the description provided by Holly’s brother Clint. Dylan admitted that Zach, along with two other friends, Jason Autry and Shane Austin, had assaulted and killed Holly. Subsequently, all three were arrested on multiple charges, including kidnapping and murder.
A search warrant was executed at Zach’s house, but the videotape of the search has never been found. A grand jury indicted him on charges of aggravated kidnapping and first-degree murder, and he pleaded not guilty. In September 2014, Holly’s remains were discovered, and her cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to her head. The other two friends had also been in prison, and the police recorded several calls between Zach and Shane on the morning Holly disappeared. It was suspected that Shane had assisted Zach in disposing of the body, but before it could be investigated any further, in February 2015, the former had committed suicide.
Zach Adams is in Prison Till Today
Zach Adams’ case went to trial in September 2017. By this time, Dylan Adams had recanted his earlier statement, claiming that the police coerced it. However, another accused, Jason Autry, made a plea deal in exchange for testifying against Zach. Autry testified that on the morning Holly Bobo disappeared, Zach called him asking for help in the woods. Allegedly, when Autry arrived, he saw him with Holly’s body wrapped in a blanket. They planned to dispose of it near a river but discovered that Holly was still alive.
During the trial, Autry testified that he witnessed Zach shoot Holly. To avoid attracting attention with the gunshot, they loaded the body into a truck. He then dropped Autry off, informing him that he had disposed of the body in the woods. Additionally, a neighbor reported seeing a white truck outside Holly’s house, which matched the description of his truck. The location where Holly’s remains were found was also near Zach’s residence. Despite the defense team’s denial of the allegations and the lack of physical evidence linking him to the crime, the jury found him guilty.
Zach, convicted in the Holly Bobo case, reached an agreement with prosecutors just before his sentencing hearing. As a result of this agreement, he received a life sentence for first-degree murder, thereby avoiding the death penalty. Additionally, he received consecutive 25-year sentences for the kidnapping and rape convictions. Despite his initial attempts to seek a new trial, his petition was denied in 2022.
However, recent developments emerged in January 2024, when Autry, a key witness, recanted his previous statement, denying any knowledge of Holly’s fate and asserting that his prior testimony was false. Currently serving his sentence at the Morgan County Corrections Department, 39-year-old Zach is now pursuing avenues to appeal for a new trial. Otherwise, he will stay imprisoned for the rest of his life.
Read More: Holly Bobo’s Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?
