Zach Adams Trial

Holly Lynn Bobo was an American woman who disappeared on April 13, 2011 from her family home in Darden, Tennessee. She was last seen alive by her brother shortly before 8 a.m. walking into the woods outside her home with a man wearing camouflage.

In September 2014, her remains were found in northern Decatur County, Tennessee, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Six men have been arrested for varying degrees of involvement in the crime. However, only three of the six men arrested have been prosecuted.

Zach Adams, Dylan Adams and Jason Autry are facing charges of especially aggravated kidnapping, first-degree murder and rape.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Charges against two of the men (Jeff and Mark Pearcy) were dropped and another named suspect (Shayne Austin) committed suicide without any charges being filed against him.

Most of the arrests were made on the basis of a confession by John Dylan Adams, who told police he saw his brother, Zach, and another friend, Jason Autry, with Holly at his brother’s home after her kidnapping.

It is unknown what led police to question Dylan about Bobo’s disappearance. He has since alleged that the confession was coerced.

All of the accused men deny involvement in the disappearance.

The Zach Adams trial is the first trial to be held in the Holly Bobo case.

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The search for Holly Bobo

Extensive searches of the area were conducted following her disappearance without result, except that a lunch box believed to be hers was found in a creek approximately eight miles from her home. A shoeprint that matches Croc’s brand footwear was found outside at Holly’s residence.

In September 2014, Bobo’s remains were found by hunters in a wooded area of northern Decatur County, Tennessee, nearly 20 miles (32 km) from Darden. The owner of the property said it was not uncommon for people to hunt there without permission.

One of the men who found the remains said he saw a large bucket in the woods, which he upturned. (Details of the contents have not been released but in an interview the man said he was disturbed by what he found.) He then spotted Bobo’s remains spread on the ground behind him.

The persons arrested

Zach Adams

The first arrest in the case was made in March 2014, prior to the discovery of the body.

Zach Adams was charged with first-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping after Adams’ brother, John Dylan Adams, told police that he witnessed Bobo alive with his brother at the home they share following her abduction.

An affidavit for a search warrant states that Dylan told authorities that on April 13, 2011, he went to Zach’s residence to get his truck. Dylan reportedly “observed Holly Lynn Bobo sitting in a green chair in the living room wearing a pink t-shirt, with Jason Wayne Autry standing just a few feet away.” He also told police Zach was “wearing camouflage shorts, black cut-off-sleeve t-shirt and a pair of green Crocs” shoes.

Dylan also reported that Zach told him “he had raped Bobo and videotaped it.” The alleged videotape has not been found.

Investigators also uncovered “a blond hair covered in dust from a bedroom closet” of Zach’s residence. 

Holly’s remains were found several months after the arrest of Zach Adams in a wooded area approximately 15 miles from Adams’ residence.

An additional charge of rape was added a year later in May 2015. It is unknown what led police to question Dylan about the Bobo case and he has since alleged that his statements were coerced.

Jason Autry

In April 2014, Zach Adams’ 39-year-old friend Jason Wayne Autry was also charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and first-degree murder on the basis of Dylan’s statement. Autry was also charged with rape a year later in May 2015. Aside from Dylan’s initial statements, no additional evidence has been released connecting Autry to the crime.

Shayne Austin

Shayne Kyle Austin, was initially offered immunity in exchange for information regarding the location of Bobo’s body. Phone records indicate that Austin was in contact with Adams several times on the day of Bobo’s abduction and police believed that Austin helped dispose of the body.

The agreement was withdrawn after Austin was unable or unwilling to lead them to the body and the district attorney released a statement that Austin “has not been completely truthful, forthcoming and cooperative as to any and all aspects of this investigation.”

In April, Austin’s attorney filed a complaint against the State asking for an immediate and permanent injunction preventing the state from charging Austin.

Austin was found deceased in February 2015 in Bartow, Florida of an apparent suicide. Austin’s attorney blamed the suicide on the continual threats of prosecution as well as the “witch hunt” style of investigation, where they relied on rumors instead of evidence.

His attorney insists he had nothing to do with the murder and cooperated fully with police.

Dylan Adams

In September 2014, Dylan Adams, Zach’s brother, was charged with tampering with evidence for allegedly disposing of evidence on April 13, 2011. Subsequently this charge was dropped.

He was then charged with rape based on a statement he made to police, where he allegedly admitted to raping Bobo.

In May 2015, Dylan Adams was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping and especially aggravated rape. 

Jeff and Mark Pearcy

In July 2014, Jeffrey Pearcy and his brother Mark Pearcy were arrested and charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with evidence.

They were arrested on the basis of allegations made by Jeffrey Pearcy’s former roommate Sandra King.

In the spring of 2014, Jeffrey and his two sons lived with Sandra King so his sons could finish school. King alleged that in May, Jeffrey showed her part of a video showing Adams assaulting Bobo, who is tied up and crying.

She told police that she only watched a small clip and did not see the sexual assault.

King made a recorded call to Jeffrey. She told him over the phone “That video of Holly, if it had been you, I would have watched it,'” to which he replied, “I know.” King alleges that Pearcy’s brother Mark shot the video.

Both brothers deny that a video existed and Jeff Pearcy denies knowing the other men who have been arrested for the crime.

Jeffrey claims that he was unable to hear Sandra during the phone conversation and that his ex-wife’s name is also Holly.

Police have analyzed over 20 phones, but have yet to find the video.

Charges against Mark Pearcy were subsequently dropped and the district attorney decided not to pursue the charges against Jeffrey Pearcy.