What Happened to Holly Bobo?: Fourteen Days

Summary

20/20: What Happened to Holly Bobo? – Fourteen Days

Release Date: June 4, 2025
Host: Debra Roberts, ABC News Senior National Correspondent Eva Pilgrim

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of 20/20, titled "What Happened to Holly Bobo?: Fourteen Days," Debra Roberts delves deep into the harrowing true crime case of Holly Bobo. Released over a span of fourteen days, the episode meticulously chronicles the investigation, trial, and aftermath of Holly's tragic disappearance and murder.

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Background of the Case

The episode opens in January 2017, with defense attorney Jennifer Thompson preparing for the trial of her client, Zach Adams. The focus is on the chilling confession of Zach's brother, Dylan Adams, which became a pivotal breakthrough for prosecutors. Dylan admitted that the group known as "the A Train" was involved in Holly Bobo's kidnapping, rape, and murder. The main defendants in the case included Zach Adams, Dylan Adams, and Jason Autry, with Shane Austin having died by suicide in 2015.

Key Quote:

Jennifer Thompson [02:06]: "Jason has been talking to prosecutors and that he's going to be testifying against Zach at trial."

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The Trial Commences

On September 9, 2017, Zach Adams' trial begins at the Hardin County Courthouse after the jury could not be impaneled in Decatur County due to potential biases from the local community. The courthouse, described as a stately southern building with ornate interiors, sets the stage for the intense proceedings.

Key Quote:

Debra Roberts [04:02]: "The courtroom did not have air conditioning and as it got hotter and hotter, people were sweating and fanning themselves, trying to cool off."

Zach Adams pleads guilty to all charges, a surprising move that sets the tone for the trial. The prosecution, led by Paul Hagerman, delivers an emotional opening statement emphasizing the brutal nature of the crime and outlining the prosecution's case against Zach.

Key Quote:

Paul Hagerman [06:40]: "He took her. He raped her. He killed her."

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Prosecution’s Case and Witness Testimonies

The prosecution presents a series of witnesses, including Dana, Karen, and Clint Bobo, Holly's family members. Karen Bobo's emotional testimony about the morning Holly disappeared adds a personal and heartbreaking dimension to the case. However, her testimony is interrupted when she suffers a panic attack, raising concerns about the trial's emotional toll.

Key Quote:

Karen Bobo [13:25]: (Unable to speak clearly) "Is that her lunch?"

Clint Bobo provides a detailed account of the kidnapping, describing the physical appearance and actions of the perpetrator. The prosecution introduces forensic evidence, including the murder weapon, a .32 caliber revolver, and phone data analysis to establish Zach's involvement.

Key Quote:

Jason Autry [22:00]: "Cooking meth I pulled into the driveway, I got out. Dylan was standing in the doorway with his shirt off."

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Defense’s Strategy and Cross-Examination

Jennifer Thompson, Zach's defense attorney, counters the prosecution's narrative by highlighting the lack of physical evidence directly linking Zach to the crime. She underscores the exhaustive nature of the investigation, which initially led to multiple suspects, including Terry Britt—a convicted sex offender who was ultimately cleared.

During the cross-examination of Jason Autry, the defense challenges his credibility by pointing out inconsistencies in his statements and suggesting potential motives for his cooperation with prosecutors.

Key Quote:

Jennifer Thompson [26:28]: "You said, no, sir, Right hand before God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I did not bother that girl in any form or fashion. Didn't you?"

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Key Witness: Jason Autry’s Testimony

Jason Autry takes the stand and provides a dramatic and detailed account of the events on the morning of Holly's disappearance. He describes witnessing Zach Adams kill Holly and their subsequent actions to conceal the crime. His testimony is pivotal, painting a vivid picture of the crime and implicating Zach directly.

Key Quote:

Jason Autry [23:06]: "Yes, I was."

Key Quote:

Jason Autry [25:06]: "Boom. The gun sound, gun went off and it sound like boom, boom, boom."

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Jury Deliberation and Verdict

After fourteen intense days of testimony, including multiple law enforcement witnesses and forensic experts, the jury deliberates for eleven hours over two days. The verdict is delivered incrementally, culminating in Zach Adams being found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder.

Key Quote:

Siegfried McGinley [35:23]: "You checked guilty of first degree premeditated murder of Pollyanne Bobo. Is that correct, sir?"

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Sentencing and Aftermath

Instead of imposing the death penalty, a sentencing agreement is reached, resulting in Zach receiving life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 50 years. Karen Bobo delivers a powerful victim impact statement, expressing the enduring pain and loss experienced by her family.

Key Quote:

Karen Bobo [38:55]: "You chose to take that from her. And you have shown absolutely no remorse for anything that you have done."

Following the trial, Zach's younger brother, Dylan Adams, pleads guilty to facilitating murder and aggravated kidnapping, receiving a 35-year sentence. Jason Autry later pleads guilty to solicitation to commit murder and facilitation of aggravated kidnapping, leading to his release with credit for time served.

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Revelations and Continuing Mysteries

In 2024, the case resurfaces when Jason Autry is arrested on federal firearms charges. While awaiting sentencing, he recants his previous testimony, claiming innocence and asserting that Zach Adams did not kill Holly Bobo.

Key Quote:

Jason Autry [42:57]: "That's the worst that I've ever felt in my life coming back knowing that you just lied and put an innocent man in prison."

This shocking development reignites questions about the case, suggesting that the true truth may still be unresolved.

Key Quote:

Zach Adams [43:17]: "Absolutely not."

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Conclusion

"What Happened to Holly Bobo?: Fourteen Days" offers a comprehensive and emotionally charged exploration of a complex true crime case. Through meticulous reporting and compelling testimonies, the episode sheds light on the pursuit of justice, the fragility of truth, and the enduring impact of Holly Bobo's tragic loss on her family and the community.

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Production Credits

• Host: Eva Pilgrim
• Producers: Camille Peterson, Julia Nutter, Kiara Powell, Norah Hannah, Meg Fierron
• Supervising Producer: Susie Lu
• Music and Mixing: Evan Viola
• Additional Acknowledgments: Liz Alessi, Janice Johnston, Michelle Margulaz, Sean Dooley, Christina Corbin, Kieran McGurl, Andrew Paparella, Emma Pisha
• Director of Podcast Programming: Josh Cohan
• Executive Producer: Laura Mayer

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This episode is a production of ABC Audio and is part of the official 20/20 After Show, the True Crime Vault, and ABC's spotlight of true crime originals.

Transcript

[Debra Roberts]

Hi, I'm Debra Roberts here with another weekly episode of what Happened to Holly Bobo? Remember, you can get new episodes early if you follow what Happened to Holly Bobo on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast app. Now here's the episode.

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[Jennifer Thompson]

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[Debra Roberts]

Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee full [e-mail] In January 2017, defense attorney Jennifer Thompson was preparing for the trial of her client Zach Adams. She was pouring over the hundreds of pages of material in the Holly Bobo case file and grappling confession of Zach's brother Dylan. Dylan's confession had been a big breakthrough for prosecutors. Here was Zach's own brother saying that the four men who made up what law enforcement called the a train each played a role in Holly Bobo's kidnapping, rape and murder. Zach and Dylan Adams and Jason Autry had been indicted in the case. Shane Austin died by suicide in 2015 and was never charged. Each of the three men who were charged would be tried separately. Zach Adams had pleaded not guilty and was going to be the first to stand trial. If Zach was convicted, he could face the death penalty. While Jennifer Thompson was deep in her preparation for the highly publicized case, she got a call from Jason Autry's attorney. ABC News spoke to her about it in 2024 and he informs us that.

[Jennifer Thompson]

Jason has been talking to prosecutors and that he's going to be testifying against Zach at trial.

[Debra Roberts]

After nearly six years of denying he had anything to do with Holly's kidnapping and murder, Jason Autry had completely changed his story. It was a shocking reversal. And now Jennifer Thompson had to figure out how to handle Jason Autry's testimony. She had about eight months to do that. To go back through those hundreds and hundreds of pages in the case file and review them again. Thinking about Jason Autry's new version of events.

[Jennifer Thompson]

I needed more time to prepare in this case. I never felt that I was ready, especially after Jason Autry had changed his whole story.

[Debra Roberts]

On September 9, 2017, Zach Adams trial began. In this episode, I'm going to take you into the courtroom where almost six years after Holly's abduction, the Holly Bobo case was about to enter its next chapter. I'm ABC News senior national correspondent Eva Pilgrim. From ABC Audio and 20 20, this is what happened to Holly Boy. Episode 514 days after Holly Bobo disappeared on April 13, 2011, Decatur county became the center of a national story. But in September 2017, the jury did not file into the Decatur County Courthouse.

[Siegfried McGinley]

Circuit Court, hardin County penal seas nine session pursuant to adjournment, the Honorable Siegfried McGinley presiding.

[Debra Roberts]

Instead, they took their seats in the courthouse of Hardin county, about an hour south. The courthouse is a stately southern building. It's brick with four big white columns framing its entrance. Inside the courtroom, there's ornate wood paneling and rows of chandeliers that have such a warm glow they almost look like candlelight. The judge explained why everyone was gathered in Hardin County.

[Siegfried McGinley]

It would be extremely difficult and I thought, impossible to draw the jury from Decatur County.

[Debra Roberts]

People in Decatur county had followed the ins and outs of the search and the investigation. Many had even participated in the search or shared leads with authorities. And people knew the Bobo family. They knew Zach Adams. They just knew too much for the judge to believe they could be impartial. Once the jury was seated, the judge had a prosecutor read through the long indictment against Zach Adams, with charges of kidnapping, rape and first degree murder. Zach sat next to his attorney, listening. He had gained weight since his arrest, and his once thin, almost gaunt face looked much fuller. His dark hair had streaks of gray in it and was parted neatly to the side. He was wearing a gray suit and a blue tie. It didn't fit him very well because, well, it wasn't his suit. His defense attorney, Jennifer Thompson, found out he didn't have any formal clothes to wear to the trial, so she lent him her husband's suit. When the prosecutor was done reading the indictment, the judge turned to Zack and asked how he was pleading. Zach stood up and said one of the only things he would say during the entire trial. I'm guilty of all charges.

[Siegfried McGinley]

All right.

[Debra Roberts]

And from there, the judge ordered the trial, a trial that the community had waited years for to begin. The prosecution gave their opening statement. First, Paul Hagerman spoke in a very soft, quiet voice, almost a whisper, and kept his message simple.

[Paul Hagerman]

He took her, he raped her, he.

[Debra Roberts]

Killed her.

[Paul Hagerman]

He discarded her, recovered her. Yeah, he bragged about it, and he almost got away with it.

[Debra Roberts]

Hagerman kept repeating those three sentences about what Zach was accused of. It became almost like a Chant a steady drumbeat, driving home just how horrific the case was.

[Paul Hagerman]

He took her. He raped her.

[Debra Roberts]

Killed. Hagerman emphasized the contrast between Holly, safe in the home she grew up in, and Zach, who Hagerman said lived in the world of meth, then morphine, and.

[Paul Hagerman]

The dark, dark things that went along with it. That was his life.

[Debra Roberts]

And then Hagerman outlined how the twists and turns of the investigation brought everyone to the courtroom hearing a case against Zach Adams. He mentioned how investigators looked into convicted sex offender Terry Britt and cleared him when they did not find evidence tying him to Holly's kidnapping, rape, and murder. Hagerman explained that investigators then circled back to four names that had been early leads in the investigation. Zach Adams, Dylan Adams, Shane Austin, and Jason Autry. Hagerman teased the account of their star witness, Jason Autry.

[Paul Hagerman]

When Jason got there, there's Shane, Zach, and Dylan.

[Debra Roberts]

And then trying to explain why there was no physical evidence that Zach Adams had murdered Holly.

[Paul Hagerman]

He had a year and a half, two year head start. You can understand why he was so confident that he'd never get caught. No DNA didn't leave fingerprints behind. Crime scenes long, long, long, long gone. He scattered evidence. The destroyed evidence. But we hear now.

[Debra Roberts]

After Hagerman's opening statement, he sat down. Zach's lawyer, Jennifer Thompson, got up and walked across the courtroom to the jury box. If Hagerman leaned into the dramatic, emotional details of the case, Thompson tried to give the jury more context. So members of the jury, she described how sprawling the investigation into Holly's death was and how much information there was to sort through.

[Jennifer Thompson]

It's almost just like trying to drink from a fire hydrant, all the information they got.

[Debra Roberts]

Thompson talked about how many people were interviewed by investigators in the case and ticked through some of the people they focused on as potential suspects. She said this was the most expensive and exhaustive investigation in the history of the state of Tennessee. But that heading into 2013, investigators didn't have anybody they could point to as the culprit.

[Jennifer Thompson]

They had nothing. They had a great big goose egg. They paid all this money, and they had absolutely nothing to show for it. And the citizens of Decatur county, the family of Holly Bobo and the public at large all wanted answers to how such a crime could happen, how the police could be involved right away. And still, after all the resources and all the information they had, they could have absolutely nobody charged by that point.

[Debra Roberts]

Thompson also said prosecutors had a terrible problem. They did not have physical evidence tying Zach Adams to Holly Bobo. Investigators had searched Zach's house and the nearby house of his grandpa, Dick Adams.

[Jennifer Thompson]

They went through Zach Adams house, and they took over 500 items out of that house. They took all the material off of all the mattresses. They took giant chunks of carpeting out of that house. They took whole pieces of furniture. Upholstered chairs, leather couches, all kinds of ottomans and pillows and blankets and shelving. They cut a hole in the floor that's as big as a car. They searched through Dick Adams house. They seized four cars from the Addams family and went through all the cars after they finished going through that whole house. There is no DNA that matches Holly to the house. There are no fingerprints that match Holly to the house or to the cars. There's no hair from Holly that matches Holly to Mr. Adams house.

[Debra Roberts]

She closed with a straightforward declaration.

[Jennifer Thompson]

All the evidence will show that Zach Adams is not guilty.

[Debra Roberts]

After opening statements, the prosecution called their first witnesses, Dana, Karen, and Clint Bobo. Karen Bobo's testimony encapsulated all the emotions that had built up for years around the case. Prosecutor boy Jennifer Nichols asked Karen about the details of the morning Holly disappeared, like what Holly was wearing and their last interactions. And then she had Karen unzip Holly's lunch bag, the one that had been found during the search.

[Jennifer Thompson]

Is that her lunch?

[Karen Bobo]

Yes, ma' am.

[Debra Roberts]

Next, the prosecutor had Karen identifying Holly's purse, her keys, her wallet. Karen sounded like she was holding back tears, and eventually she turned to the judge and said.

[Siegfried McGinley]

Let'S take a look at this. I want everyone to remain with me while the jury files out, please.

[Debra Roberts]

Everyone in the courtroom star stood up to see what was going on. The judge stood up, too, to maintain order. Karen had fallen to the floor. She was sobbing and had trouble catching her breath.

[Siegfried McGinley]

You go ahead and file out.

[Debra Roberts]

Come here.

[Siegfried McGinley]

Get some lights. Lights. Clark, please watch yourself.

[Debra Roberts]

Come here, Karen. Come here, baby.

[Siegfried McGinley]

Everyone else remain with me, please.

[Debra Roberts]

The judge said Karen suffered a panic attack that required medical attention. The defense was worried that Karen's distress would make it impossible for the jury to listen to her testimony objectively and asked for a new jury to be called. The judge did not agree. Once Karen had recovered, he asked the jury to come back in and ordered the trial to continue. After Karen Bobo's testimony, Clint Bobo was called to testify. He gave the account that had been so central to the investigation, describing what he had heard and seen as Holly was kidnapped and what the man who took her looked like and sounded like. 5, 10, 200 pounds, dark hair, gravelly voice. In the next couple of days, the prosecution called a range of other witnesses. A forensic pathologist testified that Holly was shot in the back of the head, likely at close range and likely by a.32 caliber bullet. The defense challenged this by asking the pathologist about some unknown variables in his analysis, like how far away the person who shot Holly was from her and whether the bullet fractured before hitting her in response. The pathologist said it was true that because of those factors, he could not know for certain the size of the bullet that killed Holly. Zach's ex girlfriend also took the stand. She had previously verified Zach's alibi, telling authorities that she was at his house the morning of Holly's kidnapping and he was sleeping. But she testified that she wasn't sure why what he did that morning. She also testified that when she saw him the next day, he had scratches on his neck that she hadn't seen before. She said she did not ask Zach about them. When defense attorney Jennifer Thompson cross examined her, she asked whether her statements in the case had changed over time. Zach's ex girlfriend said yes and later admitted that she had previously told investigators she believed the scratches on Zach were from being chased by a police officer through the woods in an unrelated incident. Overall, a total of nine witnesses, including Zach's ex girlfriend, testified that over the years, Zach, often while on drugs or in jail, made incriminating statements. By the prosecutor's count, at least 10 were shared in court. They include statements like, I couldn't have picked a prettier. It sure was fun. If he doesn't keep his mouth shut, I'm going to plant him next to that and I'll kill you like I did Holly Bobo. One person testified that Zach asked if God would ever forgive him. The first few days of the trial were all building towards the testimony of Jason Autry. He was about to take the stand and share what he claimed was an eyewitness account of Holly's murder. Hello, it's Robin Roberts here. Hey, guys, it's George Stephanopoulos here. Hey, everybody, it's Michael Strahan here. Wake up with Good Morning America.

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[Debra Roberts]

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[Jennifer Thompson]

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[Debra Roberts]

Jason Autry entered the Hardin county courthouse wearing a white prison jumpsuit. He was now 44 and had gray hair, a gray beard and reading glasses with him. He was charged with the murder, kidnapping and rape of Holly Bobo. Jason's time on the stand would go on for nearly six weeks hours. The weather had been warm during the whole trial, but on that particular day it was hot. The high reached the mid-80s. The courtroom did not have air conditioning and as it got hotter and hotter, people were sweating and fanning themselves, trying to cool off. Most of Jason's testimony detailed everything he says he witnessed. On April 13, 2011, prosecutor Jennifer Nichols put Jason on the stand. Zach's defense attorney, Jennifer Thompson, cross examined him. Jason said the morning of April 13th he wanted to buy morphine, so he called Shane Austin and Zach Adams. After 8am Zach called him back and said he needed Jason's help. He told Jason to meet him at Shane Austin's house. Jason said he assumed Zach needed help.

[Jason Autry]

Cooking, meth I pulled into the driveway, I got out. Dylan was standing in the doorway with his shirt off. Shane was walking around saying, y' all need to hurry up and get the goddamn hell out of here and host it on his ship was a firearm.

[Debra Roberts]

Jason said he bought a morphine pill, got high, and then Zach told him.

[Jason Autry]

And he said, I need you to help me bury this body.

[Debra Roberts]

Jason said Zach told him it was Holly Bobo's body.

[Jason Autry]

The body was laying in a multicolored farm style blanket. It looked like multiple colors wrapped in the blanket, laying up against the back.

[Debra Roberts]

From the moment you figured out that he wanted help with Holly versus help with the batch of meth, were you willing?

[Jason Autry]

Yes, I was.

[Debra Roberts]

Jason testified that Zach drove the two of them to a spot under a bridge on the Tennessee river not far from a boat marina and backed his truck up to a pile of rocks. Jason said he and Zach then took Holly's body out of the car and put her on the rock pile.

[Siegfried McGinley]

I see a foot move, a movement.

[Jason Autry]

And a sound of distress come from the blanket. At that time, I walked and the passenger side door of the pickup and Mr. Adams was digging in a fanny pack. I told him, I said, this still alive.

[Debra Roberts]

Jason spoke slowly, but he moved a lot on the stand. He made big hand gestures and even tried to act out the scenes he was describing. The courtroom was captivated.

[Jason Autry]

I walked to the front of the truck and I told Zach, I said, she's heard my name called and heard me talking and all at that time, he wheels around, walks back to the driver's side pickup. Out of the floorboard of pickup, he pulls a pistol, the same pistol that was hosted on Mr. Austin's side. And I said, whoa.

[Debra Roberts]

Jason said he went to serve as lookout so Zach could shoot her.

[Jason Autry]

And I told him there was nothing coming close as clear or something to that. To that effect. And at that time.

[Karen Bobo]

Boom.

[Jason Autry]

The gun sound, gun went out and it sound like boom, boom, boom. Underneath that bridge. It was just one shot, but it echoed underneath that bridge all the way down that damn river bottom. And when that gun went off, birds went everywhere, just all up under that bridge.

[Debra Roberts]

Jason testified it was silent at first, but then they heard a boat coming down the river, panicked and put Holly back in the car. Jason said Zach dropped him off at his car and then the two didn't meet again until the afternoon. He said Zach later told him that he, his brother and Shane Austin had kidnapped and raped Holly and that Zach had disposed of her body. Jason Autry's hours on the stand were full of colorful, shocking details. When Jennifer Thompson cross examined Jason, she questioned his credibility. She asked him about his past statements, denying he had anything to do with Holly's kidnapping and murder.

[Jennifer Thompson]

You said, no, sir, Right hand before God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I did not bother that girl in no form or no fashion. Didn't you?

[Jason Autry]

And that's a fact.

[Jennifer Thompson]

And you were asked, do you know who did? You said, no, sir, that's a lie. But didn't you say that.

[Jason Autry]

That's correct.

[Debra Roberts]

Thompson pointed out that at the time Autry says the murder happened, he was on phone calls with his girlfriend and also his mother.

[Jennifer Thompson]

In the middle of all this, you were able to take a telephone call from your mother, Shirley King, that morning at 9:42, weren't you?

[Jason Autry]

If your records reflect that, that's true.

[Debra Roberts]

Thompson also asked Jason if he was benefiting from testifying, possibly getting a reduction in his sentence for a federal gun charge.

[Jennifer Thompson]

Are you familiar with the fact that if you testify in a beneficial way to the state, that they could make a request that your federal sentence be reduced?

[Jason Autry]

I don't know. You'd have to ask my attorney that.

[Jennifer Thompson]

So you're testifying here today. You're telling the jury today that you have absolutely no knowledge that what you do here might affect the federal Senate, that you have to serve of 100 months.

[Jason Autry]

I have immunity with the federal government. Other than that, there's no deal, plain and simple.

[Jennifer Thompson]

Right, but there's a potential deal. It remains out there.

[Jason Autry]

You're saying that, not me.

[Debra Roberts]

She also emphasized that if Zach was guilty, Jason was not some innocent bystander.

[Jennifer Thompson]

When you thought that she had heard your name, you knew Zach Adams, according to your story, was getting ready to shoot her. You never said, stop, don't do it, did you?

[Jason Autry]

That's correct.

[Jennifer Thompson]

You said, wait a minute, let me make sure nobody's coming.

[Jason Autry]

That's correct.

[Jennifer Thompson]

So you did something to help him kill her, according to your story, didn't you?

[Jason Autry]

I did. And I have lots of remorse over that.

[Debra Roberts]

Jason's time on the stand went into the evening hours. And when the cross examination was over, the the judge dismissed everyone for the day. The prosecution's star witness had spoken, but there were still many days of testimony left. Key pieces of the investigation came up and key names testified to try to answer a big question in the case. Prosecutors showed the jury the alleged murder weapon, a.32 caliber revolver that witnesses claimed was owned by Zach Adams friend Shane Austin. It was recovered in a drainage ditch just months before the trial. The prosecution and Defense each called a cell phone expert to explain what the troves of phone data did and did not show. Both experts agreed that Adams and the other suspects phones did not hit cell towers near the Bobo home at the time Holly was taken. The prosecution expert said it was possible Holly and Zach Adams phones were in the same general locations later that morning. But the defense expert disagreed. The prosecution also called to the stand convicted sex offender Terry Britt, who was in prison for kidnapping and attempted rape. Prosecutor Jennifer Nichols tried once and for all to show he was not the man behind Holly's kidnapping and murder. Remember, Terry Britt said he had an alibi and the investigation into him did not find evidence linking him to Holly. Did you kidnap, rape, murder Holly Bobo? No, I didn't. I didn't know a girl. Never seen her in my life, that I know of. Terry Britt was asked about the thorough investigation into his life, including the wiretapping of his home, and how former TBI agent Terry Dicus wanted to pursue him as a suspect. His testimony got quite heated. But Dykers was so fixated on me, I guess he. I don't know. Do you know whether Dycus is still a TBA agent? No. He's lost his job. I wish he'd get on food. I wish he'd get on food stamps.

[Jennifer Thompson]

I object, you, Honor. To me saying he lost his job.

[Paul Hagerman]

That's not.

[Debra Roberts]

He almost destroyed my life. Terry Britt left the stand not a free man, but never charged in the Holly Bobo case. There are always lots of law enforcement witnesses during a criminal trial. But there was something unusual about this trial. Six current and former law enforcement witnesses were called by the defense, not the prosecution. One of those six witnesses, Terry Dykus, the former TBI agent Britt criticized on the stand, testified just after Britt. Jennifer Thompson asked Dikus why he was so focused on Terry Britt during his time on the investigation.

[Terry Dykus]

Have a seat.

[Debra Roberts]

It'll be a while.

[Terry Dykus]

Terry Britt is a registered sex offender, A violent sex offender. He lives northern Decatur County. He has black hair. He weighs 200 pounds and he's 6 foot tall. He is the exact size of what our witness said the abductor looked like.

[Debra Roberts]

Dykus said no one in the so called a train matched Clint Bobo's description of Holly's abductor. On cross examination, prosecutor Paul Hagerman asked Dikus about that conclusion and whether Shane Austin could have fit the description.

[Paul Hagerman]

If Clint Bobo testified the same body shape and everything as Shane Austin. That surprise you?

[Terry Dykus]

Well, Clint's a very Honest young man, I would. If he says that, I believe him. But you're forgetting part of it.

[Paul Hagerman]

Go ahead.

[Terry Dykus]

Because the body type also goes with the hair. And Shane Austin had reddish blondish hair. And Flint said he had black hair. Shoulder length black hair.

[Debra Roberts]

Hagerman reminded the jury that Dikus had been removed from the case because of what his supervisor called his lack of objectivity and his tunnel vision on one suspect, Terry Britt, who was eventually cleared by TBI of having anything to do with Holly's kidnapping and murder. Dykus admitted on the stand that he did not know what evidence investigators gathered against Zach Adams and the others after he was removed from the case.

[Paul Hagerman]

Your testimony has been almost a trip into the past, into the first. First two or three years of this investigation. But you can't tell us anything about the three and four years after that.

[Terry Dykus]

You're right. I don't know what y' all have done since then.

[Debra Roberts]

Aside from Jason Autry's testimony, there were no big surprises. No smoking guns. But the prosecution argued they had presented all the evidence they needed to show Zach Adams was Holly's killer. And neither the defendant, Zach Adams, nor his younger brother, Dylan Adams, ended up taking the stand. The trial lasted 14 days and included dozens of witnesses and hundreds of exhibits. When both sides rested their cases, the jury went off to deliberate. It took them 11 hours over two days to reach a verdict.

[Siegfried McGinley]

If you like what the jury does, that's fine. Keep it to yourself. This isn't a time to cheer like we do for a football team or something. If you don't like what the jury said, keep that to yourself.

[Debra Roberts]

For each count, the judge read the jury's verdict.

[Siegfried McGinley]

You checked guilty of first degree pro premeditated murder of Pollyanne Bobo. Is that correct, sir?

[Debra Roberts]

And then, one by one, confirmed it with each juror.

[Siegfried McGinley]

Number one, is that your verdict?

[Debra Roberts]

Yes.

[Siegfried McGinley]

Number two. Yes.

[Debra Roberts]

There was no big reveal like in TV shows or movies. No booming announcement like guilty of all charges. Instead, the verdict arrived one bit at a time, over the course of around five minutes. And by the end of those five minutes, everyone in the courtroom knew that Zach Adams had been found guilty of all charges. Zach stayed still and stoic as the verdict was slowly announced. Jennifer Thompson had told him that was.

[Jennifer Thompson]

His best bet because I reminded him this jury's going to decide tomorrow whether he lives or dies. And that it was really important that he be quiet and respectful. I could tell he was trembling and he went white, but I think he took it like a champ sitting there and gave the Reaction I had hoped for him.

[Debra Roberts]

She gave a press conference after the.

[Jennifer Thompson]

Verdict that we just cannot help but be just heartbrokenly disappointed in the verdict in this case. We knew going in it was going to be very hard case to win because you have this beautiful young woman who had been taken from her home, and that those facts balanced against my client, who had had a tough, kind of a tough background. He had been involved in drugs. He'd been a drug addict. I'm concerned that the jury might go for death.

[Debra Roberts]

Mark Gwynn, the head of TBI at the time, also commented. I just think it's a good day.

[Paul Hagerman]

For justice in the state of Tennessee. I hate that it took six and a half years to bring it, but.

[Debra Roberts]

At the end of the day, it's about justice being served. So thank you. The Bovo family told us in 2017 they believe Zach Adams is responsible for their daughter's murder and that Jason Autry's testimony rang true to them. Before the sentencing hearing, the prosecution and defense came to an agreement. Instead of putting the death penalty on the table for the jury to decide, Zach would get life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus another 50 years. The Bobo family had agreed to this ahead of time, and in court, the judge asked Zach if he had consented to the agreement freely and voluntarily, and he said yes. So the judge signed off on it, too, and then brought the jury in to explain that they would not need to spend the day weighing whether Zach Adams should get the death penalty. But he didn't dismiss them yet. Part of the sentencing agreement was that Karen Bobo would still deliver her prepared victim impact statement, even though the sentence had already been decided. So she took the stand and looked at the jury as she spoke.

[Karen Bobo]

I've had to watch my parents.

[Debra Roberts]

And.

[Karen Bobo]

There was supposed to be called golden years. Me so sad every day. Not a morning since this has happened. Have we not woken up with Holly being the first thing on our mind when we wake up and the last thing on our mind when we go to sleep. Last night, I saw my husband smile for the first time in six and a half years. Is there something that you want to say to Zachary?

[Jennifer Thompson]

First.

[Karen Bobo]

First of all, I would like for you to know that 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. If there can ever be any more joy in our family to maybe give us an opportunity to find at least a little joy.

[Debra Roberts]

Karen turned away from the jury and towards where Zach Adams was sitting. She had taught Zach in the fourth grade. And she sounded a bit like a teacher as she addressed him.

[Karen Bobo]

But I would like for Mr. Adams to look at me when I speak to him. I know that my daughter fought and fought hard for her life. Can you back up just a little bit so he can look at me? And I know that she, she begged for her life because my daughter loved and enjoyed life. But you chose to take that from her. And you have shown absolutely. Look at me, please. You have shown absolutely no remorse for anything that you have done.

[Debra Roberts]

When Karen Bobo left the stand, the judge thanked the jury and dismissed them. Zach Adams case was over, but two more people were still waiting for their day in court. In the months to come, Zach's younger brother, Dylan Adams entered an Alford plea to facilitating murder and especially aggravated kidnapping, which means he acknowledged there was evidence against him but maintained his innocence. He received a 35 year prison sentence. And years later, Jason Autry pleaded guilty to solicitation to commit murder and facilitation of especially aggravated kidnapping. And with credit for time served, he was set free. The case was finally over. But in 2024, more than a decade after Holly was kidnapped and murdered, seven years after Zach Adams guilty verdict, it was put back in the spotlight. Just months after being released from prison in the Holly Bobo case, Jason Autry was arrested on federal firearms charges. He pleaded guilty. And while in jail waiting for his sentencing, he changed his story about the day Holly was kidnapped and murdered again.

[Jason Autry]

That's the worst that I've ever felt in my life coming back knowing that you just lied and put an innocent man in prison.

[Debra Roberts]

And Zach Adams, who had chosen not to testify during his trial, was ready to talk. Did you kill Holly Bobo?

[Jason Autry]

Absolutely not.

[Debra Roberts]

That's on the next and final episode of what Happened to Holly Bobo? What Happened to Holly Bobo? Is a production of ABC Audio in 2020, hosted by me, Eva Pilgrim. The series was produced by Camille Peterson, Julia Nutter, Kiara Powell, Norah Hannah and Meg Fierron, with help from Audrey Mostek and Amira Williams. Our supervising producer is Susie Lu. Music and mixing by Evan Viola. Special thanks to Liz Alessi, Janice Johnston, Michelle Margulaz, Sean Dooley, Christina Corbin, Kieran McGurl, Andrew Paparella and Emma Pisha. Josh Cohan is our director of podcast programming. Laura Mayer is our executive producer. Hello, it's Robin Roberts here. Hey, guys, it's George Stephanopoulos here. Hey, everybody, it's Michael Strahan here. Wake up with Good Morning America.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Robin, George Michael, gma America's favorite number one morning show, the morning's first breaking news. Exclusive interviews, what everyone will be talking about that day. Put some good in your morning and start your day with GMA.

[Debra Roberts]

Good Morning America.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Put the good in your morning GMA 7A on ABC. Hi, I'm Brad Milke. I'm the host of the Crime Scene Weekly, a new show from ABC Audio about the latest headlines in true crime. This week, I'm talking about a major development in the Murdoch murder trial. The allegations that a court clerk lied on the stand. Could this mean a retrial for Alec Murdoch? Listen now on Apple, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.