Crime House 24/7 — Night Watch
Episode: “The Scream in the Trees: The Day Holly Bobo Vanished”
Host: Katie Ring
Date: January 13, 2026

Episode Overview

This Night Watch episode of Crime House 24/7, hosted by Katie Ring, takes a deep and meticulously detailed look at the disappearance and murder of Holly Bobo, a 20-year-old nursing student from rural Tennessee. The episode follows the trajectory of the case—from the quiet morning of Holly's abduction in 2011, through years of stalled justice and shifting suspects, to the arrest, trial, and eventual conviction of Zach Adams. Crucially, it also examines ongoing doubts and turmoil following new testimony and post-conviction hearings, showing how the case continues to haunt Holly’s family and shape Tennessee law and culture around missing persons.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Setting and the Bobo Family

(03:27–04:27)

• Decatur County, Tennessee described as, “a part of the country where the woods feel endless,” a close community with peaceful routines.
• Holly Bobo was “gentle, shy, and steady,” with dreams of becoming a nurse and a beloved presence in her home and church.
• “She was the kind of girl who still left handwritten notes and birthday cards, remembered everyone's favorite dessert and tried to see the good in people even when they made it hard.” (Katie Ring, 04:12)

The Day Holly Vanished

(04:27–07:50)

• April 13, 2011: Holly gets up early to study, talks briefly with her boyfriend Drew.
• Around 8 AM, a neighbor hears “a scream drifting through the trees” near the Bobo property, reporting it to Holly’s mother.
• Clint, her brother, sees Holly with a man in camouflage and mistakes him for Drew; only after seeing blood near the carport does the fear settle in.
• Moments after the abduction: “He looked down at the concrete where his sister had just been standing moments before, and he saw drops of blood.” (Katie Ring, 06:07)
• A massive, multi-day search ensues, one of Tennessee’s largest missing-person operations.

Early Investigation and Frustration

(07:50–11:34)

• Initial suspicion falls on local convicted sex offender Terry Britt, who fits the physical description and has a history; “Regardless of the true answer, they never found any physical evidence linking him to the crime. No DNA, no clothing fibers, nothing.” (Katie Ring, 10:29)
• Years of stalling, false leads, and community heartbreak.

Break in the Case

(12:33–15:01)

• September 2013: John Dylan Adams (Dylan) is arrested on unrelated charges and then makes a statement implicating his brother Zach Adams, describing seeing Holly alive in the Adams home.
• Dylan later recants, but the details given correspond to known facts, spurring further warrants and arrests.
• February/March 2014: Zach Adams is arrested for aggravated kidnapping and murder; Jason Autry and Shane Austin are also implicated.
• Prosecution offers immunity to Austin, later revoked for suspected dishonesty.
• Case is further complicated by false leads, including a grisly, unverified video recounted by a friend of another man, leading to more arrests—ultimately dropped for lack of evidence.

Tragic Discovery and Trial

(17:42–23:04)

• September 7, 2014: Holly’s remains are discovered in a remote area near Interstate 40, three years after her disappearance. The medical examiner confirms death by gunshot to the head.
• The death of Shane Austin (by suicide) precludes his testimony.
• September 2017: Trial of Zach Adams begins.
  • Prosecution’s narrative: Zach, with help from Autry and possibly Dylan, abducted, assaulted, and killed Holly, with methamphetamine-fueled behavior playing a role.
  • Star witness: Jason Autry describes helping dispose of Holly’s body—dramatically claiming, “Holly was still alive… she moved, she made a sound… Zach raised the gun and shot her near the water’s edge.” (Jason Autry, as recounted by Katie Ring, 19:48)
  • Other evidence: Dylan’s statements, phone data (though ambiguous), and an ex-girlfriend’s chilling testimony of threats from Zach.
  • Defense arguments: No physical evidence, shifting and unreliable testimony, and an unexamined ATM alibi for Zach.

Conviction and Aftermath

(24:43–29:30)

• September 22, 2017: Zach Adams is found guilty and sentenced to life without parole plus 50 years; Dylan pleads out for 35 years; Autry, after cooperating, gets eight years and is eventually released.
• The Bobo family finally sees justice, but new doubts soon arise.

Shaking the Verdict—Recantations and Legal Turmoil

(29:30–32:48)

• In 2020, Autry recants all prior testimony against Zach, claiming it was coached by prosecutors: “I buried a man who doesn't deserve it.” (Jason Autry, 29:57)
• Zach’s defense attorney also testifies to serious deficiencies in her representation, citing mental health struggles and lack of resources.
• The prosecution asserts the integrity of the case and says strategic choices were made at trial.
• November 2025: Zach testifies in post-conviction hearings, denying any involvement and asserting his ATM alibi.
• The court has yet to rule on whether a new trial will be granted; the post-conviction process is ongoing.

Broader Impact and Continuing Questions

(31:40–32:48)

• The Holly Bobo Act, passed in 2020, raises the age limit for the endangered child alert to include people up to age 21, directly affecting how missing young adults are tracked.
• The case raises powerful questions about reliance on testimony versus physical evidence, post-trial recantations, legal representation in high-profile trials, and the persistent trauma of families and communities.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The scream sounded like it came from the direction of the Bobo property. Scared, he told his mom, who then immediately called Holly's mom at the elementary school where she taught.” (Katie Ring, 05:40)
• “Clint was still half asleep and was waking up. He heard the dogs barking… he saw Holly near the carport, and she was with a man dressed in camouflage. From a distance, Clint just thought it was Drew.” (Katie Ring, 06:00)
• “There wasn't a ton of blood, but it was enough to jump Clint into high gear. So he called the police, and within minutes, deputies arrived.” (Katie Ring, 06:53)
• On the sudden break: “On September 25, 2013, a man by the name of John Dylan Adams...was arrested on federal gun charges...he saw Holly alive in the living room, sitting in a green chair, wearing a pink shirt.” (Katie Ring, 12:35)
• On the trial's centerpiece: “He claimed Zach asked for help disposing of a body, and what Autry described next became the centerpiece of the trial...Holly was still alive. She moved. She made a sound, and according to Autry, Zach raised the gun and shot her near the water's edge.” (Katie Ring, 19:48)
• On recantation: “In 2020, years after the trial, something unexpected happened. Jason Autry, the state star witness, recanted his entire testimony against Zach Adams. He claimed he had been coached by the prosecution...‘I buried a man who doesn't deserve it.’” (Katie Ring, 29:57)
• “For a family who spent years living inside a nightmare, the reopening of wounds has been painful. Because the brutal truth is, if Zach is guilty, then every appeal risks prolonging the suffering of a family who has already been through too much. If Zach is innocent, that means the true killer may still be free. Both possibilities are devastating.” (Katie Ring, 31:30)

Key Timestamps

• 03:27 — Introduction to Decatur County, Tennessee; overview of the Bobo family and Holly herself
• 04:27–06:53 — The morning Holly vanished, eyewitness sequence, initial police response
• 07:50–11:34 — Focus on initial suspect Terry Britt and years of stalled investigation
• 12:33–15:01 — Breakthrough via Dylan Adams’ statement; new suspects emerge
• 17:42–19:50 — Discovery of remains, community impact, and the trial against Zach Adams
• 19:48 — Autry’s graphic eyewitness account of Holly’s final moments
• 24:43 — Verdict, sentencing, and initial sense of justice for the Bobo family
• 29:30 — Autry’s recantation, defense attorney’s regrets, and renewed court proceedings
• 31:40 — Holly Bobo Act and broader legal/ethical questions, ongoing legacy

Tone and Narrative

• The storytelling is somber, respectful, and community-oriented, often infused with empathy for the Bobo family and the rural Tennessee setting.
• Katie Ring’s narration combines factual detail, emotional gravity, and an investigative eye, always underscoring the human cost of unresolved justice.

Case Reflections

• The episode ends by addressing the ongoing legal limbo, the trauma of the Bobo family, and the ways the case has influenced statewide policy and community vigilance around missing persons.
• Listeners are encouraged to consider the difficult legal and moral questions raised, and to remember that at the heart of it all is Holly—“a young woman who wanted to spend her life helping others,” whose story continues to shape Tennessee’s approach to justice.

For Further Engagement

• Listeners are asked to share their thoughts and theories in the comments and social media (@CrimeHouse24.7).
• The Night Watch series invites reflection on the evolving pursuit of justice and the lasting shadows cast by unsolved or unresolved crimes.