Holly Bobo went missing on April 13, 2011, from her home in Darden, Tennessee. At the time, she was a 20-year-old nursing student. Holly’s case received national attention, and for years, friends, family, and even strangers searched for anything that would give them a clue as to the young woman’s whereabouts.
In 2014, nearly four years after going missing, Holly’s remains were found about 10 miles north of her convicted killer’s home.
Tonight, ABC News’ 20/20 will speak to Holly’s family about that fateful day, and the case that has since resulted in one man’s conviction.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Holly Was Last Seen Alive Following a Man into the Woods
Holly was last seen alive by her brother, Clint, around 7:30 am on April 13, following a man in camouflage into the woods.
Clint believed the man was Holly’s boyfriend Drew. He tells ABC that Drew had told him the night before he was going turkey hunting in the morning, so he was not alarmed by the camouflage clothing. “She didn’t appear to be hurt… I was still very confused. … It still didn’t enter my mind that Holly was being abducted.”
Karen Bobo, who was at work, received a call from a neighbor who said they heard screaming coming from the Bobo residence. She called home and told Clint to check on Holly. When Clint explained he saw her walking with who he thought was Drew, Karen said it couldn’t be Drew– she knew he had already left to go turkey hunting, ABC reports. Karen then told Clint to get a gun, which is when he hung up and called 911.
Investigators have since said they believe Holly followed the man “in fear of her life”. At a news conference in 2011, John Mehr, spokesperson for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said, “We believe he actually had her arm, holding her. We feel she was in fear of her life, so was complying.”
Authorities say Holly was kidnapped, raped, and murdered. On August 9, according to Fox Nashville, prosecutors said the markings on her skull were consistent with that of a bullet hole.
2. Zach Adams Was Recently Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder and Aggravated Rape
Six men have been arrested in connection to Holly’s kidnapping and involvement in her death– only three of the six men have been prosecuted.
On September 22, Zach Adams, 33, was found guilty on all charges, including first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 50 years.
Two other men– Jason Autry and John Dylan Adams– were also charged in Holly’s death. Zach Adams is the first of the three to go to trial. In court, Autry testified that he helped move what he believes was Bobo’s body wrapped in a blanket.
According to CBS News, prosecutors said in trial that Adams “was involved in the ‘dark world’ of methamphetamine and morphine when he and two other men abducted Bobo, held her against her will, raped her, killed her and hid her remains.”
CBS notes that a fourth man, Shayne Austin, was also charged with Holly’s kidnapping, rape, and death. Austin died in 2015 from an apparent suicide.
3. Her Body Was Found in 2014
Bobo’s body wasn’t found until 3.5 years after her disappearance, by two hunters in Decatur County.
Larry Stone, one of the men who found Holly’s remains, testified in trial. He explained that he was looking for ginseng, a root, when he saw a bucket turned upside down in the woods, according to WMSV Nashville. He turned it over only to find a skull.
Larry explained that he then yelled to his cousin, who he was hunting with. “I said, I found remains. Get up here now. I started bawling, please tell me it’s not real. I said, ‘I think I know who his could be.’ I said, ‘I think it’s Holly.'”
The ginseng hunter who found Holly Bobo’s skull is on the stand
4. Her Brother Was Considered a Suspect at First
Holly Bobo’s brother, Clint Bobo, was “shocked” police were suspicious of him t.co/iR0AXNmBes #ABC2020
Holly’s brother Clint was the last person to see his sister, and he was considered a suspect early on in Holly’s case.
Sitting down with ABC News’ 20/20, Clint recalls learning that he was a suspect in the case, saying, “They did check me, I took my shirt off. [I] would’ve taken my pants off if they [had] asked me… I was just shocked that they were looking at me, that they were asking me to do these things.”
Clint continued to cooperate with the investigation. Eventually, town citizens tipped the authorities off that Zach Adams may have had something to do with the case.
5. Elizabeth Smart Visited Bobo’s High School in 2012
(Getty)
Family friend Kerry Allen says people were “crushed” when they eventually learned Holly was dead, according to US News.