HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn (September 13, 2017) — On Tuesday law enforcement and crime scene experts gave testimony regarding the collection of evidence at the home of the 20-year-old nursing student from Parsons Tennessee. As day three in the trial Zach Adams, accused of abduction and murder of Decatur county nursing student Holly Bobo, came to an end new details were learned from DNA experts who testified.
Forensic experts, and witnesses who discovered evidence away from the home testified on Wednesday. Including one of the two men who discovered the skull and other remains of Holly Bobo.
John Graves, who lives near the Bobo house testified to finding a polka dotted lunchbox an embroidered “H” on the bottom in a creek near Bible Hill Rd.
Gerald Stephens, also a searcher, found pink underwear on Yellow Springs Rd near Shayne Austin’s trailer. Stephens also found a piece of paper that had Holly Bobo’s name and address.
Prosecutors called TBI Special Agent Laura Hodges. Hodges was one of the agents at the location were the remains were found. Hodges discussed findings and used photos to show where various items were located. Hodges said among the personal items were; two purses, a keyring with a letter “H”, a bottle of lotion, and a inhaler were all found near the location the remains were discovered.
Larry Stone was a prosecution witness. Stone is the Ginseng hunter who in July 2014, found the skull and other remains that later were identified as that of Holly Bobo.
According to Stone he and another man were digging in Decatur county in the vicinity of a cell tower near County Corner Rd. Stone said he found a (Ginseng) plant, so he decided to take a break before he continued hunting. But something “caught my eye, Stone said . ” He told the court he saw a bucket. He picked it up and then said “a feeling come over me and something told me just turn around.” That, Stone said, is “when I found what I found, the skull”. Teeth, jaw bone, a shoulder bone, and ribs were also found in the area along with some of Holly’s personal effects.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Marco Ross testified the teeth found were matched to dental records. Testing was requested on a rib bone and, based on the profiles, the DNA matched that as a child of Karen & Dana Bobo, Holly’s parents.
Dr. Ross pointed out a ‘defect’ on the back right side of the skull. Ross said the markings were typical for a gunshot entrance wound. Ross told the prosecutors a .36 caliber or smaller size bullet could’ve caused the pattern but not anything larger in size. The revolver authorities found is said to be a .32 caliber.
The cause of death was ruled a homicide by a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
The defense argued that no evidence was presented to prove whether the gunshot wound was the cause of death.
Court will resume at 9 a.m. The trial is expected to last two weeks.
Keith Sherley, EMAIL [email protected]
TWITTER – @keithsherley
