Bobo jury keeps working
SAVANNAH, Tenn. — “She just disappeared.”
Holding one of the last photos ever taken of Holly Lynn Bobo, prosecutor Jennifer Nichols reminded the jury the 20-year-old nursing student was taken from the only home she’d ever known.
She was wearing the promise ring her boyfriend had given her four months earlier, Nichols said, carrying the keys to her Mustang. She had her notebook, with “Student Nurse” and a smiley face drawn on the cover.
“She disappeared without a trace,” Nichols said. “But people don’t really disappear without a trace, do they? Do they? Holly didn’t.”
Nichols then launched into the prosecution’s narrative of Bobo’s kidnapping, rape and slaying by defendant Zachary Rye Adams.
She said rape was just a word whose meaning few can comprehend, and then described the gang rape the prosecution holds that Bobo endured before her death.
The statements came after almost two hours of closing arguments from defense attorney Jennifer Thompson. Thompson pointed out discrepancies
between state witness testimony and a wealth of evidence presented that does not link the crime directly to Adams.
“When you dig down deep into what the government says and what the real facts are, there are many holes in their story,” Thompson said. “All those different pieces of evidence they’ve put in are not evidence.”
A part of that evidence Thompson noted came from co-defendant Jason Autry — statements she told the jury came after Autry and his attorneys had already been through the evidence against him and Zach Adams.
Thompson said Autry then made a trade.
“He traded his death penalty to the state,” she said.
Thompson reminded the jury again that Adams is still facing the death penalty if he’s found guilty of felony murder.
“Mr. Adams’ life is on the line. It’s a very serious matter,” she said.
But Adams’ actions speak to his desperation, Nichols said. She reminded the jury one last time of what their proof — given by Autry — showed.
“They thought she was already dead, but she wasn’t,” she said. “The defendant reaches down, feels around, picks up her head and fires.”
Nichols said Bobo’s family has waited six years for this day.
“It’s hard to turn it over. But it’s time,” she said.
Those are some of the last words a jury heard before going into deliberations to determine Adams’ fate. They will continue their work this morning.
CLOSING STATEMENTS FROM THE DEFENSE
Thompson told the jury Thursday evidence that does not directly tie Adams to Bobo’s disappearance doesn’t matter.
“The cases in criminal court are not about what is possible but what is provable without a reasonable doubt,” Thompson said in her closing statements.
Thompson listed the description of the suspect, witness testimony and discovery of Bobo’s remains all as having no direct link to her client, who is charged with felony first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated rape.
She also pointed out the prosecution’s case rests on the testimonies of several criminals, including Autry, while two law enforcement officers, including a former Tennessee Bureau of Investigation lead investigator, testified Adams was believed to be innocent.
Thompson said the best lies contain some elements of truth, and the lies in this trial came from Autry.
“[Jason Autry] sold his death penalty to the state government for a tall tale,” she said.
Assistant District Attorney Paul Hagerman told the jury the mystery of Bobo’s disappearance should have been solved within two weeks.
In his closing arguments, Hagerman said Adams had “cracks in the secret,” and evidence pointed to him as a suspect.
But the TBI was distracted, he said.
“Instead, [investigator Terry Dicus] came up with some theory of sexual predators,” Hagerman said. “This is not ‘Dragnet,’ just the facts. In the first few weeks, this could have been done.”
Hagerman said too much time was spent on other suspects, such as convicted sex offender Terry Britt, when strong evidence pointed back to Adams, his brother Dylan Adams, Autry and Shayne Austin.
Hagerman pointed out how numerous people in Adams’ circle testified that they heard Adams say he killed or raped Bobo or that alluded to the act, all after Adams became the focus of the investigation once Dicus was taken off the case.
Two of those people were other inmates — one to send a message to Adams.
“They’ve got no body. They’ve got no gun,” Hagerman said, reminding the jury of testimony presented last week.
Reach Maranda at mfaris2@ jacksonsun.com or (731) 4259657 and on Twitter @MarandaFaris.