Holly Lynn Bobo (October 12, 1990 - ?, 2011) was a 20 year old University of Tennessee nursing student who disappeared from her Darden, Tennessee home on April 13, 2011 under strange circumstances. Friends described Holly as sweet and shy. She lived at home with her father Dana, her mother Karen and her brother Clint. Famous country singer and Survivor and The Amazing Race star Whitney Duncan is Holly’s cousin.

Country singer and Survivor and The Amazing Race star Whitney Duncan Holly’s cousin.

Holly awoke extremely early on that fateful date (4.30am) to cram for a nursing exam. Three hours later her boyfriend Drew Scott called her. He was nearby hunting thunder chicken (wild turkey) on Holly’s kin’s farm. Her parents had left for work so she was home alone with Clint, who was asleep at this point.

Ten minutes after Holly hung up, her neighbour reported hearing a scream coming from the Bobo residence to her mother. Concerned, the mother called Karen Bobo’s work phone and relayed what had happened.

Meanwhile, back at the Bobo home, Clint was roused from his slumber by the sound of the Bobo family’s dogs barking at something. Checking on the commotion, Clint peered out of his window to witness Holly and a man kneeling down in the garage, having a heated conversation. He assumed that the man was Drew, and that he and Holly were having a lover’s spat. The only words that he was able to discern was Holly saying ‘No, why?’

Brother Clint. Holly boyfriend Drew Scott.

Clint’s phone rang. It was his mother and she was panic-stricken. She said ‘Clint, that’s not Drew. Get a gun and shoot him!’ Clint hesitated, still believing that the man was likely Drew. Karen hung up and called 911. Time was lost as she was transferred to the wrong department.

At the Bobo home, Clint looked outside and saw that the man was wearing camouflage, he was 6 foot tall and 200 pounds by Clint’s estimation, and he was walking toward the woods with Holly. He tried to phone Holly. He tried to phone Drew. Both calls rang out.

Karen rang back and Clint told her what he witnessed. She instructed him to call 911. Finally, Clint armed himself with one of the family’s pistols and ran outside. The only sign of Holly was a pool of blood (later confirmed as hers) near her car.

A far-reaching search ensued, but unfortunately it revealed very little. The only clues were Holly’s lunch box (recovered 8 miles away) and a ‘Croc’ brand shoeprint outside of the home. The trail went cold until September 2014, when hunters made a discovery in some woods 20 miles from Darden. One of the hunters found a large bucket in the woods. His curiosity got the better of him and he upturned the bucket. He immediately wished that he hadn’t. The contents of the bucket was either too disgusting or disturbing to have been made public knowledge to this date, but the man has said that he is haunted to this day by what he saw. Turning around, he discovered Holly’s remains.

The case was now officially a homicide.

In a heavily criticised and bungled murder investigation, six men have been arrested in relation to the case. The prosecution have refused to produce evidence against defendants, missed multiple discovery deadlines and relied on rumours to fuel their case. They have made a shemozzle of things. The men are fighting charges of kidnapping, rape and murder one. The death penalty is being sought.

John Dylan Adams: confessed to police he saw his brother Zach and friend Jason Autry with Holly at Zach’s house after the kidnapping. He has since alleged the confession was coerced and may have been beaten out of him. It is also suspected that he may have lied in exchanged for reduced prison time on an unrelated gun charge.

Zach Adams: charged on the basis of John’s since-recanted confession. Initially said to have tortured Holly and videotaped himself raping her.

Jason Autry: charged on the basis of John’s confession.

Jason Autry. Zachery Adams.

Jeffrey and Mark Pearcy: charged with accessory after the fact and evidence tampering. Charges later dropped.

Shayne Austin: Police believed he helped dispose of the body. They offered him immunity to flip on his friends. He told them to go suck a lemon. Later committed suicide.

John Dylan Adams. Suicide: Shayne Austin

What a mess…