Holly Bobo trial: John Dylan Adams gets 35 years

SAVANNAH — John Dylan Adams has entered an Alford plea in the kidnapping, rape and killing of 20-year-old nursing student Holly Lynn Bobo.

As part of the agreement, Adams will serve 15 years for facilitation of first-degree murder, and 35 years for especially aggravated kidnapping; the sentences will run concurrent.

► More: Timeline of Holly Bobo abduction, investigation

► More: What happened to Holly Bobo?

Prosecutor Paul Hagerman said after the agreement was reached the goal from the beginning has been to “punish” the people responsible for the death of Holly Bobo.

“As our goal when this started was to punish this man as much as we could,” Hagerman said. “And today, with a guilty plea, John Dylan Adams will serve a 35-year sentence without parole in the Tennessee Department of Correction for his role in this terrible crime.

“The Bobos have been waiting for over seven years, and a long trial over the summer. This started seven years ago — and they’ve been waiting for seven years for justice. They got some at Zach’s trial and Zach’s verdict, and now they get a little more with John Dylan Adams.”

Holly’s mother, Karen Bobo, said “guilty is guilty” when asked of Adams’ decision to enter an Alford plea, which allowed him to enter a plea of guilt without admitting guilt, while forfeiting the right to appeal his sentence.

Karen said the Bobo family came prepared for a trial, but they are happy to have the latest chapter in this case behind them.

John Dylan Adams also released a statement through his attorney Matt Maddox saying that Clint Bobo, Holly’s brother, had no involvement in Holly’s death.

“My daughter nor my son have ever in any way had any involvement with any of these people (in reference to John Dylan Adams, Zach Adams, Shayne Austin and Jason Autry),” Karen said.

Judge C. Creed McGinely had set a deadline for 11 a.m. Monday for the prosecution and defense to reach a plea agreement for Dylan Adams, who was scheduled to go to trial in May, but at the request of the attorneys McGinley delayed the deadline until 1 p.m., and ultimately later Monday afternoon the parties reached an agreement.

“I appreciate the hard work that went into this, and I know that no one is happy with this,” McGinley said. “You can’t be; and I’m particularly glad that the family will be spared going through another extensive trial.”

Asked if she’s gotten any “closure” from Zach Adams being found guilty and Dylan Adams entering an Alford plea, Karen said “there is no such thing as closure when something like this happens.”

“Some justice,” Karen continued. “But there is no closure; and she’s still the last thing on my mind when I go to bed every night and the first thing when I wake up every morning.”

No court dates have been set for Jason Autry, the third person charged in the death of Holly Bobo. Hagerman said the state will handle Zach Adams’ motion for a new trial before moving forward with Autry.

Reach Omer Yusuf at (731) 425-9637, oyusuf@jacksonsun.com, or on Twitter: @OmerAYusuf