DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. — On Tuesday, Decatur County Judge Creed McGinley set potential trial dates for three suspects accused of kidnapping, raping and murdering 20-year-old Holly Bobo.
The nursing student disappeared from her home five years ago.
McGinley said either Dylan Adams or his brother Zach Adams will stand trial on April 3. The brothers could also be tried together. The third suspect Jason Autry, is set for trial on July 10.
Five years after Holly Bobo vanished from her family’s home ribbons still can still be seen throughout Decatur County in her memory.
That’s one of the reasons defense attorneys want the trials moved in the future. On Tuesday McGinley denied the motion for a change in venue but said eventually it will happen.
“The physical change of venue in all likelihood will be Hardin County. I’ve already explored security and other issues,” he said.
However that won’t happen until closer to the first trial in April.
“I want to keep this in this county as long as I can because convenience of the family members of the alleged victims as well as defendants of interested parties,” he explained.
The jury will be sequestered.
“There will be alarms on the elevators as well as stairs,” said McGinley.
WREG’s Shay Arthur was there as the prosecution and defense ironed out some of their issues before a judge.
Jason Autry, Zach Adams and his brother, Dylan Adams, were all present. They sat just feet from Holly Bobo’s family. The men face a list of charges including kidnapping and rape.
Prosecutors and investigators from the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office are working the case.
“We’ve got work to do. We have trial dates, motion dates, we have to continue our work,” said Paul Hagerman, Assistant Shelby County DA.
While there’s work to be done, five years after Holly went missing there seems to be some end in sight.
“That’s why we’re here. That’s what we’re trying to do. To bring the people responsible for her death to justice,” said Jennifer Nichols Deputy Shelby County DA.
“We’re lookin forward to April the 3rd. We’re getting stronger, we’re not getting weaker and we’re here for justice and we will fight til the very end,” said Tammy Ramey, longtime family friend to the Bobos.
She was in the courtroom and sat feet from the suspects.
“That’s a hard emotion to describe. It’s…I can’t find a word for it,” she said.
In what was described as possibly one of the most expensive cases in the history of the state, Ramey said the Decatur County community has stood by the Bobos.
“Everyone did something. You searched, you prayed, you brought food, water, everybody did something,” she said.
To this day, five years after Holly vanished ribbons are spread out across Decatur County. The pink represents the search for her, green is the color the family chose to symbolize justice.
“The pink and the green were together from the start and now we’re going to the finish,” explained Ramey.
“I will not tolerate signs, placards, t-shirts, anything like that could be perceived as trying to influence prospective jurors,” said McGinley.
Ramey said Holly’s family understands the change in venue, they don’t want to take any chances to have justice be achieved.
“She was a doll. By now she would’ve probably been married. Possibly have children of her own. She’d have her nursing career and all of that was taken away and we don’t know why. I’d like to know why,” she said.
Time will tell if the family will get answers during a trial.