DECATURVILLE, Tenn. — Months after two men were charged with kidnapping and murdering a 20-year-old Tennessee nursing student, their attorneys say they have not seen any evidence linking their clients to the crime.
Zachary Adams was indicted in March and Jason Autry in April in the killing of Holly Bobo. In court on Wednesday, Adams' attorney, Jennifer Lynn Thompson told the judge, "I still have very little understanding of what he's accused of doing."
Autry's attorney, Fletcher Long, was even more direct. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, he said of Autry, "I'm at a loss as to why he was even charged."
District Attorney General Matt Stowe said after the hearing that the defense attorneys would have their evidence soon. In court, he told the judge the state is waiting on laboratory analysis of evidence stemming from the September discovery of Bobo's remains.
But Decatur County Circuit Judge Creed McGinley said he was losing patience with the delay. He ordered the state to begin turning over evidence in a form the defense attorneys can use. He also ordered Stowe to decide soon whether he intends to seek the death penalty.
Also on Wednesday, attorneys for the defendants told the judge they plan to request that the trials be moved out of Decatur County. McGinley said he would likely approve that request, when it comes.
"I don't think there is any way this case could be tried in Decatur County with an impartial jury given the huge amount of publicity," he said, pointing out the courtroom crammed with interested onlookers, several of whom were wearing "Justice for Holly" T-shirts.
The onlookers included Bobo's family and their pastor, Don Franks.
Asked about the statements from defense attorneys that the state does not have sufficient evidence against the suspects, Franks said he and the family were very confident in the work that law enforcement has done.
No arrests were made in the case until nearly three years after Bobo disappeared from her home in the small West Tennessee community of Parsons in April 2011. Her brother told police he saw a man dressed in camouflage leading her into the woods, but despite numerous searches of the area, Bobo's remains were not discovered until September, when ginseng hunters accidentally stumbled across them.
"'Just keep the family in your prayers," Franks said. "That's the main thing."