Will Holly Bobo’s Skull Secure The Death Penalty For Her Killer?

After nearly three years of searching for leads, missing Tennessee nursing student Holly Bobo’s skull has been confirmed found by local authorities. Two citizens first came across Bobo’s skull Sunday morning, but the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) was hesitant to confirm that the remains were indeed Holly Bobo’s skull, previously reported the Inquisitr.

But at a late night press conference Monday at the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department, the TBI released their findings — Holly’s skull was indeed found in the woods Sunday evening. In what could perhaps be a final piece of evidence, Bobo’s skull was located within 10 miles of murder suspect Zachary Adams.

The Jackson Sun reported that cries broke out across the room when TBI Director Mark Gwyn announced that that the skull did, in fact, belong to Holly. Bobo’s close friend Rickey Dale Alexander shrunk back in tears as Gwyn continued with the announcement about Holly’s skull.

“First, I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends of Holly Bobo. In light of the recent discovery of possible human remains in Decatur County, the TBI has been able to confirm through the findings … that the remains are of Holly Bobo.”

Much of the local community still held hope that Bobo’s skull was not the one found in the woods this weekend, with local authorities still maintaining that Holly could be found alive, Gwyn said.

“It was my prayer, as well as the prayers of many others that Holly Bobo would be found. I assure you all this is not over by any means. The investigation is still ongoing to get to the truth.”

District Attorney General Matt Stowe continued to say that the prosecution is far from over and that a possible death penalty sentence will be pursued when Bobo’s murderers are confirmed, possibly aided by the discovery of Holly’s skull.

“We will be making a decision sometime in the next couple of weeks in conjunction with the Bobo family. Right now, in the meantime, we have the finest experts we can find and that are available. There are so many people working on this case right now that it would boggle the mind, and nobody is sleeping, nobody needs to be told what to do in this case.”

Adams and another man, Jason Autry, were arrested for the abduction and murder long before Holly Bobo’s skull was found. Adams has pleaded not guilty to the charges while a third suspect, Shayne Austin, attempted to gain immunity by leading police to Bobo’s remains, although he failed to produce such evidence.

[Image via Bobo Family]