HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — We bring you continuing coverage of the Zachary Adams hearing. This is in connection to the the Holly Bobo trial of 2013.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Day 3: Cellphone expert, Zach Adams’ previous lawyer testify
After one of the defendants recanted his statement, Adams returns in court along with previous witnesses from the original trial.
Joe Walker, a now retired TBI criminal investigator for West Tennessee, took the stand Wednesday. Walker was part of the original Holly Bobo case in 2013.
“If Zach Adams was not a part of this crime, you would want him out of jail don’t you?” said Doug Bates, defense attorney.
“If Zach Adams was in jail unnecessarily sir, I couldn’t sleep at night. I can promise you that,” said Walker.
Walker says it was his task while working on this case was to make sure to oversee the case and know the ins and outs.
However, Bates questioned Walker on the ATM surveillance footage.
“Is today the first time you learned you did not look at the right videos?” asked Bates.
“Yes sir,” responded Walker.
“Do you feel terrible?” said Bates.
“Again sir, I do not know. I don’t feel terrible until I know for sure,” said Walker.
During this investigation, Walker says he was receiving information from the FBI, marshals and local agencies.
“Is it safe to say in this investigation that it was unique in the volume in the information that was coming from the TBI?” asked prosecutor Amy Weirich.
“Yes ma’am,” responded Walker.
During one part of the investigation, Walker says he and his team spread out all the information that they had to find their suspects.
“Well I don’t remember all of the inconsistencies–it’s been so long–there was seven or eight under each of their names of things that they had said that were not right,” said Walker.
“That didn’t add up?” asked Weirich.
“Yes ma’am,” responded Walker.
Walker also shared why he didn’t believe it was Terry Britt who was a suspect but after Britt’s home was bugged by officers. Walker says it wasn’t Britt.
“He always used subterfuge to get somebody. He used a wife or a girlfriend to get somebody to come to him. He never did what happened to Holly’s case,” said Walker.
Shane Austin’s dad, James Austin, took the stand as well to testify about his son’s gun.
“This is a hand gun, this is a Ruger Security Six that Shane had,” said James.
“And what caliber?” asked prosecutor Christopher Boiano.
“357,” responded James.
“To your knowledge, did he own a 32 revolver?” said Boiano.
“No, he did not,” said James.
“Thank you,” said Boiano.
Investigators determined that Bobo was killed with a 22 caliber rifle.
This hearing will continue in court tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. with more witnesses scheduled to take the stand.
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