TN - Holly Bobo, 20, Darden; believed abducted 13 April 2011 - #35

[Whisperer]

Whisperer, my understanding is he was writing down his statement in the police car and not his own car. I don't think it was ever confirmed where his car was parked. IMO

...Heck of a time and place to be writing a statement.

 

[~n/t~]

Holly Bobo Search Continues

DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. - The search continues for Holly Bobo after she disappeared from her Decatur County home in April of last year.

On Saturday, rescue crews and several volunteers were out early Saturday morning until around 2 p.m., searching in a new area in Decatur County.

Family members said they are still getting new tips every day, and will not stop searching.

If you have any information about her disapperance, contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

http://www.wbbjtv.com/news/local/Holly-Bobo-Search-Continues-178537431.html

 

[~n/t~]

...Heck of a time and place to be writing a statement.

Isn't that the norm in a missing person case if he was the only eye witness? I don't know what the protocol is. Does LE normally write down the verbal eye witness statements? Not sure why they asked Clint to.

 

[Whisperer]

The information is taken by the responding officers, verbally. I have never seen a witness sitting at the scene of a crime writing a report. I suspect there is more to the story and there was a very good reason why he was seated there. The typed report is gathered later in the investigation...with help from the officers on how to write it. They generally have to help write it for the witness due to the witness not being savvy writing these types of things. I sure would love to see his first writing. They need to get things in an orderly fashion. Many witnesses are all over the place and don't give a clear sense of what exactly was going on.

 

[Whisperer]

If there were all three (puddle, pool, specks/flecks), I suspect a gun shot wound. A pool or puddle gives me the impression of a very serious wound. If so, the bloodhounds should have been able to follow the trail.

 

[~n/t~]

The information is taken by the responding officers, verbally. I have never seen a witness sitting at the scene of a crime writing a report. I suspect there is more to the story and there was a very good reason why he was seated there. The typed report is gathered later in the investigation...with help from the officers on how to write it. They generally have to help write it for the witness due to the witness not being savvy writing these types of things. I sure would love to see his first writing. They need to get things in an orderly fashion. Many witnesses are all over the place and don't give a clear sense of what exactly was going on.

I just thought of something. Early on it was classified as a home invasion. I wonder if the reason they had Clint sit in the car was because that is what he/they thought and the home was considered a crime scene? IDK

Trying to make sense of this case as much as I can with so little information.

 

[~n/t~]

If there were all three (puddle, pool, specks/flecks), I suspect a gun shot wound. A pool or puddle gives me the impression of a very serious wound. If so, the bloodhounds should have been able to follow the trail.

Just to clarify that we were not told all three. The description to describe the blood found was puddle, pool, specks. I agree that an accurate description could possibly tell us what weapon was used and/or whether or not she was injured with a weapon (knife, gun) or a struggle (scratches, bites, scrapes, etc)

 

[Carla Lashelle]

No its not uncommon to get statements as quickly as possible, and individually. This prevents witnesses (or suspects) from talking to other people, coordinating statements etc. And why would Clint be in his own car? The house and property would be a crime scene. If Clint's car was anywhere near Holly's the police should not allow anyone to bother it, move it etc.

 

[~n/t~]

No its not uncommon to get statements as quickly as possible, and individually. This prevents witnesses (or suspects) from talking to other people, coordinating statements etc. And why would Clint be in his own car? The house and property would be a crime scene. If Clint's car was anywhere near Holly's the police should not allow anyone to bother it, move it etc.

I think the issue is whether or not they took statements but how it was done. Do they normally let the witness write it down in the police vehicle or is the witness questioned, police take down their notes and have them sign the statement.

FWIW, I've seen it done both ways.

 

[reedus23]

I was wondering if anyone can clarify this for me. When I started reading from the start, I noted there was what seemed to me to be a second, unrelated call the morning of Holly's disappearance. There was mentioned a 7:28 call regarding an alarm going off in a family room and 911 was on the phone with a female when the call got disconnected and attempts to call back were unsuccessful. Was there, in fact, a second, unrelated call, but because of the timing and confusion, that home invasion call got intertwined with Holly's 911 calls?

 

[~n/t~]

I was wondering if anyone can clarify this for me. When I started reading from the start, I noted there was what seemed to me to be a second, unrelated call the morning of Holly's disappearance. There was mentioned a 7:28 call regarding an alarm going off in a family room and 911 was on the phone with a female when the call got disconnected and attempts to call back were unsuccessful. Was there, in fact, a second, unrelated call, but because of the timing and confusion, that home invasion call got intertwined with Holly's 911 calls?

reedus, I don't recall that at all. Do you have a link that I can look at? Thanks so much.

That would explain at least one possible misunderstanding from the very beginning. Was it the Bobo family room?

 

[Oriah]

Isn't that the norm in a missing person case if he was the only eye witness? I don't know what the protocol is. Does LE normally write down the verbal eye witness statements? Not sure why they asked Clint to.

In my experience, it's very common for investigators to ask for a written statement from witness(s) as soon as possible following a presumed crime. Memory is much more fresh when as close timewise to the witness account as possible. It's also very standard to have it done on site in a LE vehicle. Helps to preserve the integrity of a case, if the case should go to court.
Jmvho.

 

[Oriah]

Bumping for Holly and the Bobo family:

http://www.wbbjtv.com/news/local/Holly-Bobo-Search-Continues-178537431.html?skipthumb=Y

 

[dodie20]

The information is taken by the responding officers, verbally. I have never seen a witness sitting at the scene of a crime writing a report. I suspect there is more to the story and there was a very good reason why he was seated there. The typed report is gathered later in the investigation...with help from the officers on how to write it. They generally have to help write it for the witness due to the witness not being savvy writing these types of things. I sure would love to see his first writing. They need to get things in an orderly fashion. Many witnesses are all over the place and don't give a clear sense of what exactly was going on.

I live in a smallish town in Texas, and you wouldn't believe how local LE operates. The couple of times my oldest daughter has filed reports, the cop wrote everything at her desk, pecking slowly away with one finger. My daughter asked if she could help, but was told no, because the cop Had to do it. From our dealings with our local LE, (because of an assault case between my daughter and her bf), they insisted that we Not have any contact with the bf or his family. One day I was sitting here, and thought, 'what the heck?' Not to go against cops, but I'm a grown woman and can decide for myself who I want to talk to, so I called the bf's mother. Anyway, the information I got from her, helped get my daughter's charges thrown out. If I hadn't called her, I doubt I would have found out, because the city cops sure didn't tell us. So, I understand why LE in Holly's case, doesn't share much information...they are building a case and don't want a lot of outside interference, but that outside information might help solve this case. This LE has kept just about Everything from the public and family, but at the same time, they ask for tips. Wouldn't it make more sense for them to share more of what they Do know, (not everything obviously), so a person in the general public would have an idea if some little thing he saw or heard, was important? IDK, but it's disheartening to see that after so long, this case doesn't seem to have moved forward. There was an eyewitness and IMO, he seems credible. His story may seem a little wishy washy, but it's not like he was mentally prepared for his sister to be kidnapped, so he wasn't at his sharpest. IMO, the people closest to this case, just didn't have the time to accomplish what was done... the time frame from Holly being on the phone with her friends, to the time cops got there, is a very small window of time, and everybody close to Holly, seems to be accounted for. IMO, the focus should be on neighbors and Holly's fringe associates...in other words, maybe a friend or relative of one of the neighbors. Somebody who visited the area and had contact, but maybe slipped under the radar. Or maybe a casual friend of the bf's, maybe a brother or uncle of somebody he knew. And this is what seems logical to me...if somebody close to Holly threatened her with a knife or other weapon, her reaction probably would have been less 'compliant' oriented. IMO, it looks like the abductor was somebody out of her comfort zone, somebody whose 'strangerness', had the power to freeze her and make her follow orders? IMO, when somebody close starts violence, the victim usually feels 'comfortable' enough to fight, argue, scream, try to run, etc. IMO, this seems like a case of a young girl being caught completely off guard and ambushed, done by someone she either didn't know at all, or barely knew. moo

 

[wishuwerehere]

I'll try to answer some of your questions from recollection.

1) We don't know if they were texting but according to Karen there were a flurry of phone calls amongst the 3 of them. Karen, Holly and bf.

2) There was a misunderstanding regarding hunting on grandma's property. When bf and his dad arrived, the person (we do not know who this person is) didn't recognize bf and that is when bf called Holly.

3) The timeline was posted on this thread by SmoothOperator. This is the way I understood the events to happen.

Holly leaves the house to go to her car parked in the carport.
Suspect either grabs her as she was walking to the carport or confronts her in the carport.
At some point Holly screams. Clint does not hear the scream but a neighbour does.
Neighbour tells his mom he heard a scream coming from the Bobo home and tells his mom to go check.
Neighbour's mom calls Karen at the school she works. Secretary takes the call and alerts Karen.
I'm guessing and assuming at about this time is when the dog barks and awakens Clint who is unaware of what is going on outside. This is when he looks out and sees Holly with the suspect who he assumes was her bf so he wasn't concerned.
He thought the bf had gone hunting and brought a turkey to show Holly.
At about this time is when I believe Karen calls him to ask what is going on and relays the message she had gotten from the neighbour regarding the scream. Clint tells Karen that Holly is in the carport with Drew. Karen is panicked and tells him it is not Drew. Karen knew it couldn't be Drew because Drew was supposed to be on grandma's property and not anywhere close to the Bobo home. Karen tells Clint to get a gun and go after suspect. This is about the time the neighbour shows up and by that time Holly gone never to be seen again.

As for the 911 calls. I believe Karen, the neighbour and Clint made calls.

We were not told if there was a trail of blood. We were told there was a puddle/pool/specks (all three were used to describe the blood) found in the carport that belonged to Holly.

BBM – I’m not so sure Karen tells Clint about the scream. It would make sense that she would relay this info as soon as Clint picked up the phone. However, it seems Clint was not aware of screams being heard until the neighbor pulled up:

"The thing is there was no turkey," Clint said. "I wondered why they would take the turkey back to the woods unless they were walking back to put the turkey in his truck. I was not worried until the neighbor pulled up and said her son heard screams."

http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/2...olly-Bobo-s-abduction?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1

This issue has always confused me. Was Clint not made aware of the screams until the neighbor arrived? I would appreciate any insight anyone may have regarding Clint’s knowledge of the screams.

 

[Carla Lashelle]

I think the issue is whether or not they took statements but how it was done. Do they normally let the witness write it down in the police vehicle or is the witness questioned, police take down their notes and have them sign the statement.

FWIW, I've seen it done both ways.

yes you can sit in the back of a car and fill out the forms. Or actually they may take you down to the station (away from the hub bub at the crime scene) to get a good statement and interview.

 

[wfgodot]

I don't think we were ever told how it was resolved except that Drew was at work by 8 am.

Has it ever been stated where bf's dad was after the phone calls, a bit later in the day?

 

[reedus23]

BBM – I’m not so sure Karen tells Clint about the scream. It would make sense that she would relay this info as soon as Clint picked up the phone. However, it seems Clint was not aware of screams being heard until the neighbor pulled up:



This issue has always confused me. Was Clint not made aware of the screams until the neighbor arrived? I would appreciate any insight anyone may have regarding Clint’s knowledge of the screams.

It is my recollection that he didn't know about the screams either until the neighbor made mention and that is when CB started to call 911 just as LE was arriving from KB's calls.

 

[HeatherWynne]

The information is taken by the responding officers, verbally. I have never seen a witness sitting at the scene of a crime writing a report. I suspect there is more to the story and there was a very good reason why he was seated there. The typed report is gathered later in the investigation...with help from the officers on how to write it. They generally have to help write it for the witness due to the witness not being savvy writing these types of things. I sure would love to see his first writing. They need to get things in an orderly fashion. Many witnesses are all over the place and don't give a clear sense of what exactly was going on.

Actually, I have been involved in one incident where I was asked, as a witness, to write my firsthand account of what I saw about it. This was after I was questioned, and before LE did any of their own writing or transcribing of what I saw, and of course before the report was typed out. Just my personal experience!

 

[cleo612]

BBM – I’m not so sure Karen tells Clint about the scream. It would make sense that she would relay this info as soon as Clint picked up the phone. However, it seems Clint was not aware of screams being heard until the neighbor pulled up:



This issue has always confused me. Was Clint not made aware of the screams until the neighbor arrived? I would appreciate any insight anyone may have regarding Clint’s knowledge of the screams.

So, the neighbor lady's son (young lad/teen/grown man?) hears a scream and informs his mother. Did she not hear the scream? Where was this male person when he heard the scream? Was he outside of their house or inside where the mother apparently was?

And just out of curiosity, how old is this male person and what was he wearing that morning? If he was outside when he heard the scream, what was he doing? How far was he from where Clint saw Holly and her abductor enter the woods and his own house? Did this male person have a car/vehicle of his own? Did he leave his house at all that day in a vehicle that he drove?

Why did the neighbor lady call Karen at work instead of calling the Bobo home directly to see if something was wrong? Why take that extra step of calling Karen causing valuable time to be lost in trying to ascertain the source of the scream? Did the male person who heard the scream accompany his mother to the Bobo house when she drove over there?

Lots of questions......