A few headstones at every location call out to me in one way or another. A vibe I get, the look of the stone or its location at the site, but often it is a stone with a photo on it. Lafferty Cemetery was no exception. Both stones I dug into had photos but one checked all the boxes, the look, the location the vibe I got and it had several photos. I want to stress I do not research the sites before I visit all of these stones are selected without prior knowledge.
Holly Lynn Bobo
10/12/1990 ~ 4/13/2011
This stone caught my eye before I even got to the parking lot. Jet black with bright blue flowers on either side it definitely drew my attention. It was a short distance from where I parked and I wandered over as I began my visit. The stone features several photos of a young blonde woman and by the dates I could tell she died very young (20yo). As I moved to the back of the stone there were 4 more photos of the young woman along with her first name, a cross and a bible verse. As I took a moment to observe the stone I had the feeling something tragic had happened and there was a story to be told. When I returned home and dug into her story I was shocked by what I found.
After using AI to search the web to learn about Holly this is what I determined. I have no opinion on her death, the case or trials of her suspected murders. This was merely a random headstone I came across and this is the story I found:
Holly Lynn Bobo was born on October 12, 1990. She was the daughter of Dana and Karen Bobo and the sister of Clint Bobo. She grew up in Darden, Tennessee, where she attended Scotts Hill High School and graduated as valedictorian of her class. She was a nursing student at the University of Tennessee at Martin Parsons Center.
She disappeared on April 13, 2011, from her family home in Darden, Tennessee. She was last seen alive by her brother Clint shortly before 8 a.m., walking into the woods outside her home with a man wearing camouflage. Her brother initially thought that the man was her boyfriend but later realized that he was a stranger who had abducted her.
Her disappearance sparked a massive search effort involving hundreds of volunteers, law enforcement agencies, and media outlets. Her case received national attention and became one of the most high-profile missing person cases in Tennessee history.
Her remains were found in September 2014 in the woods after a hunter stumbled upon her skull. Her family held a small private service to bury the remains, which they received in January 2018, in Lafferty Cemetery.
Two men, Zachary Adams and Jason Autry, were indicted for kidnapping, raping, and killing Holly Bobo in 2014. A third man, Dylan Adams, was also charged with facilitating her murder in 2017. Zachary Adams was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 50 years in September 2017. Jason Autry testified against Zachary Adams as part of a plea deal and was sentenced to eight years in prison in December 2017. Dylan Adams entered an Alford plea to facilitating murder and was sentenced to 35 years in prison in January 2018.
As I researched I found that there was and continues to be controversy about what happened, how the investigation was handled, and the outcome of the trials. I have included a list of links at the bottom of this post if you would like to look into the story further.
Brasher
Myrtle M.~1894-1988___Elison C.~1885-1925___Lois N.~1910-1919
The other Stone here that caught my eye was a memorial to 3 people, The Brasher Family. There were photos of both Myrtle and Elison. One of the things that stood out to me more than the photos was that Myrtle outlived her daughter by 69 years and her husband by 63. The stone was in fantastic condition and flanked by vases with yellow flowers. I love looing at these old photos.
When I search the internet for the stories of their lives this is what search results returned.
Myrtle M Brasher
Myrtle M Brasher was born in 1894, probably in Decatur County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of M. V. and M. C. Brasher, who are also buried in Lafferty Cemetery1. She had at least two brothers, Ben M. and R. A. Brasher1.
She married Elison C. Brasher, who was likely her cousin, as they shared the same surname and had common ancestors1. They had at least one child, Lois N. Brasher, who was born in 19101.
Myrtle outlived both her husband and her daughter, who died in 1925 and 1919 respectively1. She died in 1988 at the age of 94 and was buried next to them in Lafferty Cemetery1.
Elison C Brasher
Elison C Brasher was born in 1895, probably in Decatur County, Tennessee. He was the son of W. R. and S. E. Brasher, who are also buried in Lafferty Cemetery1. He had at least two brothers, Joseph L. and David Brasher, who died as infants in 1883 and 1881 respectively1.
He married Myrtle M. Brasher, who was likely his cousin, as they shared the same surname and had common ancestors1. They had at least one child, Lois N. Brasher, who was born in 19101.
Elison died in 1925 at the age of 30 and was buried next to his wife and daughter in Lafferty Cemetery1. The cause of his death is unknown.
Lois N Brasher
Lois N Brasher was born in 1910, probably in Decatur County, Tennessee. She was the only child of Myrtle M. and Elison C. Brasher1.
She died in 1919 at the age of nine and was buried next to her parents in Lafferty Cemetery1. The cause of her death is unknown.
Conclusion
The headstone of Myrtle M., Elison C., and Lois N. Brasher in Lafferty Cemetery tells a story of a family that faced tragedy and loss at a young age. It also shows the resilience of Myrtle, who survived for more than six decades after losing her husband and daughter.The headstone is a reminder of the fragility and preciousness of life, as well as the importance of preserving the memory of our ancestors.
Prepared by an automated records search program that I use to research peoples lives. Results can sometime contain inaccuracies. Please email me here: gravemarker1@gmail.com with any corrections.
Links for further research into the Holly Bobo case:
- Murder of Holly Bobo – Wikipedia – This is a comprehensive article that summarizes the case, the investigation, the arrests, the trials, and the controversies surrounding the prosecution and the evidence.
- Mother of two sons accused of killing Tennessee student Holly Bobo: ‘They’re not murderers’ – ABC News – This is an interview with Cindy Adams, the mother of Zach and Dylan Adams, who both were charged with Holly Bobo’s murder. She defends her sons and claims they are innocent.
- Prosecutor: Accused told friend he kidnapped, raped Holly Bobo – USA Today – This is a report on the first day of Zach Adams’ trial, where the prosecution presented its opening statement and the testimony of Holly Bobo’s father, Dana Bobo.
- Holly Bobo trial: Defendant found guilty of murder, kidnapping and rape – USA Today – This is a report on the verdict of Zach Adams’ trial, where he was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to life plus 50 years in prison.
- Holly Bobo’s Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her? – The Cinemaholic – This is a brief overview of the case and its outcome, with some background information on Holly Bobo and her family.