by Chris Conte
CAMDEN, Tenn. - Documents obtained by NewsChannel 5 give more details about the days prior to the arrest of a Decatur County man, whose property was searched last week in connection with missing nursing student Holly Bobo.
Investigators have not named 29-year-old Zachary Adams as a suspect in the disappearance of Holly Bobo, but they spent much of the weekend searching his property on Adams Lane in Decatur County.
According affidavits, law enforcement officials in Benton County pulled over a van being driven by Christopher Bray and Toni Craig on February 24. Officials said the van is owned by Amber Bray, the sister of Zachary Adams' girlfriend.
Benton County Sheriff's Deputies said they found hundreds of pounds of cultured fresh water pearls inside that van. Investigators eventually figured out those pearls were stolen from the family who owns the Tennessee Shell Company in Camden.
On February 26, according to court documents, officers went to a home on Court Street in Camden to question both Christopher Bray and Toni Craig in connection with the stolen pearls. Officials said Zachary Adams opened the door and gave more pearls to authorities he said were stolen.
Documents also revealed both Toni Craig and Christopher Bray were trying to flush the pearls when officers arrived.
Adams was arrested and released on drug related charges only to be arrested once again on February 28 for an assault charge stemming to an incident involving Amber Bray (the owner of the van) back on February 6.
Adams appeared before a judge in Decatur County on that charge Monday. The Jackson Sun reported Adams told the media taking pictures that he "is not the one" as he was leaving the courtroom. According to affiliate reports, Adams was held on a $1 million bond, accused of holding a gun to Amber Bray's head and threatening to "gut" her.
Adams has not been named in the Holly Bobo investigation, but his mother Cindy Adams believes with all the coverage and activity of this property, he's already been convicted in the public eye.
"I probably haven't slept more than eight hours since Friday," said Cindy Adams. "I'm very emotional and not just for Zachary but I have family in Decatur County, and they are having to go through this humiliation also."
Cindy Adams admitted that her son has been mixed up in drugs, but she doesn't believe he's capable of harming another person.
The TBI executed search warrants at various locations in the area early Friday morning in connection with the Bobo disappearance.
Officials with the TBI have been seen using shovels and various other tools to dig and sift through dirt behind a house in Decatur County. After a cadaver dog went over the area, investigators began driving probes down into the ground to see if they might hit upon anything solid.
Several vehicles were also seen being towed away from the area. The owner of either vehicle was not known.
Investigators scaled back the search Monday due to the weather but are expected to resume the search in coming days.
Holly Bobo was last seen at her family's home in Decatur County on April 13, 2011, when her brother told authorities he saw a man in hunting clothes leading the 20-year-old into the woods around the family home.
Anyone with information about Holly's case is urged to call 1-800-TBI-FIND. A $250,000 reward is being offered in the case.
Email: cconte@newschannel5.com
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