Overview of S9 Ep11: S9, The State v. Dylan Adams - Episode 6 - Bullet With Butterfly Wings
This episode continues the Undisclosed deep dive into the Holly Bobo prosecution, focusing on how the state built its case around Jason Autry’s testimony — and how that testimony falls apart under scrutiny. Rabia Chaudhry and Colin Miller show that the state’s key corroborating claims about Victor Dinsmore, Zach Adams’ truck, and the murder weapon do not hold up, while also highlighting major defense missteps at trial. The episode ends with a major tease: undisclosed videos that could materially affect Dylan Adams’ plea and the broader timeline of events.
Main Focus of the Episode
Jason Autry’s story is the backbone of the state’s case
The episode centers on Jason Autry’s account of events on the day Holly Bobo disappeared, especially his claims that:
- he saw Zach Adams, Dylan Adams, and Shane Austin together
- they visited Victor Dinsmore to buy morphine
- Zach hid his white truck at Dinsmore’s place
- Shane’s gun was the murder weapon
- Zach shot Holly on the banks of the Tennessee River
The hosts argue that these claims were not independently corroborated and later unraveled.
The Smashing Pumpkins metaphor
The title refers to “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” used as a metaphor for the apparent futility of fighting a powerful system. In this case, it reflects both:
- the defendants’ struggle against a stacked prosecution
- the state’s “bullet” claims about the murder weapon and shooting scenario, which the hosts argue were ultimately false
Key Evidence Undermining the State’s Case
1. Victor Dinsmore did not corroborate Jason Autry’s account
The prosecution tried to use Victor Dinsmore to confirm Jason Autry’s version of events, but the episode shows several problems:
- Satellite TV timeline conflict: Shane Austin’s phone pings and a satellite installation record place Shane at home during the time Jason claimed they were all elsewhere.
- Morphine claim fails: Dinsmore admitted he sold morphine to the group at times, but denied selling any that morning at Dottie’s.
- Truck-stashing claim fails: He initially denied that Zach hid his white truck at his property.
- Gun claim fails: Dinsmore’s gun descriptions did not match the state’s theory or Jason’s version.
The hosts argue Dinsmore’s eventual “corroboration” came only after heavy pressure from TBI Agent Brent Booth.
2. The truck story collapses
Jason claimed Zach hid his white truck at Dinsmore’s property the day Holly disappeared. But:
- Zach’s truck had been impounded after an earlier arrest at Natchez Trace State Park
- Zach’s grandfather, Dick Adams, testified he retrieved it and stored it elsewhere
- Billy Bell corroborated that the truck was at his mother’s house, not at Dinsmore’s
This undercuts Jason’s story that the truck had been used to transport Holly’s body.
3. The murder weapon theory doesn’t fit
The state and Jason gave inconsistent descriptions of the gun:
- Jason said Shane’s gun was a .357
- Dinsmore referenced a .22, .38, or .32 at different times
- The state ultimately relied on a .32 recovered from water
The episode emphasizes that the recovered .32 did not neatly match the prosecution’s shifting theory, and that Dinsmore’s account was inconsistent and likely unreliable.
The Ballistics Issue: A Critical Trial Failure
A major theme of the episode is the shell casing and skull defect evidence:
- Holly’s skull had a .36-inch exit wound defect
- The state argued this excluded a .38/.380-related round
- The hosts explain that this was misleading, because a .380 bullet itself is closer to the measured defect than the state admitted
- The defense did not object when the prosecutor suggested the .38 was excluded
This is presented as one of the biggest defense failures at trial, because it allowed the jury to believe the casing near Holly’s remains could not have been connected to her death — when it may actually have been a strong fit.
Additional Problems With Jason Autry’s Story
Shane Austin’s trailer details don’t match reality
Jason claimed:
- there was a gate at Shane’s trailer
- Shane was burning things in a burn barrel
- he arrived with Holly’s body there
But testimony showed:
- the gate was installed months later
- Shane did not have a burn barrel
- a neighbor outside mowing the lawn saw nothing suspicious
These details further weaken Jason’s narrative.
Jason later recanted
In a prison interview years later, Jason said:
- he fabricated parts of the story
- he was angry and under pressure
- prosecutors and his lawyers helped shape a version of events that would secure a deal
He admitted he and the team “added Holly to the story” based on his actual movements and phone records. The episode presents this as powerful evidence that his trial testimony was constructed rather than truthful.
Post-Trial Fallout
The episode also covers what happened after Jason’s recantation:
- he later invoked the Fifth Amendment at a hearing
- the defense tried to admit his recantation as a statement against interest
- the court rejected it, accepting the state’s argument that it was unreliable and not sufficiently against his penal interest
The hosts disagree and suggest this remains a strong appellate issue.
Why This Episode Matters
Core takeaways
- Jason Autry’s testimony appears deeply unreliable.
- The state’s attempted corroboration through Victor Dinsmore was weak and possibly coached.
- The truck, morphine, and gun theories all face serious contradictions.
- The defense missed crucial opportunities, especially on the ballistics issue.
- Jason’s later recantation significantly undermines the prosecution’s original narrative.
Ending Tease
The episode closes with a major cliffhanger for Dylan Adams’ case: two videos the state did not disclose before Dylan entered his Alford plea. One appears to show an earlier scene at 4:11 a.m., and another at 11:55 a.m. These undisclosed recordings are positioned as potentially critical to the case and will likely be central in the next installment.