Trial & Error
Criminal defense attorney Dana McLendon III and neuropsychologist Dr. Katie Spirko examine the tragic true story of the abduction and murder of Holly Bobo.
Episodes
Welcome to the Trial & Error podcast, where seasoned criminal defense attorney Dana McLendon III, alongside co-host & forensic neuropsychologist Dr. Katie Spirko, take you on a deep dive into the tragic case of Holly Bobo, and the subsequent wrongful convictions of Zach Adams and his brother Dylan Adams. Holly Bobo’s disappearance in 2011 led to a high-profile investigation, bringing a national media spotlight on what was t...
In the heart-wrenching premiere episode of "Trial and Error," unfold the events of one of Tennessee's most baffling and grim mysteries: the disappearance and murder of 20 year old nursing student Holly Bobo. A serene morning in a small town is shattered, sparking an emotional six-year journey involving relentless law enforcement, a tightly-knit community's hopes and fears, and numerous suspects. Dive into the enthralling investigat...
Dr. Katie Spirko takes you behind the barbed wire fences of Shelby County Penal Farm, where she meets with co-defendant turned star witness for the State, Jason Autry. Now 8 years after the trial and with nothing to gain from changing his story, Jason Autry provides a detailed account of how and why he lied at Zach Adams's 2017 trial for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Holly Bobo, including shocking allegations about who helped...
Join us in Episode 3 of Trial and Error, as hosts Dana McLendon and Dr. Katie Spirko continue their deep dive into the haunting mystery of Holly Bobo's disappearance and murder. This episode brings you to a crucial point in the 2017 trial of Zach Adams, shedding light on the lone trial that sought justice for Holly. Discover how a contentious testimony from Jason Autry shaped the prosecution’s case but left many questions unanswere...
In this gripping episode of 'Trial and Error,' we continue to delve deep into the controversial testimony of Jason Autry, whose words played a pivotal role in the trial of Zach Adams. Journey with us as we dissect the intricacies of Autry's narrative, the peculiar vocabulary choices that suggest coaching, and the implausibilities that cast doubt on his story.
As we unravel the details of a murder trial that captivated the nation, d...
In this bonus episode of the Trial and Error Podcast, co-host Dana McLendon III updates listeners on the recent March 21, 2025, hearing in Zach Adams's post-conviction relief petition. Please also check out our YouTube channel @TrialandErrorPodcast for a YouTube video update on this hearing with Dana and co-host Dr. Katie Spirko.
Join forensic neuropsychologist Dr. Katie Spirko and criminal defense attorney Dana McLendon III in taking a hard look at (multi-convicted serial rapist and kidnapper) Terry Britt - the man long suspected of evading justice for the kidnapping, assault, and murder of Holly Bobo. There is good reason for the suspicion. In Part 1 of this episode, Terry Britt’s background, motives, means, and opportunity for this crime are examined, wi...
Forensic neuropsychologist, Dr. Katie Spirko, and veteran criminal defense attorney, Dana McLendon III, analyze the testimony of Terry Britt, a convicted kidnapping rapist, as this once-prime suspect takes the stand as State’s witness during the trial of Zach Adams. With a history riddled with violent crime and deceit, Britt's testimony is a tangled web of lies. The episode delves into the unsettling contradictions and nerve-wracki...
Join Dr. Katie Spirko and Dana McLendon on a trip to Savannah, TN, for a court hearing and a stop by Zach Adams’ ransacked family home. They are joined by Jennifer Thompson, Zach’s former defense trial attorney, who pulls back the curtain on the flawed investigation and court proceedings leading to his wrongful conviction in 2017. Zach Adams was sent to prison, along with his brother Dylan, without a shred of physical evidence to b...
Step into the heart of a gripping mystery as we uncover the questionable circumstances surrounding Dylan Adams' so-called confession. On the evening of September 17, 2014, special agents Brent Booth and Jeff Jackson listened to Adams narrate a chilling tale, but not everything was as it seemed. In this episode, we delve into the intricate web woven by law enforcement and another curious figure, Dennis Benjamin, whose influence on t...
Join Dana McLendon, the co-host of the Trial and Error Podcast, as he provides an exclusive update on the high-stakes legal battle in the case of State v. Zachary Adams. In this gripping episode, listeners are taken to the eve of a crucial post-conviction relief hearing, set to unravel the troubling details of a controversial trial.
More than a decade after the tragic disappearance and murder of Holly Bobo, Zach Adams stands at the...
Dana McLendon provides an update on the hearing for Zach Adams' Post-Conviction Relief petition.
In her first announcement since trial dates in the Zach Adams vs. State of Tennessee post-conviction relief petition commenced, Dr. Spirko explains why she can no longer discuss the case, and what is happening to the podcast in light of this latest development.
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In this gripping episode, with Dr. Katie Spirko under a sequestration order barring her from discussing the case, co-host Dana McLendon takes you on a solo journey through the shocking second half of Dylan Adams' coerced and verifiably false confession. Even the TBI admits Dylan's account of events cannot be true. As tensions rise, delve into the intense (and intensely ridiculous) interrogation led by Tennessee Bureau of Investigat...
As Dr. Katie Spirko remains under a court-imposed sequestration order, join co-host Dana McLendon on the latest episode of the Trial & Error podcast. This episode peels back the curtain to expose the questionable investigation and interrogation tactics underlying the testimony of another key witness in the 2017 State of Tennessee vs Zach Adams trial: Victor Dinsmore. Join Dana in examining raw audio footage of Victor Dinsmore's...
This episode continues to delve into the heart-wrenching case of 20-year-old nursing student Holly Bobo, who was abducted from her family home on April 13, 2011. This heinous crime sparked the most expensive and exhaustive investigation in Tennessee’s history, yet justice has never been achieved. Three years after her disappearance, Holly’s skeletal remains were discovered in an area pinpointed by US Marshals Senior Investigator Jo...
Trial attorney and co-host Dana McLendon III provides recent court updates and takes you through the August 14, 2025, testimony of Jerry Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez provided a jaw-dropping account of his experiences as co-counsel for Zach Adams in the 2017 trial of Zach Adams for the 2011 kidnapping, assault, and murder of 20-year-old nursing student Holly Bobo from Darden, Tennessee.
With Zach Adams's post-conviction relief hearing over, Dr. Spirko is finally off her sequestration order and rejoining the podcast. In this episode, she brings you back to the Hardin County Courthouse in Savannah, TN, for attorney Doug Bates's closing statement before Judge Brent Bradberry.
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