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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Zach Adams, serving a life sentence for the murder of Holly Bobo, said in his first interview with a Tennessee news operation that he had no idea who killed the nursing student, even though he agreed to a plea deal in order to avoid the death penalty.

Adams, speaking by phone in prison at the Morgan County Correctional Complex, said the plea deal was only for his sentence and has maintained, since his arrest, that he was innocent of the crime.

“If you say you’re innocent - who killed Holly Bobo?” asked WSMV4 Investigates.

“I have no idea. I have absolutely no idea,” Adams said.

Adams’ interview is also the first time he’s answered questions following the video of his friend Jason Autry recanting his testimony from the Bobo trial.

Autry testified that he served as a lookout for Adams as he murdered Bobo, but now says he lied about it in order to get a shorter prison sentence.

In a video recanting his testimony, Autry said he feels guilty lying about Adams.

“That’s the worst I ever felt in my life coming back. Knowing that you just lied and put an innocent man in prison,” Autry said.

“Jason Autry is an admitted liar. He has a lengthy criminal history. So why should anybody believe him now?” asked WSM4 Investigates.

“Why would he have reason to lie now? He had everything to gain by lying the first time. Now he has nothing to gain by lying. Absolutely nothing,” Adams said.

Adams also said he hopes that Autry’s recanting will release both him and his brother Dylan, from prison.

But WSMV4 Investigates pointed out to Adams that it wasn’t just Autry who said he killed Bobo.

A fellow inmate testified at trial that Zach Adams asked him to relay a message to Dylan, Adams’ brother, who was also charged with Bobo’s murder.

“And that message: Stay quiet, or you would put him in a hole beside her. So how do you explain that?”

“I was pretty angry that day. I was real angry that day,” Adams said. “Anybody can get on the stand and say, he said this, he said that. That’s why you’re supposed to get on there and testify.”

“So why didn’t you?” asked Finley.

“I was advised by my lawyers not to,” Adams said.

Adams’ own ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Earp, also testified that Adams had threatened her.

“(Rebecca said) she heard you say that law enforcement would never be able to find (Holly). She says after you broke up, you threatened to tie her up, just like you did to Holly,” asked WSM4 Investigates.

“There were comments made that were taken out of context. Never did I say, I did this. I did that,” Adams said.

“This is your ex-girlfriend, why would she say that?” asked WSMv4 Investigates.

“Just - just - we was arguing. Just to get a point across to quit arguing,” Adams said.

WSMV4 Investigates also reminded Adams about his own criminal history.

“There is no easy way to put this, Zach, so I’m just going to tell it like it is. You have a lengthy criminal history. You have a lengthy history of using drugs...”

“I do,” Adams said. “There’s really no violence in my criminal background. There might be a domestic assault or something.”

“You were accused of even attacking a family member. Shooting at your mother, I believe. That’s violent,” said WSMV4 Investigates.

“It was my fault and it was an accident,” Adams said.

“Is there any proof that you weren’t involved in this murder?” asked WSMv4 Investigates.

“I think before all this is over with, we’ll have a little proof,” Adams said.

“I know that you say you’re innocent, but Autry’s recanting, then you asking for a new trial, is clearly going to be devastating to the Bobo family. So what would you say to the Bobo family?” asked WSMV4 Investigates.

“Tell them to think about my family. Think about an innocent person being in prison for something they didn’t do. And the real person still being out there,” Adams said.

Following Autry’s recorded recanting, Adams’ attorney has now asked for a new hearing citing new evidence, and a judge is considering now whether to grant that request.