Tennessee investigators and the mother of a nursing student missing for two years say a purse found this week is not that of missing nursing student Holly Bobo.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Kristin Helm said Friday that Bobo's mother had seen a photo of the recovered purse two days ago and thought it was her daughter's. But after seeing it in person Friday, Karen Bobo said it wasn't.
Neighborhood dogs had found the purse in the hills in west Tennessee on Wednesday, prompting a search for other clues. But nothing was found.
Major breakthrough: A dog found what was believed to be nursing student Holly Bobo's bag (pictured) more than two years after she went missing in rural Tennessee
Tragic beauty: The bright-eyed 20-year-old college student Holly Bobo was allegedly abducted by a man who led her into the woods in April 2011, never to be seen again
Holly Bobo was last seen April 13, 2011, when her brother said he saw a man in hunting clothes leading the 20-year-old into the woods around the family home outside Parsons, about 125 miles northeast of Memphis.
Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation came out in full force Thursday in an effort to locate the place where the dog may have discovered the purse hoping to find additional clues, the station WSMV reported.
The new hunt for Bobo came less than a week after her hometown marked a somber two-year anniversary since her disappearance with a walk and a run in her honor.
Bobo went missing from her home in Darden, Tennessee on the morning of April 13, 2011. Her brother Clint, 25, told police he had seen her being led into the woods by an unknown man wearing hunting camouflage at around 7.30am.
Snatched: It turns out the bag did not belong to Holly, according to her mother and investigators
Keeping the faith: Friends and strangers have been tirelessly spreading the word about Miss Bobo with fliers and pictures adorned with pink ribbons
Sombre benchmark: Investigators thought they had a break in the case less than a week after a two-year anniversary of Bobo's disappearance
Family pulling together: Bobo's parents have been traveling around the state talking about their daughter's case
He called authorities when he saw a small amount of blood in the family's carport where Bobo was believed to be abducted on her way to school.
Clint Bobo said he initially thought she was being taken into the woods by her boyfriend, but became alarmed when he saw the man's arm holding onto his sister and called 911.
John Mehr, spokesman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said in 2011 that officials believe Bobo followed her abductor into the woods without showing resistance because she was 'in fear of her life.'
The reward fund for information leading to Holly's safe return home has swelled to $250,000.
Investigators have claimed they have had 'significant' findings over the past two years, yet none have led to the discovery of Holly.
Her parents have previously said they thought it could have been someone who knew the family and their morning routine.
Home turf: The tattered pink bag turned up near Darden, Tennessee, about a mile from Bobo's home
New search: Authorities returned to the rugged area in Decatur County hoping to find the spot where the dog discovered the purse
Fresh start: Officials returned to the rugged area around Bobo's home, which previously had been scoured by hundreds of volunteers
After her disappearance, more than a thousand volunteers searched nearby wooded area, and especially Natchez Trace State Park, for clues, Fox News.
Authorities armed with high-resolution imaging equipment scoured lakes and ponds, but to no avail.
Bobo's mother, Karen, quit her job as a teacher to devote her time to spreading the word about her daughter's abduction.Holly is 5 feet 3 inches with shoulder-length blonde hair and weighs around 110lbs. She was wearing a pink shirt and blue jeans at the time of her abduction.