Bodies of Two Missing Kansas Women Found in Freezer in Oklahoma

The remains of two Kansas women who vanished in the Oklahoma Panhandle in March were discovered in a chest freezer buried in a cow pasture, according to court records related to five suspects charged with murder and kidnapping.

Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, who was Butler’s court supervisor in a children's custody case, disappeared on March 30. Their bodies were found on April 14 on a property in Texas County, Oklahoma, less than 10 miles from their last known location. This discovery was detailed in an affidavit filed by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation during the application for a search warrant last week.

Discovery and Investigation

It took authorities a full day to locate the bodies after excavation began, as noted in court records. Along with the bodies, personal items that did not belong to Butler or Kelley were found in the burial site.

“A chest freezer was excavated and opened. Within the chest freezer, the bodies of Butler and Kelley were located,” the affidavit stated.

Arrests and Charges

Five individuals have been arrested and are currently held without bond at the Texas County Jail in Guymon. The suspects are Tifany Adams, 54; her boyfriend, Tad Bert Cullum, 43; Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and his wife, Cora Twombly, 44; and Paul Grice, 31. They face charges including two counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and two counts of kidnapping, according to court records.

Tim Laughlin, executive director of the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System, stated that all suspects except Cullum are represented by public defenders. Laughlin declined to comment further, and efforts to reach Cullum’s listed attorney were unsuccessful.

Background and Custody Dispute

The affidavit reveals that Butler and Adams were embroiled in a contentious custody dispute over Butler’s two children, which began in February 2019. Adams is the mother of the children’s father, adding complexity to the dispute.

Butler had recently requested extended visitation rights and was likely to receive unsupervised visitation at an upcoming court hearing scheduled for April 17, her lawyer told the State Bureau of Investigation.

Evidence and Scene Details

On the day Butler and Kelley disappeared, Butler had planned to take her daughter to a birthday party. Butler's relatives later found her abandoned 2009 Nissan Altima near Highway 95. Evidence of a "severe injury" was documented near the car, including blood on the roadway, Butler’s glasses, a broken hammer, and a pistol magazine inside Kelley’s purse, although no pistol was recovered.

Authorities issued an “endangered missing advisory” later that day. The investigation revealed that Adams had purchased three prepaid cellphones in February, all of which were located in the area where Butler's car was found around the time the women disappeared.

Additional Findings and Allegations

Search warrants indicated that authorities collected evidence, including several items of clothing and materials that may have blood on them, such as Wrangler blue jeans with a black belt, a brown sweatshirt, a black hooded sweatshirt, a reddish-pink sweatshirt, and a roll of duct tape.

A 16-year-old witness told investigators that the suspects were part of an "anti-government group" with a "religious affiliation" named "God’s Misfits," and that meetings were sometimes held at the Twomblys' residence.

A Facebook page linked to the group stated: "We are NOT & have never been part of anything in Oklahoma. We are husband & wife spreading Jesus."

Current Status and Ongoing Investigation

A spokesperson for the State Bureau of Investigation confirmed Wednesday that there are no additional suspects. Court records indicate that Cullum had rented the property where Butler and Kelley were found for cattle grazing.

The tragic discovery of Butler and Kelley’s bodies has intensified scrutiny of the custody dispute and the suspects' motivations, highlighting the complexities and dangers involved in such cases. The ongoing investigation aims to uncover further details and bring justice to the victims and their families.