Four people were arrested in connection with the murder and kidnapping of two Kansas moms, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, who went missing on May 30. Their bodies were found on Sunday, confirming their deaths. Butler and Kelley disappeared on their way to pick up Butler’s children from their paternal grandmother for a birthday party. Custody battle issues seemed to be at the center of the case, as Butler was in a custody battle with her ex-boyfriend, who had custody of the children. Kelley was scheduled to supervise a visit between Butler and her children on the day they went missing.
The four individuals arrested in connection with the case were identified as Tifany Machel Adams, her boyfriend Tad Bert Cullum, and a married couple, Cole Earl Twombly and Cora Twombly. The four were part of a religious anti-government group called God’s Misfits, according to Cora Twombly’s daughter. Evidence of a serious injury was found in and near Butler’s car, including blood on the road and a broken hammer. Investigators also found a pistol magazine in Butler’s purse, but no sign of the gun. An affidavit revealed that burner phones used by the suspects were tracked to a private property where evidence of a dug hole was found.
The investigation also revealed that Adams had made purchases related to prepaid phones, tasers, and stun guns. The Twomblys’ 16-year-old daughter reportedly told investigators that her parents, Adams, Cullum, and another individual were involved in the deaths of Butler and Kelley. The bodies were found in rural Texas County, and authorities have not disclosed the identities of the bodies or the cause and manner of their deaths pending a report from the medical examiner. Butler and Kelley were confirmed dead, and law enforcement agencies expressed condolences to their families.
Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley were residents of Hugoton, Kansas, and both had ties to the local community. Kelley’s husband is a pastor at a local church, and she had four children. The defendants are currently being held without bond at the Texas County Jail in Guymon, Oklahoma. It is unclear whether they have retained legal representation at this time. The case continues to unfold as authorities piece together the events leading up to the deaths of Butler and Kelley. The community is left shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of the two mothers.
