A chilling and tragic story has unfolded in Kansas and Oklahoma, revealing the horrifying deaths of two mothers who went missing on a road trip earlier this year. Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, were last seen on March 30. They were on their way to pick up their kids when they vanished. Weeks later, their bodies were found in a chest freezer buried in a cow pasture near the Oklahoma-Kansas border.
Recently, Veronica Butler’s autopsy report was released, shedding light on the brutality of her death. The report, conducted by the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, revealed she suffered 30 sharp-force injuries, including nine stab wounds. At least ten of these wounds were defensive, showing that Butler fought fiercely for her life, even grabbing the knife blade with her right hand in a desperate attempt to defend herself. The report concluded that her death was likely quick due to severe injuries to her internal jugular veins. Tragically, investigators believe she was already dead before being placed in the freezer.
This report comes just weeks after Jilian Kelley’s autopsy revealed similar details about her death. Kelley had multiple stab wounds and cuts, also suggesting she tried to fight back before succumbing to her injuries. Investigators believe she, too, was already deceased when placed in the freezer.
Their mysterious disappearance and the grim discovery of their bodies shocked their communities. It wasn’t long before the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) arrested five people connected to the murders. Among them were Tad Bert Cullum, 43, Tifany Machel Adams, 54, Cole Earl Twombly, 50, Cora Twombly, 44, and Paul Grice, 31.
Disturbingly, Adams is the grandmother of Butler’s two children, and investigators believe the motive was to gain custody of the kids. At the time, the children were in the custody of Adams’ son, Wrangler Rickman, who was reportedly in rehab when Butler and Kelley disappeared. Court documents suggest Butler was close to being granted unsupervised visitation with her kids, which might have sparked the horrifying chain of events.
The group is linked to a religiously affiliated anti-government organization called “God’s Misfits,” though it’s unclear if Paul Grice was part of the same group. All five suspects are accused of conspiring to commit the murders. Prosecutors are pushing for a joint preliminary hearing, arguing the crimes were a group effort.
The Twomblys, Cullum, and Adams are scheduled to appear in court on December 17, when a judge will decide if there’s enough evidence to move forward with a trial. Grice, who waived his preliminary hearing, will have his day in court in February 2025.
This case has left a community heartbroken, and many are closely following the legal proceedings, hoping for justice for Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley.
