Authorities have arrested and charged four people with murder in connection with the disappearance of two women in Oklahoma. They have also found the remains of two bodies. However, officials say they have not identified them yet.
Veronica Butler, 27, and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley were last seen together in a vehicle. Authorities later found their car abandoned by the Texas County, Oklahoma highway. During a news conference on Monday, April 15, 2024, Hunter McKee, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, spoke to reporters on the case.
McKee said there was no chance that the women were still alive. Police arrested Tad Bert Cullum, 43, Tifany Machel Adams, 54, Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44. Officials captured them on Saturday, April 13, and charged them with two counts each of first-degree murder and kidnapping.
Also, police records reveal they face one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. McKee noted no resistance from the suspects when officials arrested them. “There was concern,” he said. “But we are extremely thankful that no one was hurt or injured during this process.”
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According to an unsealed affidavit, Adams is the paternal grandmother of Butler’s children. Before Butler’s disappearance, she and Adams were in a custody battle. Also, according to the affidavit, Callum and Adams were in a relationship.
Authorities say all four suspects belong to an anti-government group called “God’s Misfits.” Officials say the group regularly met at the Twomblys’ home and other locations. The group had allegedly tried to kill Butler before, according to a teenage witness who spoke to investigators.
McKee also revealed that authorities weren’t looking for any additional suspects. “We constantly received several tips and have used those throughout the 14-day process to find these two bodies,” McKee told reporters. “And then also discover and find those responsible for this crime.”
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On Sunday, police discovered the two bodies in Texas County. However, they are yet to identify them. Although McKee said they found the bodies in a rural area, he didn’t provide additional details. A missing person alert reported that Butler and Kelley were last seen traveling together in a vehicle on March 30.
The two reportedly traveled from nearby Kansas to pick up Butler’s children. However, the missing person alert said neither “made it to the pickup location.” According to the unsealed affidavits, Butler only had supervised visits with her children on Saturdays. Hence, Kelley was the supervisor the day the two went missing.
Furthermore, the state’s Bureau of Investigation found the abandoned car the women were traveling in. They reportedly found it along the side of the road near Oklahoma State Highway 95, between Oklahoma and Elkhart, Kansas.
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Days after they found the car, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said that “investigators believe there was evidence to indicate foul play.” During Monday’s news conference, McKee said he could not elaborate on what that evidence was. However, an unsealed affidavit noted that authorities found blood and a broken hammer nearby.
According to the affidavit, Adams searched for “taser pain level, gun shops, and prepaid cellular phones.” She also searched for “how to get someone out of their house.” Furthermore, the affidavit said Adams purchased five stun guns at a local gun shop a week before the incident.
Investigators also found that Adams bought several “burner” phones, and they located all three phones where they located Butler’s car. However, nothing is clear yet, as the investigation into the incident is ongoing. “It is still an ongoing investigation,” McKee said.
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