Current:Home > NewsThe bodies of two Kansas women who disappeared in Oklahoma were found in a buried freezer -PrimeWealth Guides
The bodies of two Kansas women who disappeared in Oklahoma were found in a buried freezer
View
Date:2025-04-15 05:32:48
The bodies of two Kansas women who disappeared in Oklahoma were found in a buried freezer, according to recently unsealed court documents.
The bodies of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, both of Hugoton, Kansas, were found April 14 buried on land in rural Texas County and rented by Tad Cullum, who is among five people charged with kidnapping and killing the two women, according to the documents unsealed March 15.
Also found on the land, which Cullum rented for cattle grazing, were articles of clothing, duct tape and a knife, each “with possible blood on them,” in addition to black tape, electrical cord and a combination stun gun/flashlight, according to the documents.
Cullum, 43, his girlfriend Tifany Adams, 54, both of Keyes, Oklahoma; husband and wife Cole Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, of Texhoma, Oklahoma; and Paul Grice, 31, are each charged with two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping and a single count of conspiracy to commit murder.
All are being held without bail and a gag order in the case prohibits attorneys from commenting on the case.
Investigators have said Butler and Adams were in a bitter child dispute over custody of Butler’s children, who are Adams’ grandchildren.
Butler’s attorney told investigators that Butler was likely to be granted unsupervised visitation during a hearing scheduled just more than two weeks after the two disappeared, the documents state.
Butler and Kelley, who was to supervise a visitation with Butler and her children, disappeared March 30 while driving to pick up Butler’s two children from Adams for a birthday party.
The women’s car was found near the rural highway intersection about 260 miles (418 kilometers) from where Butler was to pick up her son and daughter. Butler’s glasses were found near the car and blood was found on the roadway, according to an arrest affidavit.
The buried freezer with the bodies inside was found about 8.5 miles (14 kilometers) from where the car was found and in the area where prepaid cell phones purchased by Adams were traced, according to the court documents.
A witness also told an investigator the Grice had asked him shortly after the bodies were found how long it would take the state lab to process DNA evidence, how long DNA would tast in dirt, how long DNA would last on clothing in dirt in a 15 feet deep hole and if he knew how to get a “guy and his family” into Mexico, according to documents.
The witness told the investigator that Grice said he was concerned about his DNA being in the hole where the bodies were found “because he had been to the Twombly residence.”
Another witness told Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents that all five suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation” known as “God’s Misfits” according to an affidavit.
veryGood! (6155)
Related
- Federal appeals court upholds $14.25 million fine against Exxon for pollution in Texas
- You’ll Be Enchanted by Travis Kelce’s Budding Bromance With Taylor Swift’s Backup Dancer
- 'Slow-moving disaster': Midwest rivers flood; Rapidan Dam threatened
- Toyota recalls 145,000 Toyota, Lexus SUVs due to an airbag problem: See affected models
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- 2024 Euros: 'Own goals' lead scorers in group stage
- Midwest flooding devastation comes into focus as flood warnings are extended in other areas
- Tesla issues 2 recalls of its Cybertruck, bringing total number to 4
- Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
- Judge allows disabled voters in Wisconsin to electronically vote from home
Ranking
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Episcopal Church is electing a successor to Michael Curry, its first African American leader
- Consolidated, ‘compassionate’ services pledged for new Illinois Department of Early Childhood
- Kansas official hopeful that fire crews can control a blaze at a recycling center
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Justin Timberlake Shares First Social Media Post Since DWI Arrest
- Selma Blair Turns Heads With Necktie Made of Blonde Braided Hair at Paris Fashion Week
- Stock market today: World shares advance after Nvidia’s rebound offsets weakness on Wall St
Recommendation
EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
Amazon wants more powerful Alexa, potentially with monthly fees: Reports
Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox Are True Twin Flames for Summer Solstice Date Night
How can a company accommodate religious holidays and not compromise business? Ask HR
DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
Monsoon storm dumps heavy rain in parts of Flagstaff; more than 3,000 customers without electricity
To understand Lane Kiffin's rise at Mississippi, you have to follow along with Taylor Swift
Post Malone announces F-1 Trillion concert tour: How to get tickets