Four individuals are scheduled to appear in court for the first time on Wednesday morning in connection with the alleged kidnapping and killing of two women in Oklahoma last month. The case is said to involve a religious anti-government group and a custody battle.
The charges relate to the disappearances and deaths of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, who went missing while driving from Hugoton, Kansas, to Four Corners, Oklahoma, to pick up Butler’s children. Their abandoned vehicle was discovered near Highway 95 and Road L in Texas County.
Over the weekend, the bodies of the two women were found in the same county, as confirmed by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The suspects, Tifany Machel Adams, Tad Bert Cullum, Cole Earl Twombly, and Cora Gayle Twombly, were arrested on charges including first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder.
Adams, who is the grandmother of Butler’s children, was involved in a custody dispute with Butler. Additionally, Adams and Cullum were in a relationship, while the Twomblys are a married couple. The defendants are reported to be part of an anti-government group with religious ties known as “God’s Misfits.”
According to statements from Cora Gayle Twombly’s daughter, the group met regularly, sometimes at the Twomblys’ residence. The daughter also revealed that the defendants had made previous attempts to harm Butler.
Investigations uncovered web searches on Adams’ phone related to weapons and methods to incapacitate individuals. Adams had purchased stun guns and prepaid cell phones leading up to the disappearances of Butler and Kelley.
The FBI's Oklahoma City field office is assisting in the investigation with a dedicated team of personnel. The defendants remain in custody pending their court appearance.
