Texas County, Oklahoma – Newly released court documents shed light on the motive and evidence behind the alleged murder-kidnapping of two women from Kansas. The affidavit of probable cause was disclosed on Monday for the arrest warrants of four suspects connected to the disappearance and killing of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39.
The four individuals in custody are Tad Bert Cullum, 43; Tifany Machel Adams, 54; Cole Earl Twombly, 50; and Cora Twombly, 44. According to investigators, Butler was embroiled in a contentious custody battle with Adams’ son, who is the father of Butler’s two children.
The custody dispute between Butler and Rickman, Adams’ son, initiated in February 2019. Recordings from previous child custody cases revealed supposed death threats made by Rickman’s mother, Adams, and her boyfriend, Cullum. On the day of their disappearance, Kelley was assigned to supervise the court-ordered custody exchange between Butler and Adams.
Evidence of severe injury was found near the women’s abandoned vehicle in rural Oklahoma, close to the Kansas border. Blood on the roadway, Butler’s glasses south of the vehicle, and a pistol magazine inside Kelley’s purse were among the findings. Despite the magazines, no gun was recovered at the scene.
The court documents point to Cora and Cole Twombly, along with Adams, as members of an anti-government group named “God’s Misfits.” An anonymous teenager reported the Twomblys’ possible involvement in the crime to authorities, claiming to have overheard Cora confess her role in the deaths.
Two unidentified bodies were discovered in rural Texas during the investigation. The bodies will undergo examination by the Oklahoma Chief Medical Examiner’s Office to determine their identities and causes of death. The suspects are set to appear in court on Wednesday for their preliminary hearings.