Affidavit: Bitter custody battle at center of 2 Okla. women’s deaths
A grandmother who served as a county Republican Party chair and allegedly belonged to “God’s Misfits,” an anti-government religious group, is accused of purchasing five stun guns and three burner phones in the weeks leading up to her arrest in connection with the kidnapping and deaths of two Kansas women.
In Texas County (Oklahoma) District Court, Tifany Machel Adams, 54, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39.
The two women went missing March 30 when Butler’s car was found abandoned in rural Texas County – just south of Elkhart, Kansas, and the Oklahoma-Kansas border.
Investigators say Adams was embroiled in a custody battle with Butler.
Adams, the mother of Butler’s former romantic partner, believed Butler’s brother was abusing the couple’s 8- and 6-year-old children, according to court documents in a prolonged custody dispute.
Butler was granted court-ordered visitation every Saturday, and because her usual supervisor was unavailable on the day of her disappearance, another supervisor, Kelley, went with Butler to pick up her kids from Adams.
When Butler’s family didn’t hear from her later, they called police.
On Monday, the two women were confirmed dead.
Facing the same charges are Adams’ boyfriend, Tad Bert Cullum, 43, as well as Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation discovered that Adams, Cullum, Cole Twombly and Cora Twombly belong to the anti-government group “God’s Misfits” that held regular meetings, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Court documents show Adams and Butler were engaged in a bitter custody battle involving Butler’s two young children. The father of the children is Wrangler Rickman, Adams’ 26-yearold son.
On the day of Butler’s disappearance, Adams had been taking care of the children and Butler planned to pick them up to take her daughter to a birthday party. When they did not arrive, the family began looking for Butler.
When the vehicle was located in rural Texas County, authorities reported blood and Butler’s glasses were found in the roadway near a broken hammer. A pistol magazine was found inside Kelley’s purse at the scene, but no pistol was found.
All four defendants remain in the Texas County jail without bond.