Accused of double murder: The grandmother, her boyfriend and the couple who hosted anti-government religious meetings

Summary

In a tragic and shocking case, Tifany Machel Adams and three others have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the killings of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley. The motive appears to be a custody dispute between Adams, the grandmother, and Butler, the mother of Adams' grandchildren. Investigators have detailed the events leading up to the murders and the subsequent investigation.

Background

The custody fight between Adams and Butler had been ongoing for five years, with tensions escalating over time. Butler wanted more access to her children, while Adams did not want her grandchildren to see their mother more than the court-ordered supervised visits on Saturdays. This dispute led to a tragic outcome when Adams, her boyfriend Tad Cullum, and the married couple Cole and Cora Twombly allegedly orchestrated the murder of Butler and Kelley.

Previous Attempts and Planning

In February, Adams and the others had planned to kill Butler at her home by throwing an anvil through her windshield, making it look like an accident. However, Butler did not leave her home, foiling their plan. During this time, Adams conducted online searches on how to get someone out of their house and explored topics such as taser pain levels, gun shops, and prepaid cell phones. She purchased three prepaid burner phones in February and later bought five stun guns in March, shortly after Butler filed for more visitation with her children.

The Day of the Murders

On Easter weekend, Adams gave time off to the usual supervisor of Butler's visits with her children and sent the young children to spend the night elsewhere. On Saturday, March 30, Butler was murdered. Adams claimed that Butler had canceled the visit, but phone records showed that Butler was already in Hugoton, Kansas, to pick up Kelley, who had agreed to supervise the visit. Investigators believe that Adams, Cullum, and the Twomblys lured Butler and Kelley to a remote location in Oklahoma's panhandle.

The Investigation

When Butler did not arrive at a family birthday party, her relatives went looking for her and found her vehicle abandoned about five miles north of the planned meeting place. Officers immediately suspected foul play due to inconsistencies at the scene. They discovered blood, Butler's glasses, and a broken hammer nearby. The victims' phones stopped transmitting at 9:42 a.m., shortly after their arrival at the location.

Testimony from Cora Twombly's Daughter

A crucial witness in the case is the 16-year-old daughter of Cora Twombly. She revealed that her mother, stepfather, Adams, and Cullum were part of an anti-government group called God's Misfits, which met regularly at their homes. The witness overheard conversations about the risk Adams' grandchildren faced if they were with Butler. She also mentioned that Adams provided burner phones to the others to avoid detection and had seen two of the phones charging on her mother's nightstand. The witness confirmed that her mother and stepfather were involved in the killings.

Discovery of the Bodies

Adams picked up her grandchildren from the home where the God's Misfits meetings took place. Meanwhile, Cullum had been working on a property, using a skid steer to cut down a tree, remove a stump, and bury some concrete. Investigators tracked the burner phones to the area where Butler and Kelley disappeared, including a rented pasture where Cullum had been working. They discovered a hole that had been dug, filled back in, and covered with hay. Two sets of remains, confirmed to be Butler and Kelley, were recovered from Texas County, Oklahoma.

Emotional Impact and Court Proceedings

Butler's relatives expressed their grief and disbelief outside the Texas County Courthouse. They questioned how someone could hate the mother of their grandchildren so much as to take her life. Wednesday was initially scheduled for a custody hearing between Adams and Butler, but instead, it became the first court appearance for the accused murderers.