Bodies found in rural Oklahoma have been positively identified as those of two Kansas women who were reported missing last month, authorities said.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday that the state's chief medical examiner has confirmed the remains are those of 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jillian Kelly.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones and everyone in their community.” Ozbi said: on social media platform X.
The women may have died as a result of a custody battle and may have gone missing while on their way to pick up one of the couple's children from a birthday party in Oklahoma last month, court documents say. It was revealed on Monday.
The bodies of the Hugoton, Kansas, women were found in Texas County, Oklahoma, the same jurisdiction where their vehicle was found last month.
“This was a tragedy for everyone involved,” Aungella Spurlock, director of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, told reporters. “My condolences to the family.”
OSBI stated: Statement regarding X On Sunday, the deputy, along with Texas County Sheriff's Office personnel, said they had recovered the body in a rural area of the county.
On Saturday, four people were booked into a Texas county jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the investigation. The suspects were later formally charged.
OSBI identified them as Tad Burt Karam, 43. Tiffany Machelle Adams, 54 years old. Cole Earl Twombly, 50 years old. The four were arrested in Cimarron County, which borders Texas County.
Court documents do not list attorneys for any of the four. The suspect's first court appearance was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Texas County Court.
The Texas county public defender's office did not immediately respond to an email request for comment Tuesday night, and no one answered a phone call.
According to an affidavit from OSBI Special Agent Jason Ott, Adams had been in a “custody dispute” with Butler, who had two children with Adams' son, Wrangler Rickman.
Ott's affidavit in support of Adams' arrest said Butler supervised visits with the children every Saturday and was on his way to one such visit with his friend Kelly on March 30.
“Mr. Butler had planned to take his daughters to a birthday party, but when they did not arrive, the family began looking for Mr. Butler,” the affidavit states.
Butler's car was found in Texas County and showed signs of a violent struggle, officials said. There were bloodstains on the ground nearby, and Butler's glasses were also “found on the road south of the vehicle, near a broken hammer,” Ott wrote.
Rickman was “in a rehab facility in Oklahoma City” at the time of her disappearance, according to the affidavit, but does not appear to be a suspect.
Rickman also had an argument with his mother, Adams, according to the affidavit. Ott said Adams sometimes took custody of her children, and even though Rickman had legal custody, she refused to surrender them.
A key witness in the case is Cora Twombly's 16-year-old daughter.
Cora Twombly said the girl, identified as CW, and the suspect's husband, Cole Twombly, told her on March 29 that they would not be home when she woke up the next morning because they were on a “mission.” Court Affidavit.
When the couple returned home around noon, they asked their daughter to clean their Chevrolet pickup truck, according to the affidavit.
“The CW asked Cora what happened and was told that things didn't go as planned but that there was no need to worry about her.” [Butler] “CW was told that Cora and Cole blocked the road in order to stop Butler and Kelly and deliver them to Adams,” court documents state. [and] It was Callum… The CW asked about Kelly and why she had to die, to which she replied that Cora had been supporting Butler so she wasn't innocent either. CW asked Cora if their bodies were put in the well, and Cora replied, “Something like that.'' ”
According to the affidavit, Adams purchased three prepaid cell phones from Walmart on February 13th, and all three were located “at the location of Butler's car at the time of his disappearance and at the last location of Butler and Kelly. It was in a known location.” ”
According to OSBI, Butler and Kelley were the subject of an Endangered Species Missing Advisory issued by Oklahoma authorities on March 30 after the vehicle they were traveling in was found in a Texas county. Ta.
Texas County Sheriff Matt Boley did not provide many details about the alleged crime when he met with reporters Monday morning, but said Butler and Kelley were the victims of a “targeted” attack and authorities said other He said he did not believe the person's case. The public was at risk.
“We felt this was not a hit-or-miss deal,” Boley said. “Depending on the information that was coming in, we felt like it was more targeted, so we started looking at that area.”
Garrett R. Oates, an attorney who has represented Butler in the past, said the story highlights the bitter nature of custody battles.
“This case highlights the magnitude of the conflict, stress and decisions involved in child custody litigation,” he said in a statement. “This case has been contentious from the beginning and has become more contentious over time. It’s gotten bigger,” he said.
He continued, “I am so saddened by the loss of my client Veronica. I know all she wanted was to love her children.”