A county Republican Party chair, who also happened to be a grandmother, is facing accusations of involvement in the kidnapping and deaths of two Kansas women. It is alleged that she belonged to an anti-government religious group called “God’s Misfits” and had purchased five stun guns and three burner phones in the weeks leading up to her arrest.
Tifany Machel Adams, a 54-year-old resident of Keyes, is facing serious charges in Texas County District Court. She is accused of committing two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. The victims in this case are Veronica Butler, a 27-year-old, and Jilian Kelley, a 39-year-old.
On March 30, two women disappeared after Butler’s car was discovered abandoned in rural Texas County, Oklahoma. The vehicle was found near Highway 95 and Road L, which is located just south of Elkhart, Kansas and the Oklahoma/Kansas border.
Adams was caught up in a custody dispute with Butler, according to investigators.
According to court documents in a lengthy custody dispute, Adams, who is the mother of Butler’s previous romantic partner, suspected that Butler’s brother was mistreating the couple’s 8- and 6-year-old children.
On the day of her disappearance, Butler’s usual supervisor was unavailable for court-ordered visitation with her kids every Saturday. As a result, another supervisor named Kelley accompanied Butler to pick up her children from Adams.
Butler’s family grew concerned when they failed to hear from her, prompting them to contact the police.
The tragic news broke on Monday, confirming the unfortunate demise of the two women.
Adams’ boyfriend, Tad Bert Cullum, 43, of Keyes, as well as Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, each of Texhoma, are also facing the same charges. It is uncertain if the four individuals have secured legal representation, as per online court records.
According to an arrest warrant’s probable cause affidavit, the OSBI has uncovered that Adams, Cullum, Cole Twombly, and Cora Twombly are members of the anti-government group “God’s Misfits” who held regular meetings.
State Republican leaders have confirmed that Adams held the position of chair for the Cimarron County GOP.
During a press conference on Monday, OSBI spokesperson Hunter McKee expressed the tragic nature of the case, emphasizing the loss of two lives and the brutality of the crime committed by the four individuals involved.
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Disappearance coincides with custody battle
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According to court documents, Adams and Butler were locked in a contentious custody dispute over Butler’s two young children. Notably, the father of the children is Wrangler Rickman, who happens to be Adams’ 26-year-old son.
On the day Butler went missing, Adams was responsible for looking after the children while Butler intended to pick them up at Four Corners near Highway 95 and US-64 in Texas County. She had planned to take her daughter to a birthday party. However, when they failed to show up, the family immediately initiated a search for Butler.
During an interview with the OSBI, Adams claimed that she was at home when Butler and Kelley disappeared. She stated that she had called Butler to confirm the arrangement for picking up the children. However, Butler informed her that something had come up and she wouldn’t be able to make it, as stated in the probable cause affidavit.
According to investigators, Butler was in Hugoton, Kansas, and was in the midst of picking up Kelley to meet Adams.
Adams is accused of instructing one of her visitation supervisors to take a brief vacation so that she could personally interview the children about Butler’s visitation supervisors.
According to an affidavit filed by an OSBI agent, Adams was the last person known to have communicated with Butler. The affidavit states that Adams had a scheduled visitation with Butler and Kelley at 10 a.m. on March 30.
According to the phone records of Butler and Kelley, their devices were actively sending signals to their carriers until approximately 9:42 a.m. After that time, the devices were no longer detected by the networks and ceased transmitting.
No phones were discovered at the scene or inside the vehicle.
Series of death threats preceded disappearance, investigators say
OSBI investigators have reported that the child custody dispute became threatening at certain points.
According to investigators, recordings suggest that Rickman was discussing death threats made by Adams and her boyfriend, Callum, who are both accused in the murder case.
The custody battle began in 2019. In March of this year, motions were filed to request extended visitation for Butler.
On April 17, a hearing was scheduled, during which Butler’s attorney notified the OSBI that there was a strong possibility of Butler being granted unsupervised visitation with her children.
Adams, at times, withheld custody of the children from Rickman, despite the fact that Rickman had legal custody, as per the investigation. There was a prior incident where law enforcement had to intervene when Adams refused to hand over the children to Rickman.
According to Rickman’s grandmother, Debi Knox-Davis, Rickman assured her in February that they didn’t need to worry about the custody battle for much longer, as Adams had everything under control.
According to investigators, Rickman allegedly informed her that Adams was aware of the judge’s route to work and stated, “we will take out Veronica [Butler] at drop off.” However, Rickman denied having such a conversation with Knox.
During the disappearance of Butler and Kelley, Rickman was confirmed to be undergoing rehabilitation in a facility located in Oklahoma City.
Taser pain level, prepaid cell phones in search history
OSBI agents obtained a search warrant for Adams’ cell phone on April 1.
According to their claims, the phone displayed internet searches related to the pain level of Tasers, gun shops, prepaid cellular phones, and ways to remove someone from their house.
The OSBI investigators have stated that Adams bought three prepaid cell phones from the Guymon Walmart on February 3. These phones were found at the same location where Butler’s car was discovered, as well as the last known whereabouts of Butler and Kelley before they went missing.
According to investigators, Adams purchased five stun guns from Big R Stores in Guymon on March 23rd, as revealed by a search conducted at local gun shops.
OSBI: Teen witness reports conversations about homicide
During the investigation on April 3, OSBI investigators had a conversation with Cora Twombly’s 16-year-old daughter.
During the investigation, the teenager revealed that she had overheard conversations among the group, discussing how Butler had failed to protect her children from abuse by Butler’s own brother.
According to the witness, the mother confided in her daughter about her participation in the homicides. The witness claims that the others who were subsequently arrested were also implicated in the crimes, as reported by OSBI.
During the investigation, the girl also mentioned that she had observed two burner phones being charged on her mother’s nightstand in their shared bedroom.
During the investigation, it was eventually uncovered that two disposable phones had been abandoned beneath a dam near a remote property in Texas County. The discovery of a dug-up hole, subsequently refilled and concealed with hay, added to the intrigue surrounding the case.
The night prior to Butler and Kelley’s disappearance, investigators were informed by the girl that Cora Twombly had mentioned that both she and her husband, Cole, would not be at home in the morning. Cora had mentioned that they were embarking on a “mission.”
They drove back to their house in a blue and gray pickup truck and a blue flatbed pickup truck.
According to the affidavit, the daughter was instructed to tidy up the inside of the blue and gray pickup truck, with the explanation that things had not gone as intended.
OSBI investigators have revealed that the woman was informed that her mother and her mother’s husband obstructed the road in order to intercept Butler and Kelley and redirect them towards Adams, Cullum, and another unidentified man, who remains at large.
When her daughter asked if the bodies of Butler and Kelley had been placed in a well, her mother reportedly responded, “Something like that.”
In February, the girl also alleged that there were other attempts on Butler’s life.
According to the affidavit, the four individuals, along with another man who was not apprehended, conspired near Hugoton, Kansas. Their plan was to deliberately throw an anvil through Butler’s windshield while driving, in order to make it appear as an accident. They believed that anvils frequently fall off work vehicles, making it a plausible scenario.
The four defendants are currently being held without bond in the Texas County jail.
During Monday’s press conference, OSBI Director Aungela Spurlock expressed her disappointment with the outcome of the case, stating, “We had hoped for a different ending.” She acknowledged the tragic nature of the situation and extended her heartfelt condolences to the family affected by this unfortunate event.
Timeline of events
On March 30, the Texas County, Oklahoma, Sheriff’s Department took to social media to share a missing poster. The post included detailed descriptions of the women’s physical appearance, as well as accompanying photos.
On March 31, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation revealed that they had been called upon to aid in the investigation of a “suspicious” disappearance in Texas County.
On April 3rd, the OSBI stated that they believe foul play may be involved based on the evidence obtained from the victim’s vehicle.
On April 13, authorities took four individuals into custody in relation to the disappearance of the women. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation confirmed that all four were arrested and subsequently booked in the Texas County jail. Each individual faces charges of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. However, official charges have not yet been filed.
On April 14, the OSBI made an announcement stating that two bodies had been found in rural Texas County. These bodies will now be taken to the Medical Examiner’s Office for identification.
On April 15, officials held a press conference to provide updates on the case. During the conference, they disclosed crucial information outlined in an affidavit that ultimately led to the arrests of the suspects. This document also established a clear connection between the suspects and Butler and Kelley.
Custody battle and group ‘God’s Misfits’ play significant roles in the tragic deaths of missing Kansas moms, according to an affidavit.