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Two women lured to their deaths in rural Oklahoma by a group called “God’s Misfits” did not die from gunshot wounds, according to a new report.
Yet how Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, were murdered remains unclear. Their bodies were found buried on a pasture on 14 April, after disappearing two weeks prior on their way to a pre-arranged, supervised custody visit. Ms Kelley was acting as a supervisor for Butler’s visit with her children.
Officials in Oklahoma have confirmed that the bodies are Butler and Kelley but were not able to be reached on Friday by The Independent to confirm cause of death. The Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation, which is leading inquires, declined to comment.
However, a report this week by NewsNation, cited the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office as confirming that the victims were “not shot”, adding that an official cause of death is still pending.
Five people have now been charged with the women’s kidnap and murders, including the paternal grandmother of Butler’s children, Tifany Adams, who has custody of the two children, as well as her partner Tad Bert Cullum, and a married couple, Cole Earl Twombly and Cora Twombly.
This week, Paul Grice, 31, was also charged with murder. During interviews with state investigators, Grice admitted that he was part of the planning and killing of the two women, according to a law enforcement affidavit seen by local TV station KFDA.
The affidavit goes on to say that Mr Grice was involved in the “subsequent burial” of the two victims. Butler and Kelley were buried in a hole on a pasture, below a dam, according to court documents obtained by The Independent. Burner phones, purchased by Ms Adams, pinged from the burial site location a few hours after the women disappeared.
The land belongs to Jamie Beasley, the court documents revealed. He has not been named a suspect in the case.
The five murder suspects were part of a group called “God’s Misfits”, according to court filings, with Ms Twombly’s daughter describing them as “anti-government” and with religious influence to investigators.
The group often met at the Twomblys’ home and another couple’s house. Investigators says Ms Butler’s children were at the second couple’s home on the morning of 30 March during their scheduled visit with their mother.
Ms Butler was in the midst of a “problematic” custody battle with Ms Adams who was looking after the two children. The father of the children is Wrangler Rickman, Ms Adams’ son, who is currently in a rehab facility, the affidavit said.
Butler and Kelley disappeared on 30 March in Texas County, Oklahoma, on their way to pick up Ms Butler’s two children from Adams.
Investigators believe the group, armed with “stun-guns”, intercepted and then kidnapped Butler and Kelley, taking them elsewhere to be killed.
Police say that the Twomblys blocked a road with their vehicle and diverted the women away from the arranged pick-up point on to a quiet side road, at least ten miles from the nearest large town, where Ms Adams and Mr Cullum were lying in wait.
A few hours after they went missing, relatives of the two women sounded the alarm. Their car was found abandoned at the side of the desolate highway with indications that someone had suffered a “severe injury”. Blood was on the ground alongside Ms Butler’s glasses, a broken hammer, and Ms Kelley’s purse with a pistol magazine inside but no gun.
Ms Adams, 54, Mr Cullum, 43 Mr Twombly, 50, Ms Twombly, 44, and Mr Grice, 31, have all been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two countd of kidnapping and one of conspiracy to murder.
According to court documents and police affidavits, there had been a long-running plot to kill Ms Butler.
Mr Rickman’s grandmother, Debi Knox-Davis, told investigators that he claimed “that they didn’t have to worry about the custody battle much longer, because Adams had it under control” and would “take out” Ms Butler during a drop-off of the children. He denied having this conversation when questioned later, documents showed.
Ms Twombly’s teenage daughter, known as “CW” in filings, told investigators that the group had earlier tried to kill Butler in February. One plan had been to throw an anvil through the woman’s windshield in order to make her death look like an accident.
The teen also said her parents told her they were going on a “mission” on 30 March. When they returned, the mother explained things had not quite gone to plan, but that they “would not have to worry about her [Butler] again.” They also asked their daughter to clean their car.
When the daughter asked her mother why Ms Kelley also had to die,Ms Twombly said that the preacher’s wife was not innocent either, as she had supported Ms Butler.
A memorial service is being held for Kelley, a mother of four, at her church in Hugoton, Kansas on Tuesday.
“Those who knew Jilian will always remember her alongside her beloved husband, Heath, and their four cherished children,” a memorial page reads. “Her family was her pride and joy, and her unwavering love for them knew no bounds.”
Ms Butler, who was engaged, will be remembered at a service on 3 May at Hugoton Assembly of God Church. An obituary page describes her life as “one defined by her passion of caring for others”.
It added that her children “were her world from the day they were born” and “she thoroughly enjoyed her time being their momma. That was her greatest and most treasured title.”
The first four suspects appeared in court on 17 April and were denied bond. Mr Grice is first due in court on 1 May.
