The bodies of two Kansas mothers, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, were found buried inside a freezer on an Oklahoma farm. The women were allegedly killed by members of an anti-government group as a result of a bitter custody battle. Law enforcement discovered the bodies after a two-day dig through a cow pasture leased by one of the suspects, where they also found personal items that did not belong to the victims.
The cause of death for the two women was not disclosed, but authorities indicated that the crime was “absolutely brutal.” The victims, Butler and Kelley, were last seen on March 30, returning home from a trip to Oklahoma to visit Butler’s children. The children were staying with their paternal grandmother, Tifany Adams, who was one of the five suspects charged with the murders. Kelley was supervising the visit as Butler was involved in a custody battle with the children’s father and only had visitation rights on Saturdays.
The burial site was located on land leased by Tad Cullum, approximately 8.5 miles from where Butler’s car was found abandoned. Adams, Cullum, and two others were arrested on charges of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree. Another man named Paul Grice, who had a bandaged pinky finger, was found in Cullum’s home during his arrest and was later arrested for his involvement in the killings.
Multiple witnesses came forward providing information that linked the suspects to an anti-government group called “God’s Misfits” with religious affiliations. The group allegedly held regular meetings at the homes of the suspects and were involved in gruesome acts. Grice admitted to participating in the killings and burial of Butler and Kelley. Data seized from two phones purchased by Adams in connection with the crime further corroborated the involvement of the suspects in the abduction and murder of the two women.
The investigation into the murders revealed a disturbing series of events leading to the deaths of Butler and Kelley. The victims were killed due to a bitter custody battle, further complicated by the involvement of an anti-government group. The suspects, including a grandmother of the victims’ children, were charged with multiple offenses related to the murders. The involvement of Paul Grice, along with evidence from seized phones, linked the suspects to the burial site and shed light on their brutal actions.
The case of the two murdered Kansas mothers underscored the complexity of domestic disputes and the lengths to which individuals may go to exact revenge. The involvement of an anti-government group added another layer of intrigue to the investigation, exposing a potential motive for the killings. The arrests of the suspects, along with the testimony of witnesses and evidence seized from the crime scene, painted a grim picture of the events leading to the deaths of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley. The victims’ families, as well as law enforcement officials, were left grappling with the shocking nature of the crime and its aftermath.
