An Oklahoma judge ordered public defenders to represent four members of an anti-government group who appeared in court on charges of kidnapping and killing two Kansas women. The defendants, Tifany Adams, her boyfriend Tad Cullum, and Cole and Cora Twombly, were denied bail and pleaded not guilty. The Oklahoma Indigent Defense System was assigned to represent them, with the agency declining to comment on details of the case to protect the defendants’ interests during the trial process.
The four defendants are facing charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy in the deaths of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, who disappeared on March 30 while traveling to Oklahoma. Adams, the children’s grandmother, admitted to being responsible for the deaths during an interview with investigators. Authorities expressed concerns that the defendants had enough resources to organize and carry out a complex murder, possibly fleeing if given the opportunity. Adams and Cullum owned firearms, with Cullum having a rifle, ammunition, body armor, and a “go-bag” prepared at home.
The victims were involved in a bitter custody battle, with Kelley accompanying Butler to supervise a visit with her children. They never arrived at the party, leading to a two-week search that ended with the defendants’ arrests and the discovery of the bodies. The arrest affidavits described a gruesome scene near where the women’s car was found, with blood on the road and Butler’s glasses nearby a broken hammer. The defendants were said to be part of an anti-government group with a religious affiliation, referring to themselves as “God’s Misfits” and holding regular meetings at the Twomblys’ home.
Relatives of Tad Cullum and the Twomblys did not respond to requests for comment, while Tifany Adams’ stepmother had no information to share. The investigation into the deaths of Butler and Kelley continues, with the defendants facing serious charges related to the alleged kidnapping and murders. The case has raised concerns about the activities and motivations of anti-government groups and their potential involvement in criminal acts. The defendants have been denied bail, and with public defenders representing them, the legal process will move forward as details of the case are revealed during the trial proceedings.
