Authorities in Oklahoma have arrested and booked four individuals on suspicion of kidnapping and murder in connection with the disappearance of two women, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, who are still missing. The suspects, identified as Tad Bert Cullum, Tifany Machel Adams, Cole Earl Twombly, and Cora Twombly, were booked into the Texas County Jail in Oklahoma on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder. The suspects were arrested in Texas and Cimarron counties in the westernmost section of the Oklahoma panhandle.
Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, were the subjects of an “endangered missing advisory” issued by Texas County authorities after a vehicle they were traveling in was found abandoned in a rural part of Texas County south of Elkhart, Kansas. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said that OSBI special agents began investigating the vehicle and determined there was evidence to indicate foul play. The two women were en route to pick up children, though it wasn’t clear if the children belonged to either of them.
Authorities have not disclosed the possible motive behind the disappearance of the two women, but they are still actively working to locate them. There is limited information available about the case due to the remote area where the vehicle was found, with few homes and businesses that might typically have security cameras to aid in the investigation. The investigation was challenging due to the lack of evidence initially indicating that a crime had taken place.
Butler’s stepmother, Guadalupe Torres, mentioned in an interview that Butler was involved in a heated custody dispute at the time of her disappearance. Court records show that Butler was a party to a custody claim filed in 2021. The relationship between Butler and Kelley was not fully disclosed, but investigators believe that they were friends. The suspects arrested in connection with the case have not yet been formally charged, and their legal representation is unknown at this time.
The OSBI has not indicated whether they are searching for the bodies of the missing women, despite the serious charges brought against the suspects. It remains unclear how exactly the four suspects are linked to the disappearance and potential murder of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley. The investigation into this case is ongoing, with authorities continuing to work to locate the missing women and gather further evidence to build a case against the suspects. The details of this tragic case are still unfolding as law enforcement officials work to bring justice for the victims and their families.
In summary, authorities in Oklahoma have arrested four individuals on suspicion of kidnapping and murder in connection with the disappearance of two women, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley. The suspects, whose names have not been formally listed among active inmates, were booked on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to locate the missing women and gather evidence in this tragic case. Despite the serious nature of the charges, it is still unclear what specifically led to the disappearance of Butler and Kelley, with authorities remaining tight-lipped about the case. As the investigation progresses, more details may emerge about the events surrounding the disappearance of these two women.
