Four charged with kidnap and murder of missing mums including grandma of one of the women’s children

Four people have been charged with kidnap and murder of the two missing Kansas mums including the grandma of one of the women’s children.

Veronica Butler, 27, and Jillian Kelley, 39, were reported missing on 30 March when their car was discovered abandoned on the side of the road near the Kansas border in Texas County.

According to Texas County Sheriff's Department, the pair had been travelling into Oklahoma to pick up Veronica's young children from a birthday party.

However, their missing person's alert saying that 'neither made it to the pick up location'.

Both women had been missing since the end of last month (30 March). (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)

Their vehicle was later found abandoned on a rural highway in Texas County - a whole three miles short of where they were supposed to pick up their children in Eva.

According to an official press release from the Texas Country Sheriff's Office, their vehicle was found abandoned near Highway 95 and Road L, south of Elkhart, Kansas, in rural Texas County.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) special agents immediately began investigating the vehicle and determined there was evidence to indicate foul play.

Around two weeks later (13 April), four people were arrested; 54-year-old Tifany Machel Adams, who is grandma to Veronica's kids, and her boyfriend 43-year-old Tad Bert Cullum, 50-year-old Cole Earl Twombly, and 44-year-old Cora Twombly, who are reportedly friends with Adams on Facebook.

Four individuals, including the grandma of one of the missing mother's kids, have been charged. (X/@OSBI_OK)

All four individuals were booked into the Texas County Jail on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree.

The OSBI took to X, formerly Twitter, to share the news over the weekend (14 April).

They uploaded the mugshots of the four people charged, captioning the post: "FOUR ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO TEXAS COUNTY DISAPPEARANCE CASE."

In a follow-up tweet posted yesterday (15 April), the OSBI added: "Today, the OSBI, @FBI, and the Texas County Sheriff's Office recovered two deceased persons in rural Texas County. Both individuals will be transported to the Office of the Oklahoma Chief Medical Examiner to determine identification and cause and manner of death. @OSBI_Director."

Veronica Butler was on her way to pick up her kids in Oklahoma when she disappeared. (Facebook)

Police are yet to confirm whether the bodies belong to the two missing Kansas women.

At this current point in time, the OSBI and local law enforcement are still currently working to locate the two victims.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the OSBI at [email protected] or 1-800-522-8017.

Topics: US News, News, Crime

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.