Two Kansas Women Murdered In Oklahoma: A Timeline of Events

In March 2024 two women from Kansas went missing in Texas County, Oklahoma. Less than a month later, authorities found their bodies buried in a freezer on a rural property. Here is a detailed timeline of the events in this case.

Sunday, December 15th 2024, 8:34 pm

By: News On 6, News 9, Associated Press, Destini Pittman

The case of the disappearance and deaths of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jillian Kelley, 39, will be the focus in a courtroom once again on Dec. 17. The two Kansas mothers went missing on March 30, 2024, during a trip to Oklahoma for a custody exchange involving Butler’s children. Their car was later found abandoned near the Oklahoma-Kansas border. Weeks of searching culminated in the discovery of their bodies in a buried freezer. Authorities have since arrested five people, including Butler’s children’s grandmother, alleging they conspired to kill the women. Below is a detailed timeline of the events leading to this case.

Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley go Missing, Foul Play is Suspected

March 30, 2024

Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley leave Hugoton, Kansas, to travel to Oklahoma for a custody exchange involving Butler’s children. The pair never arrive at their destination.

March 31, 2024

Family members report Butler and Kelley missing.

April 1, 2024

Texas County deputies discover Butler and Kelley’s abandoned vehicle along Highway 95 near the Kansas-Oklahoma border. Evidence found at the scene includes blood, Butler’s glasses, and a broken hammer, raising suspicions of foul play.

April 4, 2024

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) takes over the case. OSBI officials publicly express concern for the women’s safety due to the length of time since their disappearance.

The Victim's Bodies are Discovered, Arrests are Made

April 14, 2024

Authorities locate two bodies buried in a freezer on a rural property in Texas County, Oklahoma. Evidence at the site includes a taser, tape, and a knife buried under the freezer.

OSBI confirms the bodies are those of Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley. Four individuals are arrested and charged with murder, conspiracy, and kidnapping. The suspects include Butler’s children’s grandmother, Tifany Adams, as well as Tad Cullum, Cora Twombly, and Cole Twombly. Investigators allege the murders were premeditated, citing Adams’ purchase of burner phones and tasers as part of the planning.

April 24, 2024

A fifth suspect, Paul Grice, is arrested and charged with murder, conspiracy, and kidnapping.

Court Developments and Autopsy Revelations

May 16, 2024

A Texas County judge issues a gag order in the case due to widespread media coverage.

October 3, 2024

Prosecutors file additional charges against three suspects: Adams, Cullum, and Cole Twombly. New charges include the unlawful desecration of human remains. Adams also faces additional child neglect charges.

October 7, 2024

Autopsy findings reveal Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley were brutally killed before being placed in the freezer. Kelley’s injuries include multiple stab wounds and signs of defensive wounds.

November 6, 2024

Medical examiners concluded that Kelly likely died from a spinal cord injury, losing her ability to breathe independently. They say she likely died before being placed in the freezer.

Prosecutors allege Adams orchestrated the murders as part of a custody dispute with Butler.