New Charges Filed in Kansas Moms' Murder Case

In Oklahoma, new charges have been filed against three of the five suspects involved in the murders of two Kansas women, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, who disappeared during a road trip in March 2023. The district attorney amended the charges against Tifany Adams, Tad Cullum, and Cole Twombly, dropping kidnapping charges while adding counts of child neglect against Adams, who is the grandmother of Butler's children. The neglect charges stem from allegations that Adams exposed the children to illegal activities prior to the murders. The investigation revealed that the motive behind the killings was a custody dispute over Butler's children, which had been ongoing since 2019. Court records indicated that there were numerous hearings and motions filed for extended visitation rights leading up to the tragic events. Butler and Kelley were last seen on March 30, 2023, and their abandoned vehicle was found near the Oklahoma-Kansas border, raising suspicions of foul play. The bodies of the two women were later discovered buried in a freezer, intensifying the case's gruesome details. The remaining suspects, Cora Twombly and Paul Grice, still face kidnapping charges, while all five suspects are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The case has drawn attention due to the suspects' affiliation with a religiously motivated anti-government group. As the legal proceedings continue, the next court dates for the suspects are set, with preliminary hearings scheduled for December 17, 2023, and Grice's next court appearance on February 19, 2025. The case highlights the tragic intersection of family disputes and violent crime.