Two bodies are found in hunt for Kansas moms who disappeared two weeks ago

Release time：2024-05-21 21:23:00 Source：International Insights news portal

Two bodies have been recovered in connection with the disappearance of a pair of Kansas mothers who were last seen two weeks ago, while four people have been charged with kidnapping and murder. 

Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, were traveling together to pick up Butler's children, ages 6 and 8, on March 30, when they disappeared about three miles from where they were scheduled to pick up Butler's children.

Butler was going through a nasty divorce and custody battle and Kelley, a pastor's wife, is one of her supervisors for her visitations with the kids. It was Butler's six-year-old daughter's birthday and they were planning to celebrate.

Four people have been arrested after a huge Oklahoma SWAT raid over the possible kidnapping and murder. 

Officials have found two bodies in Oklahoma's Texas County in connection with their disappearance, according to News Nation. 

Two bodies have been recovered in connection with the disappearance of a pair of Kansas mothers - Veronica Butler (pictured left), 27, and Jilian Kelley (pictured right), 39 - who were last seen two weeks ago

Authorities are currently transporting them to a medical examiner to identify and determine cause of death.

A convoy of 20 police vehicles, including SWAT trucks, was spotted traveling swiftly along a dirt track in the Oklahoma panhandle on Saturday. 

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced the arrests shortly after, saying there was evidence to indicate foul play.

Among the four arrested people are Tifany Adams, 54, the children's grandmother and Adams' boyfriend, Tad Cullum, 43, according to NewsNation.

The other two arrested individuals, Cole Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, are a couple of eight years. They are friends with Adams on Facebook. 

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 children were reportedly staying with their grandmother, Adams, as Butler is going through a divorce and custody battle with her husband, Wrangler Cole Rickman.

Kelley, described as more an acquaintance than a friend of Butler's, is a pastor's wife who is said to supervise Butler's visitations with her children.

On March 20, ten days before they went missing, Butler filed a petition in court that would grant her more time with her children, with her goal being full custody. 

Four people have been arrested after a huge Oklahoma SWAT raid over the kidnapping and murder of a Kansas mother and her friend, who disappeared while en route to pick up her children. Among the arrested are Tifany Adams (left), 54, Butler's mother-in-law, and Adams' boyfriend, Tad Cullum (right), 43

The other two arrested individuals, Cole Twombly (right), 50, and Cora Twombly (left), 44, are a couple of eight years. They are friends with Adams on Facebook

Court filings claimed that Butler and the children's grandmother, Adams, were not getting along amid the custody battle. 

Butler has weekly, court-mandated visits every Saturday with the kids, with Kelley one of four people listed as supervisors of those visits.

They had made the 45-minute drive from Hugoton to a gas station in Eva, located near the Four Corners section of Oklahoma, but disappeared, with the car found just three miles from where they were supposed to meet.  

Multiple puddles of blood were found near the vehicle in the desolate Oklahoma panhandle, which was found 1,000 feet off of Oklahoma State Highway 95, near a school Butler attended and graduated from in 2015. 

Kelley is the wife of Pastor Heath Kelley, who serves at two churches in Kansas and Nebraska.

A massive convoy of SWAT trucks and police cars is racing through rural Oklahoma on Saturday. Authorities announced the arrests shortly after 

Multiple puddles of blood were found near the vehicle in the desolate Oklahoma panhandle, which was found 1,000 feet off of Oklahoma State Highway 95, near a school Butler attended and graduated from in 2015

Kelley is the wife of Pastor Heath Kelley, who serves at two churches in Kansas and Nebraska

On April 3, Kelley's Willow Christian Church in Nebraska posted to Facebook: 'We ask that you continue to pray for Jilian and Veronica and their families as the search and investigation continue.' 

'Pray for strength, wisdom and faith for everyone involved. We appreciate everyone who has shared the prayer requests. We are getting messages from all over the country of people praying for these two women and their families.' 

Hugoton First Christian Church has also offered prayers on Facebook, while friends and family have started a Meal Train page for Kelley's family. 

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for comment. 

Related articles