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A custody battle in Oklahoma led to the murders of two women in March 2024 and the arrests of four people affiliated with a little-known anti-government religious organization they call “God’s Misfits” that authorities said were responsible.
On March 30, Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, disappeared on their way from Huston, Kansas, to rural Oklahoma and were reported missing later that day when they failed to show up at a birthday party. Butler and Kelley’s car was later found about 300 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. Authorities immediately suspected foul play, The New York Times reported.
Along with their car, authorities found blood, Butler’s glasses, and a broken hammer. A pistol magazine was reportedly in Kelley’s purse, although a firearm was not recovered. In mid-April, Oklahoma authorities found two bodies that were later confirmed to be Butler and Kelley. To date, their exact causes of death have not been reported.
Who are the “God’s Misfits?”
On April 14, 2024, Tad Bert Cullum, 43; Tifany Machel Adams, 54; Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, who all belong to an anti-government group with religious affiliation, were arrested and charged in connection with Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley’s murder.
Those four, along with a fifth member, who is so far unnamed in the press and who was not arrested for the double murder, reportedly met weekly in certain members’ homes. Little was known about the group, what it stands for, or how large the organization is. Adams was reportedly chair of the Cimarron County Republican Party when the murders happened.
Why were Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley killed?
According to the AP, Tifany Adams was the grandmother of Butler’s two children and had custody. The Times says that Adams’ son, the two children’s father, was in a “rehabilitation center” when the murders happened. Authorities said Butler and Kelley, a pastor’s wife authorized by the court to supervise Butler’s visits, headed to Adams’ home on March 30 to pick the children up and take them to the birthday party.
Authorities believe Adams pre-planned the Butler and Kelley attack. Adams purchased burner pre-paid phones and five stun guns and searched online for information about how painful stun guns are. An individual close to the suspects told investigators that they planned to kill Butler in the past, and at that point, they planned to make it appear as if an anvil fell through Butler’s windshield.
On April 17, 2024, the AP reported that the bond was denied for the four defendants and that the judge entered not-guilty pleas on their behalf. According to the prosecution, Tifany Adams told investigators she was responsible for Butler and Kelley’s deaths. Butler would likely be given more visitation rights with her children in April, and the custody battles had been going on for several years. Butler’s two children were reportedly with another couple during the investigation.