Bodies of 2 women police say were killed over custody dispute found buried in freezer
GUYMON, Okla. (KVII) — The bodies of two women police say were killed over a bitter custody dispute were found buried in a freezer.
Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, went missing on March 30 after driving from Kansas to Oklahoma to pick up Butler's children for a birthday party.
On April 14, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation excavated a possible burial site, 8.5 miles from where Butler’s car was found abandoned.
They unearthed a chest freezer and found the victims' bodies inside. Agents also found personal items that did not belong to Butler or Kelley.
The burial site was on property leased by Tad Cullum, one of the five murder suspects.
Cullum, Tifany Adams, Cole Twombly, Cora Twombly and Paul Grice are charged with two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
According to search warrants, OSBI also found bloody clothing, a K-bar knife, the handle of a saw and a taser.
- Wrangler blue jeans with black belt with possible blood
- Brown sweatshirt with possible blood
- Black hooded sweatshirt with possible blood
- Wrangler blue jeans with possible blood
- Reddish-pink hooded sweatshirt with possible blood
- Roll of duct tape with possible blood
- Pair of white Ariat socks with possible blood
- Grey t-shirt with possible blood
- Black handle of saw
- 8 wet swabs
- Two Ratchet straps
- Carhart black jacket with possible blood
- Cloth glove with possible blood
- Black K-bar knife in sheath with possible blood
- Grey ball cap with possible blood
- Pair of cloth gloves with possible blood
- Blue/grey Sketcher tennis shoes with possible blood
- Tan Ariat shoes with possible blood
- Black taser/flashlight
- Grey Dickies t-shirt with possible blood
- Electrical cord and small black tape
When Cullum was arrested at his home on April 13, Grice was there.
FBI agents noticed Grice's right pinky was bandaged. He told them he cut it working on his pickup.
On April 18, a witness said Grice came to his home the day before and asked several peculiar questions, including:
- How long would it take to process DNA evidence?
- How long would DNA last in dirt if it was being “churned?"
- Do you know how to get a “guy and his family” into Mexico?
Grice told the witness he was concerned about his DNA being in the hole that Butler and Kelley were found in because he had been to the Twombly’s house.
OSBI received a tip on April 19 from someone who said he saw Grice on March 30-31 with a bandaged right hand. Grice told him that he cut it while cutting fencing.
According to search warrants, OSBI also seized two iPhones and a pair of gloves from the truck the Twombly's were driving at the time of their arrest.