Summary: Tifany Adams, 56, of Keys was sentenced on Feb. 2 to two consecutive life terms without parole for her role in the deaths of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39. The women went missing on March 30, 2024; their bodies were found two weeks later buried inside a chest freezer in Texas County, Oklahoma. Adams entered a no-contest plea in October 2025 and also received additional fixed terms for unlawful removal and desecration of remains. Several co-defendants tied to a fringe group called "God's Misfits" have been arrested; some have pleaded and others face trials in 2026–2027.
Oklahoma Grandmother Sentenced to Life Without Parole After Two Kansas Mothers Found Buried in Freezer
Tifany Adams Booking PhotoTexas County Sheriff's Dept.
An Oklahoma grandmother, Tifany Adams, 56, of Keys, has been sentenced to life in prison for her role in the deaths of two Kansas women whose bodies were later found buried in a chest freezer.
Sentence and Charges
On Monday, Feb. 2, Adams received two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for her part in the killings of 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley, according to online court records. She was also handed two five-year terms for unlawful removal of a dead body and two seven-year terms for unlawful desecration of a human corpse.
Veronica Claire ButlerRobinson Funeral Homes
Case Background
The women were reported missing on March 30, 2024, after their van was discovered abandoned on a rural stretch of highway in Texas County, Oklahoma. Investigators later found both women’s bodies buried inside a chest freezer in Texas County. Autopsy reports showed both victims had been fatally stabbed; Butler was stabbed nine times and suffered 21 additional cuts, many of which were defensive wounds.
Authorities say Butler — the mother of Adams’s grandchildren — and Kelley were traveling from Kansas to meet Adams so Butler could turn her children, then ages 6 and 8, over for a birthday party. At the time, Adams was involved in a custody dispute with Butler.
Jilian KelleyRobinson Funeral Homes
Arrests and Alleged Conspiracy
In April 2024, Adams and three others were arrested: Adams’s boyfriend, Tad Bert Cullum; Cole Earl Twombly, 50; and Cora Twombly, 44. All four were initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder. Authorities later issued a warrant for a fifth suspect, Paul Grice, 31, who was also arrested and charged.
Court documents and affidavits describe the defendants as affiliated with a fringe anti-government religious group called "God's Misfits." Investigators say the victims were ambushed at the meeting site. Records indicate Adams purchased multiple stun guns and burner phones before the killings; prosecutors say the conspirators even discussed staging an accident to conceal the attack — an alleged plan that involved throwing an anvil through Butler’s windshield.
Plea Deals and Upcoming Trials
Adams entered a no-contest plea and was convicted in October 2025, according to court records. Prosecutors say both Paul Grice and Cora Twombly have reached plea agreements; trials for Tad Cullum and Cole Twombly are scheduled for October 2026 and February 2027, respectively. Attorneys for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Community Impact
The brutality of the crimes, the alleged custody conflict and the suggested involvement of a fringe group have drawn significant attention and shock from the rural communities affected. The sentence against Adams marks a major development in a case that has reverberated through local media and law enforcement reports.
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