The bodies of two missing mothers have been found in a rural area of Oklahoma after a two-week search.
Both women were discovered murdered on Sunday in a ‘very rural area’ near where their vehicle was found soaked in blood in Texas County, said state authorities.
Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, both of Hugoton, Kansas, were last seen on March 30 and their disappearances were deemed ‘suspicious’ by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Kelley was the wife of a preacher and was traveling with her friend, Butler, to pick up the latter’s two children for a birthday party in Kansas, NewsNation reported. The pair were on their way to Eva, Oklahoma, to pick up the kids that may have been living with their paternal grandmother who had been watching them, according to the news outlet.
‘Both individuals will be transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine identification, as well as cause and manner of death,’ stated the bureau on Facebook on Sunday. ‘This is still an ongoing investigation.’
On Saturday, the agency stated that the mothers’ vehicle was found abandoned near Highway 95 and Road L south of Elkhart, Kansas. Special agents ‘determined there was evidence to indicate foul play’, wrote the agency.
That same day, authorities arrested four individuals in Texas and Cimarron counties: Tifany Machel Adams, 54; Tad Bert Cullum, 43; Cole Earl Twombly, 50; and Cora Twombly, 44.
They were charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and a count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. All were booked into Texas County Jail and pictured in mugshots.
Adams is the grandmother of Butler’s kids and Cullum is the boyfriend of Adams, according to NewsNation.
‘I want to express our sincerest condolences to the (families),’ stated FBI Special Agent Sanya Garcia.
The agent added that she hoped the arrests will ‘provide a sense of closure’ and that the agency will ‘advocate for Jilian and Veronica’.
An investigation into the crime continues. Anyone with information is urged to contact the state bureau of investigation.
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