Murdered Kansas mom suffered 30 stab, cut wounds trying to defend herself: autopsy

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‘No trace’ of two Kansas women missing after drive to Oklahoma, investigators say

Fox News senior correspondent Alicia Acuna reports on the search for two Kansas women who vanished while driving to Oklahoma.

The full autopsy report for the second Kansas mom found buried in a freezer in a cow pasture after being reported missing on a road trip has been released. 

The report, conducted by the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, determined that Veronica Butler, 27, suffered 30 sharp force injuries, including nine stab wounds.

The report obtained by KOKH said ten of the wounds were consistent with Butler trying to defend herself, including grabbing the knife blade with her right hand.

“Given the extent of Ms. Butler’s injuries, including defects to both of her internal jugular veins with resultant exsanguination, it is my opinion that her death was very quick and likely occurred before she was placed inside the freezer and buried,” the reports said. “This opinion is additionally supported by the fact that her body appeared to have remained exactly how it was placed inside the freezer.”

COURT DOCUMENTS DETAIL CAUSE OF DEATH FOR MURDERED KANSAS MOMS

Jilian Kelley, left, and Veronica Butler, right, were heading to pick up Butler’s children to bring them back to a birthday party in Hugoton, Kansas, when they disappeared. (Texas County Sheriff’s Office/Oklahoma Highway Patrol/Shutterstock)

The autopsy was released over two weeks after the report on Jilian Kelley, 39, the other mom who went missing on the road trip, was released, revealing more details about her death.

Kelley’s report listed the probable cause of death as multiple sharp force trauma injuries, including nine stab wounds and seven other cuts. She also died trying to defend herself, according to the report.

The report said Kelley was also most likely dead before being placed in the freezer.

SUSPECTS CHARGED WITH KILLING KANSAS WOMEN BELONGED TO ANTI-GOVERNMENT ‘GOD’S MISFITS’ GROUP, AFFIDAVIT SAYS

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) arrested Tad Bert Cullum, 43, Tifany Machel Adams, 54, Cole Earl Twombly, 50, Cora Twombly, 44, and Paul Grice, 31, in connection with the womens’ deaths. (OSBI)

Butler and Kelley were last seen on March 30 heading to pick up their children before their car was found abandoned near the Oklahoma-Kansas border with foul play suspected, police said.

Both women’s bodies were found in a cow pasture inside a chest freezer. 

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) announced on April 13 that Tad Bert Cullum, 43, Tifany Machel Adams, 54, Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44, were taken into custody in connection to the murders.

A fifth suspect, 31-year-old Paul Grice, was arrested shortly after the other arrests were made. 

MURDERED KANSAS MOMS SUSPECT BOUGHT TASERS, BURNERS BEFORE WOMEN WENT MISSING, SEARCHED ‘PAIN LEVEL’: DOCS

Paul Grice was arrested and booked into the Texas County Jail on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of Kidnapping, and one count of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder in connection to the killings of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)

The four belonged to a religiously affiliated anti-government group called “God’s Misfits,” Fox News Digital previously reported. It was unclear if Grice was involved in the same anti-government group.

Adams, one of the women arrested, is reportedly the grandmother of Butler’s two children. Their motive, investigators say, was to get custody of the kids. 

Wrangler Rickman, Adams’ son, had custody of the children but was confirmed to be in an Oklahoma rehab facility when the women disappeared. Butler was allowed supervised visitation with her children every Saturday and was likely to be granted unsupervised visitation during an upcoming hearing, per court documents. 

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The state is arguing that all the defendants should face a preliminary hearing together instead of a separate hearing since they allege that all five conspired and participated in the murders of Butler and Kelley.

The hearing for the Twomblys, Cullum and Adams is set for Dec. 17, KAKE reported. During that hearing, the judge will determine if there’s enough evidence to hold someone for trial.

Grice, whose bond was denied, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and will be in court on Feb. 18, 2025.