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Court documents detail cause of death for murdered Kansas moms

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Court documents detail cause of death for murdered Kansas moms

Court documents detail the cause of death of two Kansas moms whose bodies were found after disappearing on a road trip to Oklahoma to pick up their kids. 

In April, the Office of the Oklahoma Chief Medical Examiner positively identified the two deceased persons from Texas County as 39-year-old Jilian Kelley, and 27-year-old Veronica Butler.

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.

The court documents, obtained by KSNW, detail that one of the defendants, Paul Grice, allegedly stabbed Butler to death while Tad Cullum allegedly killed Kelley. Grice severely cut his hand in the process of killing Butler, the documents described.

FIFTH ARREST MADE IN CONNECTION TO MURDERED KANSAS MOMS WHO DISAPPEARED WITHOUT A TRACE

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Hugoton Assembly of God Pastor Tim Singer tells Fox News that Jilian Kelley, left, and Veronica Butler, right, were heading Saturday to pick up Butler’s children to bring them back to a birthday party in Hugoton, Kansas. (Texas County Sheriff’s Office/Oklahoma Highway Patrol/Shutterstock)

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

The document alleges Grice tossed the clothing he was wearing when he killed Butler, a stun device, and the murder weapon into the grave, KSNW reported. It also states that DNA recovered from the clothing contained both Grice and Butler’s DNA.

Cullum also allegedly tossed his clothes into the freezer with the women’s bodies, which Kelley’s and his DNA were reportedly on. Investigators uncovered that accessories to the knife were found at Cullum’s home. 

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

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The suspects charged in the killings of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation – Authorized Page/Facebook)

Tifany Machel Adams, 54, one of the women arrested, is reportedly the grandmother of Butler’s children. Court records revealed that Adams was involved in a custody dispute with Butler’s children. The children’s father is in a rehabilitation facility.

Adams, her boyfriend Cullum, and married couple Cole and Cora Twombly all face two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of Butler and visitation supervisor Kelley, a 38-year-old preacher’s wife who was also a mother. 

BODIES OF MURDERED KANSAS MOMS FOUND BURIED IN FREEZER AS GRUESOME DETAILS EMERGE IN COURT 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 conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree in connection to the killings of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)

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The document also alleges that the Twomblys served as lookouts on the day of the murder and confided in their 16-year-old daughter, hoping she would provide them with an alibi, KSNW reported. It claims Adams purchased the burner phones, stun devices, yellow straps found around the freezer, and even the pants that Cullum wore and buried with the victims.

Interviews with the Twombly’s daughter and a review of Adams’ phone and data from three burner phones led investigators to find the women’s bodies on April 14. The 16-year-old said her parents told her they would “not have to worry about [Butler] again” and that the two may have been placed in a well, per previous court documents.

The group’s plan was initially to “throw an anvil through Butler’s windshield while driving, making it look like an accident because anvils regularly fall off work vehicles,” Cora allegedly told the 16-year-old.

(Both women’s bodies were found inside a chest freezer.)

Previous court documents revealed that Adams searched “taser pain level” and other phrases that give insight into the women’s horrific deaths amid a child custody battle. 

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The four belonged to a religiously affiliated anti-government group called “God’s Misfits,” Fox News Digital previously reported. 

 

Their motive, investigators say, was to get custody of Butler’s two children. 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. 

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.

Fox News Digital’s Christina Coulter contributed to this report. 

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North Dakota

L.L. Bean to Open Store in North Dakota

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L.L. Bean to Open Store in North Dakota


Renowned outdoor retailer L.L. Bean is officially making its way to North Dakota, bringing its heritage gear and apparel to the Red River Valley.

The Maine-based retail giant has signed a lease to open its first-ever North Dakota location at the West Acres Shopping Center in Fargo. According to mall officials, the new store will take over the approximately 15,000-square-foot space in the Aquarium Court formerly occupied by Forever 21, positioning it right next to Crave restaurant.

Bringing a Taste of Maine to the Midwest

The announcement has already sparked significant excitement from regional retail organizers. West Acres took to Facebook to enthusiastically share the news of the partnership with the community.

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“From their iconic Duck Boots and Boat and Tote bags to clothing for men, women, and the whole family, they’re bringing it all to Fargo!” the shopping center posted.

The expansive retail footprint will feature L.L. Bean’s signature array of high-quality apparel, outerwear, and footwear designed to withstand the rugged elements—a fitting match for North Dakota’s notoriously tough winter climate.

A Strategic Multi-Year Launch Timeline

The incoming retail hub represents a major cornerstone addition for the Fargo shopping destination. West Acres Chief Operating Officer Alissa Adams noted that the addition of the iconic brand directly targets the lifestyle and outdoor needs of local and regional shoppers.

Work on the Aquarium Court space is expected to transition over the coming months. Shoppers will have to wait just a little while longer to browse the racks in person, as the store is projected to officially open its doors to the public in 2027, with specific targets aimed toward the first three months of that year.

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Ohio

3 family members accused of murdering Ethan Vernon in Ohio

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3 family members accused of murdering Ethan Vernon in Ohio


A family in Ohio has been indicted for murder after the body of a 20-year-old man was found in a burnt vehicle.

Sarah Haning, Randy Haning and Beverly Haning have been charged in the death of 20-year-old Ethan Vernon, Meigs County Prosecuting Attorney James K. Stanley said on Thursday. On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted the three members on charges that include murder, arson and gross abuse of a corpse. 

Vernon was found dead in his burnt truck on Dec. 12, 2025, along Hemlock Grove Road in Bedford Township in Meigs County. Stanley said in the news release that the 20-year-old man was last seen on Dec. 11, 2025. 

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The prosecuting attorney said the indictment was handed down after an “extensive investigation.” Twenty-four-year-old Sarah Haning was indicted on 49 counts, 65-year-old Randy Haning on 11 counts and 63-year-old Beverly Haning on nine counts. All three family members are from Athens. The relationship between the victim and the three suspects was not immediately released. Vernon’s cause of death was also not immediately released.

In a Facebook post, Meigs County Sheriff Scott Fitch said the three suspects were arrested on Wednesday after law enforcement served a search warrant at a home on Pleasanton Road in Athens County.

“This investigation has been a lengthy and complex effort, and today’s arrests are the result of countless hours of work by our detectives,” Fitch said in the post on Facebook. “While these arrests mark a significant milestone, the investigation remains active, and we will continue to pursue every available lead to ensure justice is served for Ethan Vernon and his family.”

Anyone with any information on the case can call the sheriff’s tip line at 740-992-4682.   

“Additional information will be released as it becomes available and as the investigation permits,” Fitch added. 

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South Dakota

Pres. Trump travels to South Dakota

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Pres. Trump travels to South Dakota


WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – The President set to travel to Mount Rushmore to mark America’s 250th anniversary.

Friday, President Donald Trump is taking that celebration to one America’s most iconic sites, Mount Rushmore

The President is traveling to South Dakota for a celebration at Mount Rushmore that will include fireworks, military bands and flyovers – including one by the new Air Force One – which had its maiden flight on Wednesday to North Dakota. The Boeing 747 is a gift from Qatar.

While at Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota, President Trump will deliver a keynote address marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.

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The sculpture at Mount Rushmore features 60-foot-tall depictions of the heads of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. They were chosen to represent the nation’s foundation, expansion, development, and preservation

President Trump last visited Mount Rushmore for a Fourth of July Celebration in 2020. The event featured the first official fireworks display at the monument in over a decade.

He’s also repeatedly joked that his face should be added to the monument.

Copyright 2026 Gray DC. All rights reserved.



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