Midwest
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
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
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)
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.
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.
Read the full article from Here
Illinois
Where to watch Iowa basketball vs. Illinois today: TV channel, time
Iowa basketball (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten) welcomes in No. 16 Illinois (12-3, 3-1 Big Ten) to Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a top-25 conference tilt.
The 19th-ranked Hawkeyes are looking to get the taste of a frustrating road loss at Minnesota out of their mouths. Iowa trailed by as many as 14, but rallied back to take the lead in the game’s final two minutes. The Golden Gophers hit a go-ahead 3-pointer from Jaylen Crocker-Johnson and then watched as a series of potential game-tying Iowa threes wouldn’t drop in a final, frantic sequence from Williams Arena.
Illinois enters winners of four straight and six of their past seven. The Illini rolled past Rutgers on Thursday, 81-55.
Watch Iowa vs. Illinois
Iowa owns a 57-24 all-time record against Illinois in Iowa City, though the Illini have owned the series of late. Illinois has won four straight over Iowa and nine of the past 10. That stretch of success from the Illini comes on the heels of a five-game Iowa win streak in the series from 2018-20.
As tipoff approaches, here’s how and when Hawkeye fans can watch Iowa basketball vs. Illinois:
How to watch Iowa basketball vs. Illinois
TV: Fox
Tipoff Time: 11 a.m.
Iowa battles Illinois on Fox in its “Gold Out” game from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Jason Benetti (play-by-play) will be joined by Steve Smith (color).
How to stream Iowa basketball vs. Illinois
Hawkeye fans can stream Iowa basketball vs. Illinois with Fubo, which offers a free trial to first-time subscribers.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnHawks
Indiana
After Surviving Northwestern, MSU Basketball looks ahead to Indiana
Michigan State narrowly escaped with a home win against the now 8–7 Northwestern Wildcats. The Spartans struggled mightily in the first half, entering the break down seven points after scoring just 28 points. Michigan State committed eight turnovers in the opening 20 minutes and went 6-of-11 from the free-throw line.
After a sluggish start, the Spartans regrouped and took control in the second half. Michigan State shot 14-of-27 from the field after halftime, playing with better pace and ball movement.
Jeremy Fears, who picked up two early fouls and began the game 0-of-4 from the field, responded with a strong second half. He finished the game shooting 4-of-7 from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.
Overall, Michigan State was far more composed in the second half against the Wildcats. However, with a matchup against Indiana looming, the Spartans will not be able to afford another slow start like the one they experienced against Northwestern.
Scouting Indiana
Indiana has undergone a similar offseason transformation to another Big Ten opponent Michigan State has already faced: the Iowa Hawkeyes. After parting ways with head coach Mike Woodson, the Hoosiers hired former West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries.
DeVries began his head coaching career at Drake, where he posted an impressive 150–55 record. Over his final four seasons with the Bulldogs, he led the program to 108 wins and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
DeVries also went 79–33 in Missouri Valley Conference play, captured three MVC titles, and guided Drake to six of the program’s 11 20-win seasons before leaving for West Virginia.
In his lone season with the Mountaineers, DeVries engineered a significant turnaround, improving West Virginia from a 10-win team to a 19-win team.
Now at Indiana, DeVries has continued that trend of rapid improvement. In Mike Woodson’s final season, the Hoosiers finished 19–13 and missed the NCAA Tournament. This season, Indiana has already reached 12 wins and appears firmly back in the postseason conversation.
The Hoosiers are led by senior guard Lamar Wilkerson, a transfer from Sam Houston. Wilkerson is averaging 19.5 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from three-point range.
Indiana has been strong on both ends of the floor. According to KenPom, the Hoosiers rank 30th nationally in offensive efficiency and 28th in defensive efficiency.
As Michigan State prepares to face Indiana, the Spartans will need to clean up their first-half execution to keep pace with one of the Big Ten’s more balanced teams. Indiana’s efficiency on both ends of the court, combined with DeVries’ proven ability to elevate programs quickly, makes this a difficult matchup. For Michigan State, a complete 40-minute performance will be essential if it hopes to build momentum in conference play.
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Iowa
Where to watch Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana today, TV, time
Looking for a second road win this week, No. 14 Iowa women’s basketball heads to Indiana for today’s 4 p.m. contest inside Assembly Hall. BTN will televise the game.
The Hawkeyes (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten Conference) remained perfect in league play with a 67-58 win at Northwestern on Jan. 5, a game in which Iowa survived despite enduring heavy foul trouble.
Meanwhile, Indiana (11-6, 0-5) has reached desperation territory. The Hoosiers have dropped four straight, including two at home, during this extended skid.
Here’s how to watch today’s game.
Watch Iowa vs. Indiana on Fubo (free trial)
What channel is Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana on today?
Iowa vs. Indiana time today
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 11
- Start time: 4 p.m. CT
- Location: Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana
Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
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