Kansas
OSBI: A 5th Suspect Arrested Following The Deaths Of 2 Women Found In Texas County
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The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation shared on Wednesday that a fifth suspect was arrested in connection to the death of two missing Kansas women.
OSBI stated that 31-year-old 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.
A two-week search for two missing Kansas women came to a fatal end on April 14 when Oklahoma authorities confirmed the two were dead and announced the arrests of four people who allegedly belonged to an anti-government group that called themselves “God’s Misfits.”
Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, of Hugoton, Kansas, disappeared on March 30 while driving to pick up Butler’s two children for a birthday party. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation confirmed on Tuesday that the bodies found in Texas County were those of the two women.
One of the suspects charged in the case is the children’s grandmother, who authorities say was in a bitter custody dispute with Butler. The four face charges including murder and are expected to make their first court appearance Wednesday in Guymon, in the rural Oklahoma panhandle.
Here are some things to know about the case:
WHAT DO AUTHORITIES SAY HAPPENED?
Investigators have been tight-lipped about the case since the car Kelley and Butler were riding in was found in a rural area of Texas County, which is along the border with Kansas. But arrest affidavits unsealed Monday painted a gruesome picture of the scene.
According to court records, blood was left on the road and Butler’s glasses were found near a broken hammer. A magazine for a pistol was inside Kelley’s purse but authorities disclosed they did not find any firearm.
Evidence suggests the killings were planned, according to the arrest affidavit, which states that Tifany Adams, the grandmother of Butler’s children, had bought pre-paid “burner” cellphones and five stun guns. Her internet searches included inquiring about pain levels using the weapons, according to the affidavits.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced over the weekend that they had found two bodies, more than two weeks after the women disappeared. The state medical examiner’s office has not yet released a report revealing how they were killed.
WHO WERE THE VICTIMS?
Investigators say Butler was involved in a custody fight with Adams and her son and was only allowed supervised visits with the children on Saturday. Kelley was authorized to supervise the visits, according to the affidavits.
Kelley was a pastor’s wife and mother of four. Her husband, Heath Kelley, was the pastor of First Christian Church in Hugoton. In recent months, he had accepted a new job with Willow Christian Church in Indianola, Nebraska, but hadn’t started there yet.
At Willow’s sister congregation, McCook Christian Church, Sunday’s service opened with news of the killings. “We had longed for a different outcome,” a pastor told the congregation during the service, which was posted on Facebook.
Messages left with several members of Butler’s family have not been returned.
WHO ARE THE SUSPECTS?
All four suspects are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder. They are being held without bond at the Texas County Jail in Guymon.
In addition to Adams, 54, the others charged are Tad Cullum, 43; Cora Twombly, 44; and her husband Cole Twombly, 50, both of Texhoma, Oklahoma.
Image Provided By: Associated Press:
(Tad Bert Cullum, top left, Cora Twombly, top right, Tifany Machel Adams, bottom left, and Cole Earl Twombly, bottom right.)
Court records on Tuesday did not indicate if any had attorneys who could speak on their behalf. Relatives of Tad Cullum and the Twomblys have not returned phone messages seeking comment. Tifany Adams’ stepmother, Elise Adams, said she had no information on the case.
According to a witness who spoke to OSBI investigators, all four suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation,” according to the affidavit. OSBI investigators learned the group called themselves “God’s Misfits” and held regular meetings at the home of the Twomblys and another couple.
Tifany Adams, who was involved in the custody dispute with Butler, is the current chair of the Cimarron County Republican Party, according to Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Nathan Dahm. Cimarron County is the westernmost county at the tip of the Oklahoma Panhandle with a population of fewer than 2,300 people.
Dahm said officials at the state party did not know Adams. He said given how rural the county is, “it could have been three people who showed up at the county convention and elected her.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
All four suspects showed up for an initial appearance Wednesday in Texas County District Court.
Emotions ran high in the courtroom as the families of Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley
faced the group accused of kidnapping and murdering the women during a roadside ambush last month.
Tiffany Adams, Tad Cullum, Cora and Cole Twombly were denied bond as they stood before a Texas County judge.
Kelley’s family also braved the courtroom today. She was one of three people court-approved to supervise Butler’s visitation with her children.
The children are said to be in safekeeping.
The investigation is ongoing.
Witnesses have given more names of people who may have been involved in the conspiracy indicating there could be more arrests in the days to come.
Related Coverage:
- Search Underway For 2 Women In Oklahoma After Suspicious Disappearance
- Foul Play Suspected After 2 Women Disappear In Oklahoma Panhandle
- Search For 2 Missing Oklahoma Women Receives National Attention
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Kansas
Quick recap: Kansas grinds out win over Colorado on the back of Dickinson
Kansas snapped a four-game road losing skid, winning 71-64 over Colorado in Boulder in a game that was a dogfight for much of the second half. Hunter Dickinson put the offense on his back, scoring a Kansas-high 32 points, including two baskets late to secure the win.
Dickinson made 13 of 18 shots and was the only Kansas player to find success on the glass with 13 rebounds.
KJ Adams added 15 points, and Rylan Griffen made seven free throws for 10 total points to make up the only other Jayhawks in double figures. Kansas made just three triples following its game on Saturday where the Jayhawks made a season-high 14.
Colorado was able to stay in the game by dominating Kansas on the glass. The Buffaloes outrebounded Kansas 46-31, tallied 18 offensive rebounds, and scored 16 second-chance points. The Buffaloes’ offense was a limiting factor, shooting sub-40% from the floor and failing to make a basket when the game got close in the final minutes.
First half
Kansas came out much more engaged on the defensive end than the Jayhawks had away from Allen Fieldhouse over the first month, limiting Colorado to a 2/7 start from the floor. The Jayhawks made their first six shots, a flurry of mid-range shots and looks near the rim. Tad Boyle called a timeout after Kansas got out to a 14-4 lead in the first four minutes.
KJ Adams and Hunter Dickinson did the heavy lifting offensively, with Dickinson converting a coast-to-coast and-one after picking up a steal. Adams made four shots and three were his patented floaters as Kansas had an early lead.
Colorado made tough shots to stay within striking distance, and Elijah Malone continued to get the better of Flory Bidunga one-on-one. Diggy Coit knocked down his first three for the Jayhawks’ first shot from beyond the arc, pushing their lead to 26-16 at the under-12.
The Buffaloes made things closer with consecutive dunks from Bangot Dak, cutting Kansas’ lead to six. The Jayhawks broke down on back-to-back possessions, and Bill Self called a displeased timeout.
Dickinson remained the offensive engine, scoring six straight points for the Jayhawks’ following Coit’s three. Colorado struggled to score, being held scoreless for over two minutes as Kansas led 32-22 at the under-four timeout.
The Jayhawks experienced a scoring drought of their own, not scoring for 3:07. The Buffaloes made their money on the glass in the first half, with Andrej Jakimovski nailing a three after an offensive rebound to make it a four-point game.
Rylan Griffen hit a three to put Kansas up nine, but Colorado scored four straight to put the Jayhawks’ lead at 37-32 heading into halftime. The Buffaloes outrebounded Kansas 22-14 and scored 12 second-chance points to be down just five despite the Jayhawks shooting 50% from the floor.
Second half
Colorado had opportunities to dwindle Kansas’ lead with the Jayhawks going scoreless for the first four minutes, including five straight misses from the free throw line. Julian Hammond III tied the game at 37-37 after converting an and-one. Hammond scored again to give the Buffaloes their first lead of the game at 39-38.
The two teams played essentially even while trading baskets over middle stretches of the half. Coit knocked down a three, which Javon Ruffin answered with a late-shot clock bomb. Kansas held a 48-46 lead with 11:12 to play as Dickinson remained the offense’s focal point.
Kansas built some breathing room after scoring five straight to push its lead to five. However, the Jayhawks left Hammond wide-open for a three, and Bangot Dak threw down a dunk to put Colorado behind by just two. Dickinson had buckets whenever Kansas needed them, putting the Jayhawks ahead 55-51 at the under-eight timeout.
Adams and Dak traded rim-rocking dunks, showcasing both’s athleticism. However, Dak made a crucial mistake, fouling Griffen on a three-point shot that extended the Jayhawks’ lead to 62-57. Hammon responded with a tough three off the dribble to cut Kansas’ lead to two heading into the under-four timeout.
Harris awoke after a quiet game with a layup to put Kansas up four. Adams locked down Julian Hammond on the ensuing possession, but the Buffaloes tallied two offensive rebounds before Kansas fouled.
Dickinson gave Kansas a seven-point lead with a minute left after getting free in the post for a layup. The man who was the Jayhawks’ entire offense delivered the basket to give them breathing room to grind out a win. Dickinson followed by throwing down a dunk that would be the dagger.
Kansas
Kansas is missing out on data center projects. Can sales tax breaks change that?
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Amazon invests $10 billion in Ohio data centers to drive AI evolution
Amazon is adding to its major Midwest technology hub investment while helping to shape the future of artificial intelligence.
Straight Arrow News
- Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill that would exempt data centers from paying sales tax on construction and equipment.
- Supporters say the tax break is needed to attract data centers and the high-paying jobs they bring.
- Opponents argue the tax breaks are too costly and that Kansas should focus on broader tax relief.
- Some lawmakers also expressed concern about the impact data centers would have on the state’s electric grid.
Kansas politicians are renewing an effort to lure data centers to the state by giving such projects tax incentives.
The Senate voted 34-6 on Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 51, which sends it to the House. The bill would create a sales tax exemption for the construction or remodeling of a qualified data center in Kansas with a minimum investment of $250 million. The tax break would apply to the purchase of equipment and other costs.
State economic development officials say Kansas is missing out on data center projects and could continue to miss out on them without a tax incentive.
“The choice is simple,” said Sen. Joe Claeys, R-Wichita. “We can pass SB 51 and compete for billions in new investment, or we can continue to watch these opportunities go to other states.
“No state has ever attracted a significant data center investment without this basic exemption. This bill brings new investment, creates high paying jobs, improves our power infrastructure and generates long-term tax revenue. It’s time for Kansas to get in the game.”
Kansas is missing out on data centers
Rachel Willis, of the Kansas Department of Commerce, told the Senate Commerce Committee last month that Kansas missed out on five projects in the past calendar year. That included a $10 billion data center campus that went to Louisiana and four separate projects, each worth $800 million, that chose Alabama, Minnesota, South Carolina and Wyoming.
Meanwhile, the agency’s business recruitment team has 14 data center projects in the pipeline. Willis said tax incentives would help entice those projects to choose Kansas.
Greater Topeka Chamber president Juliet Abdel indicated that the capital city has been considered for some of the projects.
“Go Topeka, our Topeka and Shawnee County economic development entity, has had several Data Center projects express interest,” Abdel said in written testimony. “The economic impact both directly and indirectly is substantial. These projects contribute to the economy through infrastructure investments, employment, and function as a catalyst to growth as industries become more digitally driven.”
How would the tax break work?
“This exemption would be for sales tax for anything from land or site improvements, buildings, data center equipment, lease purchases, etc.,” said Sen. Stephen Owens, R-Hesston. “It’s important to note that these sales tax exemptions do have a timeline.”
The timeline depends on the size of the investment. The exemption lasts 15 years for an investment of at least $250 million investment, 30 years for an investment of $500,000 or more and 60 years for an investment that tops $1 billion.
“The reason for that extension is to ensure that these data centers can continue to be refreshed over time,” Owens said, such as investing in updated servers as technology changes.
Owens said this would put Kansas in line with 31 states that have similar sales tax breaks for data centers.
Owens said the tax breaks are offset by the taxes a data center would pay on its electric bill.
“The sales tax that we would have forgone is actually outweigh by the sales tax we would collect on the utilities, and specifically the electricity that is being purchased,” he said. “So ultimately, this is a net benefit.”
Data center projects criticized
Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, pointed to a 2016 study by Good Jobs First, a corporate subsidy watchdog. It reported that 11 data center megadeals received a total of more than $2 billion in incentives, translating to a cost of $1.95 million per job created.
A follow-up report in 2023 raised similar concerns, concluding: “The data we do have is clear: Such subsidies are indefensible in any state, given spiraling costs and paltry job creation.”
“If we’re serious about cutting the state budget and providing meaningful tax relief to all Kansans, we must stop picking winners and losers with targeted tax relief for a few,” Thompson said. “Instead, we should level the playing field for all our residents and businesses so they can share in the economic benefits.”
Electric grid concerns
Sen. Kenny Titus, R-Manhattan, opposed the bill “because of concerns about our electric power grid’s ability to provide adequate power supply in the future for both the potential influx of data centers and other economic development opportunities that provide many more employment opportunities.”
Claeys, citing a Kansas Corporation Commission report, said that “large load customers like data centers actually help make electricity more affordable for everyone. Because these facilities provide substantial, predictable demand from large customers, they can plan and invest more efficiently in our power infrastructure.”
Electric utility monopoly Evergy made the same argument in written testimony.
Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.
Kansas
COLUMN: Kansas City Must Get Mahomes Another Upper-Tier Wide Receiver
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It wasn’t long ago when a young Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill were terrorizing opposing defenses week in and week out. It was a match made in heaven with Mahomes physical gifts and Hill’s Olympic track speed that made the two an incredible quarterback-wide receiver tandem.
However, following the 2021 season, the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, riding Mahomes of an elite talent on the outside that the team has still been searching for since. In Super Bowl LIX, Travis Kelce’s days as an All-World tight end were long gone, leaving his quarterback with no answers to beat the vaunted Philadelphia Eagles defense in the Chiefs 40-22 defeat.
One thing became perfectly clear after this game: Mahomes needs a top-flight playmaker on the perimeter.
There will be some pushback to that opinion. The Chiefs drafted wide receiver Rashee Rice in the second round two seasons ago and became an instant impact player. However, he missed most of this past season with a knee injury but should return as a key part of the offense as long as his off-field issues are resolved and he remains healthy.
Kansas City also drafted Xavier Worthy as their speed demon and future star playmaker. He had an incredible game in the Super Bowl albeit down multiple scores in an already lost game. However, it may not be enough even if the team chooses to bring back Marquise Brown next month.
With Kelce’s future uncertain ahead of free agency, general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid must consider acquiring a talented and potential No. 1 receiver this offseason. No, don’t expect them to make a drastic trade up in the first round this year for Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and even if they do draft a WR early, a playmaker-by-committee approach just doesn’t seem feasible right now.
There have been numerous wide receivers who have been in the trade rumor mill for months. Seattle Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf, San Fransisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel, Cincinnati Bengals’ Tee Higgins, New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson, and Pittsburgh Steelers’ George Pickens have all been a part of trade rumors one way or another. Any one of those players would provide a significant boost for the Chiefs offense.
The best hands of that group belong to Tee Higgins, whose length and size allow him to have an outstanding catch radius and come away with tough catches in any situation. Wilson is a top wide receiver stuck on a mediocre franchise that doesn’t know which direction it’s going and being a true No. 1 playmaker with a top quarterback could see him put up career numbers. Pickens is the one with the most potential if he can keep himself under control and focus on the task at hand.
There’s also a chance that there could be a reunion between the Chiefs and Hill if the Dolphins decide to move him, assuming Hill can remain healthy and remain the same uber-explosive player he has been for the last seven-plus years.
Either way, finding another high-end playmaker would ease the potential loss of someone like Kelce, who has been Mahomes trusty security blanket since he became the starting QB. A room of Wilson, Worthy, Rice, and Brown would give Mahomes a group of playmakers he could trust with the ball in their hands, especially in space.
How the Chiefs approach the offseason at wide receiver will be key. If they go into the summer with Worthy and Rice as their top two playmakers, it’s risky but it shows their trust in the group as a whole, with or without Kelce.
Regardless, Mahomes needs a trustworthy No. 1 guy and Kansas City should do as much as they can to acquire the missing piece from their Super Bowl defeat.
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