TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. (KVII) — Tifany Adams entered a no-contest plea in the Texas County murder case of two Kansas mothers.
Adams was accused of involvement in the plot to murder the mother of her grandchildren, Veronica Butler, and her friend Jillian Kelley last year.
Butler and Kelley went missing on March 30, 2024. Their vehicle was found on March 30 along a rural Oklahoma highway with ample evidence of a bloody confrontation, setting off a multi-agency effort to secure the children’s safety while searching for the women and avoiding more violence.
The women had arranged with the grandmother of Butler’s two children to meet at a highway intersection on the morning of March 30 and pick up the 6- and 8-year-olds. Instead, according to court documents, the women were killed by the grandmother, Adams, her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, and another couple, Cole and Cora Twombly.
According to court documents obtained by ABC 7 News, Adams bought “burner” phones and five stun guns. Her internet searches included asking about pain levels using the weapons.
Cora Twombly said at one point, “The plan was to throw an anvil through Butler’s windshield while driving, making it look like an accident because anvils regularly fall off of work vehicles.”
On April 14, 2024, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation excavated a possible burial site,8.5 miles from where Butler’s car was found abandoned.
They unearthed a chest freezer and found the victims’ bodies inside.
Agents also found personal items that did not belong to Butler or Kelley
The burial site was on property leased by Tad Cullum, one of the five murder suspects.
The autopsy revealed that Butler was stabbed nine times and cut 21 more. Ten of the cuts were from Butler trying to defend herself by grabbing the knife.
Adams waived her right to the hearing and left the courtroom. She also waived her right to a speedy trial, according to court records.
As part of the plea deal, the District Attorney agreed to take the death penalty off the table. She is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 28, 2026.