Oklahoma grandmother gets life without parole in killings of two Kansas mothers tied to custody exchange
Life-without-parole sentence follows no-contest plea
An Oklahoma judge has sentenced 54-year-old Tifany Adams to life in prison without the possibility of parole for her role in the killings of two Kansas women, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley. The sentence was imposed on Feb. 2, 2026, in Texas County District Court.
Adams previously entered a no-contest plea as part of a negotiated resolution that removed the death penalty as a possible punishment. A no-contest plea results in a conviction and sentencing without an admission of guilt.
Disappearance and investigation timeline
Butler and Kelley were last seen on March 30, 2024. Investigators later located their vehicle abandoned in rural Texas County, Oklahoma. On April 14, 2024, authorities announced the women’s bodies had been found.
Five people were ultimately charged in connection with the deaths: Tad Cullum, Tifany Adams, Cole Twombly, Cora Twombly and Paul Grice. Each faced first-degree murder and conspiracy allegations, with additional counts filed against some defendants related to handling of the bodies.
March 30, 2024: Butler and Kelley last seen; vehicle later found abandoned in Texas County.
April 14, 2024: Bodies found; four suspects taken into custody.
Late April 2024: A warrant was issued for a fifth suspect, Paul Grice.
October 2024: A state medical examiner summary reported the women died from multiple sharp force trauma.
October 2025: Adams entered a no-contest plea to multiple charges connected to the case.
Feb. 2, 2026: Adams sentenced to life without parole.
Custody dispute at the center of the case
Authorities have said the killings occurred in the context of a custody exchange. Adams is the mother of Butler’s ex-husband and the paternal grandmother of Butler’s children, placing the custody dispute at the core of the events prosecutors tied to the homicides.
A custody exchange involving Butler’s children was identified by investigators as central to the circumstances surrounding the killings.
Status of the remaining cases
Court proceedings against other defendants are still moving through the system. Cora Twombly and Paul Grice have plea agreements in place; those agreements include testimony and remove the death penalty as a potential outcome. Trial dates remain set for two defendants who have not taken plea deals: Tad Cullum’s trial is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2026, and Cole Twombly’s trial is scheduled for February 2027.
The case remains active as prosecutors continue to pursue outcomes for the remaining defendants in a multi-year prosecution stemming from the 2024 deaths.