Kansas Woman Pleads No Contest in Chilling 2024 Murder of Two Mothers

KANSAS — A Kansas woman accused in one of the region’s most disturbing murder cases has pleaded no contest to charges tied to the deaths of two mothers who vanished during a child custody exchange in 2024.

Tifany Adams Accepts Conviction Without Admitting Guilt

According to court filings reviewed by NewsNation, 54-year-old Tifany Adams entered a no-contest plea this week in an Oklahoma courtroom, avoiding a criminal trial. The plea means Adams did not admit guilt but accepts a conviction and faces the same punishment as if she had been found guilty.

Adams was among five suspects charged in the murders of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, two Kansas mothers who disappeared in March 2024 while traveling from Hugoton, Kansas, to pick up Butler’s children for a supervised visit in Oklahoma.

She was charged with first-degree murder, unlawful removal of a dead body, and unlawful disposal of a human corpse. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors dropped two other charges — conspiracy and child neglect.

Adams will be sentenced in January 2026, where she faces a possible life sentence without parole.

Details of a Chilling Crime

Authorities say the victims were killed and later discovered buried inside a freezer, bound with yellow straps. Autopsy results revealed that both women had been stabbed to death.

Adams — who is the paternal grandmother of Butler’s children — was accused of playing a central role in the crime’s planning. Investigators said she allegedly purchased burner phones, stun devices, yellow straps, and the pants worn by another suspect, all of which were later connected to the murders.

Four others — Tad Cullum (43), Cora Twombly (44), Cole Twombly (50), and Paul Grice (31) — were also charged in connection with the killings.

Custody Dispute Behind the Tragedy

At the time of the murders, Butler’s ex-partner, Wrangler Rickman, had legal custody of the couple’s two children. However, Rickman was undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation facility, leaving the children in Adams’ care.

Investigators believe that long-standing custody tensions and family disputes contributed to the violent outcome.

Adams previously waived her right to a preliminary hearing and speedy trial, signaling her intent to move toward resolution without prolonged proceedings.

Community Still Grieving

The gruesome case shocked both Kansas and Oklahoma communities, drawing national attention as authorities searched for the missing women for weeks before their remains were discovered.

Family members have since described Butler and Kelley as loving mothers and devoted friends whose deaths left an irreplaceable void.

Adams’ sentencing in January 2026 will close one of the darkest chapters in the case — but questions remain about the exact roles of her co-defendants, whose trials are still pending.

For ongoing updates on Midwest crime and justice, stay with NapervilleLocal.com, where we continue to follow major cases impacting families across the region.