A fifth person has been arrested in connection with two Kansas women found dead around nine miles away from their abandoned car.
Police arrested 57-year-old Paul Grice in connection with the murders of Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley. The women were killed while on their way from Kansas to Oklahoma to pick up Butler’s children from Adams, the children’s paternal grandmother, for a scheduled visitation. Kelley was the appointed supervisor for the visit.
Tifany Adams, 54; Tad Cullum, 43; Cole Twombly, 50; and Cora Twombly, 44, have already been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping, and conspiracy in the deaths of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, on March 30, as CrimeOnline reported.
Grice was named as a co-conspirator in the murders by Cora Twombly’s 16-year-old daughter, according to a probable cause warrant obtained by CrimeOnline, but was not charged until Wednesday.
Lauren Conlin with The Outlier podcast indicates that Grice has been charged with murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder, the same as the other four suspects.
BREAKING: PAUL GRICE ARRESTED TODAY in connection with the tragic murders and kidnappings of VERONICA BUTLER & JILIAN KELLEY.
Cannot find the affidavit yet, but one step closer in getting justice for Jilian and Veronica. @NancyGrace @149Zone7 #PAULGRICE #JILIANKELLEY… pic.twitter.com/IyAKGICzY5
— Lauren Conlin (@conlin_lauren) April 24, 2024
The victims’ bodies were found Sunday, a day after the four initial suspects were arrested, in rural Texas County about nine miles from where their car was found abandoned.
Prosecutors have not decided whether to seek the death penalty against the suspects. Four of them appeared Wednesday without attorneys present.
Adams, Cullum, and Cole Twombly told the court they would hire attorneys, but Cora Twombly said she could not afford one, so a judge ordered that a public defender be appointed for her.
The story is developing. Check back for updates.
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[Featured image: Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley/Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation]
