The full autopsy reports on Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley have been released. Both reports identify the cause of death as multiple sharp force trauma. The reports list a total of 30 wounds on each victim, including 9 stab wounds and 21 cuts.
Many of Butler’s wounds were consistent with defensive injuries.
A police affidavit states that Tifany Adams allegedly made statements implicating herself in the deaths of Butler and Kelley.
Investigators believe Butler and Kelley were lured to the location, arriving around 9:40 a.m. Officers found pools of blood, Butler’s glasses on the ground, and a broken hammer at the scene. Police believe the women were then forced into another vehicle.
The probable cause affidavit contains extensive details, but the women’s causes of death were not initially disclosed. Their bodies were discovered in a cattle pasture leased by Tad Bert Cullum, the boyfriend of Tifany Adams.
Cellphone data from three burner phones purchased by Adams helped narrow down the location. The phones first pinged near Butler’s abandoned car, and the data later led police to the pasture. Officers found signs of digging. A hole, which had been refilled, contained the bodies of the two women.
Investigators cite a custody battle over Butler’s two children as the motive. The custody dispute had lasted more than five years. Butler’s ex-partner, Wrangler Rickman, who is Adams’ son, had custody of the children. However, Rickman was confirmed to be in a rehabilitation facility in Oklahoma City at the time.
Butler was allowed supervised visitation with her children every Saturday. According to her attorney, she was likely to gain unsupervised visitation in an upcoming hearing.
The affidavit states, “Adams vehemently opposed this and went to great lengths to plan and purchase items used in Butler and Kelley’s murders.” It continues, “Adams, Cullum, Cole, and Cora were willing to kidnap and murder two victims to limit visitation for Butler.”
Court documents also allege that Adams and her accomplices attempted to kill Butler in February. Adams, her boyfriend, and another couple reportedly drove to Butler’s home near Hugoton, Kansas, intending to kill her. A witness told investigators the plan was to throw an anvil through Butler’s windshield to make it appear as an accident, but Butler did not leave her home.
State investigators retrieved data from Adams’ phone showing searches for terms such as “taser pain level,” “gun shops,” “prepaid cellular phones,” and “how to get someone out of their house.”
According to the documents, Adams purchased five stun guns before the women disappeared. She also bought three prepaid burner phones from a nearby Walmart. All the burner phones stopped transmitting on the morning of the women’s disappearance.
After the attack, the bodies were reportedly stored in a sealed freezer before being buried 4 to 8 feet underground.
Joining Nancy Grace Today:
Additional Guest
– Kelly Hyman- Trial & Civil Attorney, TV Legal Analyst, Podcast Host: “Once Upon a Crime In Hollywood”, Twitter: @kellyhyman1, TikTok: @kelly.hyman, Instagram: @Kelly_Hyman1
“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.
[Feature Photo: Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley/Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation]
