Kansas mother murders: Suspect 'knew the path' custody judge took in his work: court records

Damita Menezes, Ashleigh Banfield and Brian Entin

15 minutes ago

(NewsNation) — Several new details have emerged about the murders of two Kansas mothers whose alleged killers had a history of violent murder plots and went to extreme lengths to cover up the crime. This is according to new court documents which reveal why the defendants were denied bail.

Tiffany Adams, 54; her boyfriend Tad Cullum, 43; Cora Twombly, 44; and her husband, Cole Twombly, 50, were each charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder against Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39.

A source close to the investigation told NewsNation's Banfield that Butler, the mother of Adams' grandchildren, fiercely fought off her attacker while in the car before she was killed.

Her alleged attacker, Cullum, was found with crescent-shaped scratches on his face that resembled fingernail marks when he was arrested. The source said Cullum grew his beard longer to cover up the scratches after previously giving it a good trim.

The arrested suspects were formally arraigned in an Oklahoma court on Wednesday when a judge denied bail to each of them. The quartet, allegedly part of an anti-government religious group called God's Misfits, have become central figures in the investigation.

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New court documents

According to court documents obtained by NewsNation, Adams admitted responsibility for the deaths of Butler and Kelley.

In the motions to hold the four defendants without bail, the filing states, among other things, that Adams “provided law enforcement with a recorded statement indicating that she was responsible for the decedent's death.”

The document also alleges that Adams and Cullum “had a history of violent interactions, including death threats and intimidation…they adhered to their own philosophy and had no regard for the sanctity of human life.”

This is consistent with rumors that the couple were feared in the community because of their viciousness and perceived dangerousness.

At the time of his arrest, Cullum allegedly had a rifle, ammunition, body armor and a “go bag” in his apartment.

According to the documents, Adams and Cullum previously planned to kill Butler by “dropping an anvil through her windshield.”

Prosecutors cited that alleged propensity for violence, as well as evidence that the couple was well-equipped and prepared for a possible escape, to hold them without bail – a request the judge granted.

Particularly troubling were the suspects' statements that they “knew which route the judge took to work” in a previous custody case involving Butler's children, raising fears that they might try to intimidate the court.

The judge entered not guilty pleas for all four defendants, with the possibility of a death penalty still on the table. In Oklahoma, the maximum penalty for murder is death, life, or life without parole.

“Faced with the consequences of a death penalty or life in prison, the defendants would be willing to do anything, as they have demonstrated a willingness to commit lethal murder to limit Veronica's visitation,” court documents state.

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Bodies were found 10 feet underground

Cullum allegedly dug a 10-foot grave on property owner Jamie Beasley's property near a dam and pond, claiming he just needed to “do some earthwork” and bury concrete, according to the landlord.

Two days before the women's disappearance, Cullum asked Beasley if he could use a skid steer loader to remove a tree stump and dig on the property. Beasley agreed.

After the women disappeared, Cullum warned Beasley that police were considering him a suspect and that the skid steer tracks “might look suspicious.” Beasley said he would only confirm that Cullum did dirty work if asked.

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NewsNation visited the site at night and documented the disturbed earth about 50 feet from the dam, where authorities eventually found the bodies buried 10 feet underground.

Nearby was a bale of hay that sources said Cullum strategically positioned to attract livestock and conceal evidence of the excavation.

New earthworks were conducted and discarded burner phones were found on the property, which is 8 1/2 miles from where the women disappeared and where Butler's vehicle was found.

“The area of ​​disturbed soil was excavated and the bodies of two individuals were discovered,” court documents state.

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