Two Oklahomans, Paul Grice and Cora Twombly, have provided shocking testimonies about their involvement in a gruesome murder conspiracy that led to the deaths of two mothers. The crime, tied to a radical anti-government group known as “God’s Misfits,” has stunned the community. As the case remains in its pre-trial stage, the two defendants have agreed to plea deals in exchange for their cooperation, although the judge could still deny the deals depending on their level of cooperation.
The Background of the Crime
Paul Grice, 32, and Cora Twombly, 45, both face multiple charges but have agreed to testify in exchange for reduced sentences. Grice’s deal could potentially keep him off death row, while Twombly faces at least 30 years behind bars before becoming eligible for parole. In a series of court hearings, both Grice and Twombly described how their involvement in the conspiracy started out innocently enough, with the group initially forming as a prayer circle before evolving into something much darker.
The group’s dynamic shifted when Tifany Adams, 55, one of the co-defendants, started complaining about a custody dispute involving her grandchildren. She became increasingly angry about her son’s involvement with drugs and criticized the parenting abilities of others. This frustration ultimately transformed into a brutal plot to murder two Kansas women: Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39.
The Planned Murders of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley
In late March 2024, Butler and Kelley traveled to Oklahoma to pick up Butler’s children. However, they were reported missing, and their bodies were found in an underground freezer on April 14, 2024. The details that emerged during the testimonies of Grice and Twombly are chilling. According to Grice, Adams approached him in February 2024 with a proposition to kill Veronica Butler. Grice admitted that Adams’s story fueled a growing bitterness and hatred in him, which ultimately led to his agreement to carry out the crime.
Adams allegedly used religious justifications, quoting Bible verses, to convince Grice to participate. Grice described a clear plan where Adams would bring a pickup truck and a trailer with a freezer to lure the victims, and his role would be to kill Butler. Meanwhile, Tad Bert Cullum, 44, Adams’ boyfriend, was tasked with dealing with Jilian Kelley. The murder was planned to occur in a secluded area, with the bodies being disposed of afterward.
The Murders Unfold
The details of the murder itself are shocking. Twombly, who was tasked with waiting outside the trailer, described a chaotic scene when she arrived. She witnessed Grice pleading for help while killing the two women. Grice admitted that he killed Butler with a hammer and Kelley with a knife. Twombly testified that things hadn’t gone as planned, and the crime scene was messier than expected. One of the other co-defendants was even seen chasing one of the victims.
Grice, reflecting on the crime, stated that he felt set up to be the sole person “with blood on [his] hands.” His description of the aftermath was even more disturbing, as he recounted Adams walking around the scene, laughing in what he described as “the most evil laugh” he had ever heard.
The Aftermath and Legal Process
Following the murders, Twombly said her role was to take any cellphones that had been brought to the scene and destroy them. She and Adams allegedly left the crime scene with the phones to dispose of them at another location. Meanwhile, her husband, Cole Earl Twombly, 50, acted as a lookout during the murders.
As the case continues, the next hearing, scheduled for July 30, 2025, will focus on testing evidence that could potentially destroy or damage key materials related to the crime. The public has been left stunned by the details revealed so far, and the case remains ongoing as the defendants’ testimony continues to shape the investigation.
