Two Oklahomans involved in a disturbing murder conspiracy tied to the anti-government group “God’s Misfits” are now revealing shocking details to law enforcement as part of plea agreements. The gruesome case centers on the murders of two mothers, Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, whose bodies were found in a buried freezer in April 2024.
Paul Grice, 32, and Cora Twombly, 45, have both accepted plea deals in exchange for their cooperation and testimony. However, the judge may still revoke those deals if they fail to fully cooperate. Transcripts from their court appearances were recently made public as part of a wrongful death civil case filed by a victim’s family.
During his testimony, Grice admitted his motivation for testifying was to avoid the death penalty. Twombly’s deal includes at least 30 years in prison before she’s eligible for parole.
Grice and Twombly described how the group, which began as a casual prayer circle, eventually evolved into a private association. Tifany Adams, 55, one of the accused, allegedly began expressing concerns over her grandchildren’s custody situation, accusing her son of drug use and criticizing the children’s living environment.
This dispute ultimately spiraled into a murder plot targeting Butler—who had custody of Adams’ grandchildren—and Kelley, who was accompanying her.
The two Kansas women vanished in March 2024 while heading to pick up Butler’s children in rural Oklahoma. Weeks later, investigators discovered their bodies buried inside a freezer.
Grice testified that Adams approached him in February with a chilling request: “She point blank asked me if I would kill Veronica.” He admitted to considering it after letting her story foster bitterness in him.
According to Grice, Adams used Bible verses to justify the killings and detailed a plan involving a trailer equipped with a freezer. She was to lure the women inside, Grice was to kill Butler, and Adams’ boyfriend, Tad Bert Cullum, 44, was tasked with killing Kelley and disposing of the evidence.
Twombly testified her role was to wait outside, then leave with the victims’ cell phones and destroy them elsewhere. Her husband, Cole Earl Twombly, 50, acted as lookout. But she said the scene was far bloodier than expected.
“It hadn’t gone the way she planned,” Twombly said of Adams. She arrived to chaos—one victim being chased, another pleading for help as Grice killed them.
Grice confessed to killing Butler with a hammer and Kelley with a knife, saying he felt set up to be the only one “with blood on [his] hands.” He described a haunting moment during the act.
“Going back to Tifany coming over there while you have Veronica on the ground. What is Tifany doing?” a prosecutor asked.
Grice responded, “Walking a circle around us laughing. It was the most evil laugh I ever heard.”
The next hearing in the case, which will address evidence testing that could affect key materials, is scheduled for July 30.
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