Fifth God's Misfits member charged with murder in deaths of two Kansas women
GUYMON — A fifth member of the antigovernment group God's Misfits was arrested and charged Wednesday in the deaths of two Kansas women who went missing March 30 in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Paul Jeremiah Grice, 31, of Keyes, confessed Tuesday to his involvement, an OSBI agent revealed in an arrest affidavit.
He faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest in a news release. The charge was filed in Texas County District Court.
"This is still an ongoing investigation." the OSBI said.
Already facing the same counts are Tifany Adams, 54, her boyfriend, Tad Bert Cullum, 43, and a married couple, Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44. They were charged April 12.
The victims, Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley, were kidnapped and killed March 30, prosecutors allege. Their bodies were discovered April 14 in a hole.
Grice was interviewed Tuesday and admitted that he was involved in the planning of the deaths, the OSBI agent reported in the arrest affidavit. Grice also admitted "that he participated in the killing of Butler and Kelley and their subsequent burial."
Butler, 27, had come from Kansas to pick up her two children from Adams, their paternal grandmother. Butler had planned to take them to a birthday party. Kelley, 39, a pastor's wife, was along to supervise her visit.
Adams and Butler were in a "problematic custody battle" over the children, the OSBI revealed earlier. The grandmother had been taking care of the children for months at her home in Keyes.
Adams after her arrest made statements to law enforcement indicating she was responsible for the deaths, the OSBI revealed last week in a court affidavit.
All five defendants have been identified as belonging to God's Misfits. The OSBI reported the group had regular meetings at the Twombly's home and another couple's home.
A key witness in the case is Cora Twombly's 16-year-old daughter. The witness said she "was told that Cora and Cole blocked the road to stop Butler and Kelley and divert them to where Adams, Cullum and Grice were," according to OSBI affidavits.
"OSBI learned that Grice, Cullum and Adams had cellular phone conversations amongst each other on March 30, 2024, in the morning hours, prior to the disappearance," according to the newest affidavit. "Grice and Cullum were together at Grice's home, after the disappearance ... on the same day."
No attorney was listed in the case yet for Grice. The other defendants have been appointed attorneys, who have a policy of not talking to the media.
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"At a hearing scheduled for April 17, 2024, Butler would potentially have been granted unsupervised visitation with her children," the OSBI has reported in affidavits. "Adams vehemently opposed this and went to great lengths to plan and purchase items used in Butler and Kelley's murders."
The OSBI has confirmed that the bodies were found on property leased by Cullum to graze cattle.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Fifth God's Misfits member accused of murdering two Kansas women
