Oklahoma judge rules on 3 motions during status hearing for Kansas women deaths case

TEXAS COUNTY, Okla. (KAMR/KCIT) – Texas County Associate District Judge, A. Clark Jett, ruled on three motions filed by both the defense and the state of Oklahoma in the case of the deaths of 2 Kansas women.

As was previously reported on MyHighPlains.com, 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley of Hugoton, Kan., were reported missing in March. The Texas County Sheriff’s Department said the women were traveling to pick up children but never arrived at their destination. Their bodies were reported to be found in rural Texas County.

Five people were previously arrested in connection with the case, 54-year-old Tifany Adams; 43-year-old Tad Cullum; 50-year-old Cole Twombly; 44-year-old Cora Twombly; and 31-year-old Paul Grice. They each faced multiple charges, including suspicion of murder and kidnapping.

The three motions filed included two by the defense and one by George Leach, district attorney for Beaver, Cimarron, Harper, and Texas counties. Judge Jett granted the state an extension of six months of the withholding of the full and complete medical examiner's report and a gag order on law enforcement, court personnel, and other personnel from making comments to the media excluding general statements, schedules, and information from past hearings.

Judge Jett denied the defense's motion to seal search warrants citing the Oklahoma Open Records Act. Further, all defense attorneys requested for defendants to be in the room together for the trial and any further hearings with the claim that splitting defendants up interferes with their right to a fair trial under the 6th Amendment.

A discovery status hearing is scheduled to go over any discovery motions on June 19.