OK OK, Veronica Butler 27 & Jilian Kelley 39, Vehicle Abandoned, Texas County, 30 Mar 2024

[imstilla.grandma]

Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, of Hugoton, Kansas, were driving to Oklahoma to pick up Butler’s children to attend a March 30 birthday party in Kansas but never showed up, Tom Singer, the pastor of the church Butler attended, told KOCO-TV.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/foul-play-suspected-in-the-disappearance-of-two-19387644.php

*does this explain how they found her vehicle so quickly?

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Do we know if the children were at any moment at pick-up location waiting for mom to arrive?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

From the approved appeal: "[VB] requested unnecessary law enforcement "standbys" for visitation exchanges..."

Hmm.

https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetDocument.aspx?ct=appellate&bc=1052968462&cn=DF-119621&fmt=pdf

 

[cuffem]

There has to be more done to protect parents during exchanges.Taking along JK they probably thought that would do.

OT
I worked as a nanny some 35 years ago and had to take 2 children to a security guard station once a week for a visit.
It was a crazy story and I got drama from both sides. One of the scariest things I ever had to do because these people had a lot of anger and money. I was always in fear they would snatch the children or break into the home.
I sure hope the children lead happy lives.

 

[Betty P]

The missing poster states they went missing at around 9:30am.

Perhaps that's when LE made the determination that the women were actually missing - after they found and searched the abandoned blue SUV and questioned the husbands.

 

[carterkatt]

That reminds me, whatever happened to Texas EquuSearch? This seems like the exact kind of situation that would be ideal for them to get involved in.

Doesn't Texas EquuSearch only help if requested by LE?

 

[Cecelia]

Doesn't Texas EquuSearch only help if requested by LE?

On their website, they encourage family of missing persons to contact them directly, but LE has to give consent for them to get involved. But these two women are missing and you would think, at least I would think, LE would appreciate their help as a reputable volunteer organization, especially in such a rural area.

 

[windrower]

There has to be more done to protect parents during exchanges.Taking along JK they probably thought that would do.

OT
I worked as a nanny some 35 years ago and had to take 2 children to a security guard station once a week for a visit.
It was a crazy story and I got drama from both sides. One of the scariest things I ever had to do because these people had a lot of anger and money. I was always in fear they would snatch the children or break into the home.
I sure hope the children lead happy lives.

Yes, and have we learned nothing from the Josh Powell episode?

That social worker was in the danger zone, and could very easily been inside the house when he murdered his boys, burned up the house, and committed suicide.

The Wagner case. Horrible and unbelievable and tragic.

I understand trying to read the tea leaves to see where a child custody situation is headed. But can’t we be safe rather than sorry?

 

[tlcya]

Two missing mothers in Oklahoma appear to be victims of "foul play," according to authorities, who are investigating why the women never appeared to pick up children as planned.
[snip]
"Based on the information obtained from the victim's vehicle, our investigators believe there was evidence to indicate foul play," the bureau said in an update on Wednesday.
'Foul play' suspected in case of missing moms in Oklahoma, police say

McKee declined to say what evidence was found in the vehicle, citing the continuing investigation.
[snip]
The sheriff's office has turned the investigation over to the OSBI.
https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/foul-play-suspected-in-the-disappearance-of-two-19387644.php

ETA I wish we knew what evidence was found in the car.

 

[simlyme]

Let's not forget that people do pay others to do their dirty deeds. Something to think about.

 

[tlcya]

Does anyone else find if unusual that we have only been hearing in the past 24 hours about evidence in the car leading LE to suspect foul play? I mean, the vehicle was found on Saturday, March 30th. Why are we only now hearing of this evidence of foul play?

I sure hope LE know a whole bunch more than they are letting on.

 

[otto]

Does anyone else find if unusual that we have only been hearing in the past 24 hours about evidence in the car leading LE to suspect foul play? I mean, the vehicle was found on Saturday, March 30th. Why are we only now hearing of this evidence of foul play?

I sure hope LE know a whole bunch more than they are letting on.

Not really. If there was suspected blood inside the vehicle, I suppose it would take a few days to complete DNA tests to determine whose blood it is. That could explain the delay in confirming that something serious happened inside or near the car.

 

[carbuff]

Broken driver's side window plus car in the brush beside the road sounds to me like drive-by shooting.

 

[tlcya]

I suppose, but blood evidence, even if not tied to the missing women, would in my mind still indicate strongly that foul play was involved in the women's disappearance. I would think DNA would not be needed to say "we found blood, something bad went down here"

 

[carbuff]

It could be a lot of things. Blood, other body fluids, shell casings, a weapon, a bag with zip ties and partly used duct tape, etc.

 

[Hestia's Fire]

Broken driver's side window plus car in the brush beside the road sounds to me like drive-by shooting.

As in, a random attack?
I've never heard of a drive-by shooting in which the shooter goes back and absconds with the bodies of their victims.
Or are you thinking a drive-by shooting as part of a coordinated ambush with others who then took the bodies to hide or dispose of them?

 

[carbuff]

As in, a random attack?
I've never heard of a drive-by shooting in which the shooter goes back and absconds with the bodies of their victims.
Or are you thinking a drive-by shooting as part of a coordinated ambush with others who then took the bodies to hide or dispose of them?

I wouldn't rule out random attack, but I was thinking ambush. Not necessarily coordinated--in that isolated area, they could easy drive up beside the women to do the shooting, then park beside the crashed car.

 

[scapa]

I wouldn't rule out random attack, but I was thinking ambush. Not necessarily coordinated--in that isolated area, they could easy drive up beside the women to do the shooting, then park beside the crashed car.

Agree.

Has some echoes of the lay-in-wait attack on Jared Bridegan, plus a kidnapping/ removal of victims. Several threads here on that one.

A Microsoft executive was murdered in an ambush. Did his ex wife arrange it?

The targeted murder of a Florida father of four has unravelled a shocking alleged plot between his ex-wife, her next husband and the new spouse’s one-time tenant. Graig Graziosi and Sheila Flynn look at the case

www.independent.co.uk

 

[carbuff]

Agree.

Has some echoes of the lay-in-wait attack on Jared Bridegan, plus a kidnapping/ removal of victims. Several threads here on that one.

A Microsoft executive was murdered in an ambush. Did his ex wife arrange it?

The targeted murder of a Florida father of four has unravelled a shocking alleged plot between his ex-wife, her next husband and the new spouse’s one-time tenant. Graig Graziosi and Sheila Flynn look at the case

www.independent.co.uk

Well, that is a case that will make a person raise their eyebrows. Wow.

 

[ifindedout]

Four Corners is written on the building, but it appears to be abandoned. Why would the courts agree to this, or has the business closed more recently? Date on Google Maps is 2022.



View attachment 495113
link

View attachment 495111
The sign has been taken down.
View attachment 495112
Google Maps

The street view from 2008, the only view prior to 2022, shows it open and busy. If it was a victim of the Great Recession, it could've been closed for as many as 15 years.
Also note tree in front of store in 2022, absent in 2008.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

ETA: in Historic Aerials, that tree can be seen in the 2013 aerial but not in 2010.

NETRonline: Historic Aerials - Viewer

Historic Aerial Photos and Maps

historicaerials.com