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

[d4j]

Can someone refresh my memory as to where the birthday party was? Initially I thought the party was where they were driving to but then I heard they were taking the kids back to where VB lived for the party. Thanks.

"Singer said Kelley and Butler were supposed to pick up the children in Texas County and return to Hugoton for the birthday party, which was scheduled for Saturday morning."

Disappearance of 2 women from Oklahoma Panhandle investigated as suspicious case, OSBI says

Veronica Butler, 27, was headed to Texas County to pick up her children. Jillian Kelley, 39, was in the car with her, but the two never showed up.

www.koco.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"Not knowing anything. Not knowing if they're here in Kansas still or in Oklahoma or where they're at," said Travis Woodworth, a friend.

It's been a hard week for Woodworth and every other person who lives in Hugoton. two of their own, Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley went missing Saturday night.

"Nothing like that really happens around here so, one it was a shock, it was her of all people," said Drelee Houtz, another friend of the missing women.

"My heart just dropped. Like it's been a very heartbreaking week," Woodworth said. "Lots of sleepless nights."

"There's still hope but you never know in a situation like this. Because they could still be out there but it could just be they could be really badly hurt," said Woodworth.

"If you could pray for the family and pray for Tracey he is really beaten up. I can assure you he's not sleeping. Not sleeping at all," said Houtz.

Houtz says the missing moms are the talk of the town. Everyone just wants to do what they can totry to help. Especially because the women's loved ones are really struggling.

"If you could pray for the family and pray for Tracey he is really beaten up. I can assure you he's not sleeping. Not sleeping at all," said Houtz.

Missing Kansas women: Evidence of foul play found in abandoned car

On Wednesday, investigators said they that evidence has been found that points to foul play in the disappearance of two women.

www.kake.com

 

[whitelilac]

OSBI saying "they're hopeful they are still alive". Is that wishful thinking or is that a real possibility?
Under what conditions might they still be alive?
Seems to me the OSBI spokesperson could have just not stated that, if there was not a chance they were alive.
I guess they just don't know yet....maybe that tiny % is still on the table.

 

[otto]

<modsnip: quoted post was removed>
In the court document posted upthread (2022; father's petition), one paragraph describes that the mother requested police presence during hand-over of children. Police decided after some time that their presence was not needed.

It sounds like the mother preferred to have someone with her during hand-over of children. The two women knew each other through church. I don't think it matters too much whether it was a supervised hand-over, or a friend from church to keep her company and help with the children. Or, am I missing something?

 

[otto]

OSBI saying "they're hopeful they are still alive". Is that wishful thinking or is that a real possibility?
Under what conditions might they still be alive?
Seems to me the OSBI spokesperson could have just not stated that, if there was not a chance they were alive.
I guess they just don't know yet....maybe that tiny % is still on the table.

It's always the same - until there is a body, or a long period of time since disappearance, it is presumed that missing people are alive.

 

[PommyMommy]

Missing Mom and Preacher's Wife Vanish, Picking up Kids: Car Just Found - Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

6:15 PM Saturday: Oklahoma Highway Patrol issues a ‘Missing Endangered’ Alert for Veronica Butler and Jillian Kelley on behalf of the Texas County Sheriffs. By Sunday evening, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announces they are joining the investigation into the women's “suspicious...

omny.fm

Noting:

Butler and Kelley miss their expected return home. Pastor Heath Kelley and Pastor Tim Singer drive in the direction they believe the women traveled.

South of Elkhart, Kansas, just three miles from the women’s destination, the men see law enforcement surrounding Butler’s cars on the side of the road. They learn that Texas County Sheriff officers found the car abandoned.

 

[otto]

The two women attended different churches and have now been referred to as "acquaintances" not "friends" as earlier described. She was ordered by the court to have supervision when with her children - not just "a friend."

True. Thank you. I misread the article.

They did not go to the same church. They are not described as friends. I suppose that means that Jilian Kelley was with Veronica Butler in a more official capacity. Do we know whether supervised visits were still court mandated?

I'm curious about how and where their vehicle was intercepted. Have police released any information about looking for, or having, any CCTV footage to confirm anything about them? Is there any information about a timeline?

 

[NDreu]

OSBI saying "they're hopeful they are still alive". Is that wishful thinking or is that a real possibility?
Under what conditions might they still be alive?
Seems to me the OSBI spokesperson could have just not stated that, if there was not a chance they were alive.
I guess they just don't know yet....maybe that tiny % is still on the table.

Perhaps it was a kidnapping and not a murder?

<modsnip: no source link>

 

[NDreu]

True. Thank you. I misread the article.

They did not go to the same church. They are not described as friends. I suppose that means that Jilian Kelley was with Veronica Butler in a more official capacity. Do we know whether supervised visits were still court mandated?

I'm curious about how and where their vehicle was intercepted. Have police released any information about looking for, or having, any CCTV footage to confirm anything about them? Is there any information about a timeline?

Yes, VB had supervised visitation.

 

[PommyMommy]

This is where Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley were supposed to show up to pick up kids, but they never made it. Their car was found abandoned about 7 minutes away.Days later still no sign of the moms. @NewsNation

https://twitter.com/x/status/1775938876973924623

 

[otto]

Noting:

Butler and Kelley miss their expected return home. Pastor Heath Kelley and Pastor Tim Singer drive in the direction they believe the women traveled.

South of Elkhart, Kansas, just three miles from the women’s destination, the men see law enforcement surrounding Butler’s cars on the side of the road. They learn that Texas County Sheriff officers found the car abandoned.

Thank you!
Like this?

 

[steeltowngirl]

Thank you!
Like this?

View attachment 495085

That map and the words Birthday Party.
I’m picturing the children excited to go with their mom for the party. They didn’t get to go. Mom is missing. Likely much worse.

Heartbroken for them.
I hope they find these ladies and who did this.
Soon.

 

[otto]

That map and the words Birthday Party.
I’m picturing the children excited to go with their mom for the party. They didn’t get to go. Mom is missing. Likely much worse.

Heartbroken for them.
I hope they find these ladies and who did this.
Soon.

They were almost at their destination, a few miles away, on a rural road during daylight. Am I correct about daylight? Has the time of their departure or planned arrival been released?

Does a daylight assault on a road mean that the suspect knows the area and knows that it is isolated or remote, and that it is a good place to intercept the women?

The location of the abandoned vehicle provides three directions to look for the kidnapped women.

"Their vehicle was found near Highway 95 and Road L, south of Elkhart, Kansas, in Texas County, the bureau's statement said."
abc7chicago


Google Maps

 

[MadMcGoo]

MOD NOTE - URGENT, PLEASE READ:

Some of the documents are now accessible again. Some are not - it appears from our frantic mod/admin review that those no longer available contain sensitive information about the children, names of non--case players, etc.

Websleuths tries very hard to be cooperative with the needs of law enforcement and the courts. We don't know for sure why they were taken down, but since those documents are no longer available, discussing what is in them is not allowed.

Thanks,

Knitty,
Moderator

Edit: Please note that the children in this case are identifiable because of this case and those documents that are not available. They may read here one day. If it's not in the available docs, please don't discuss it.

^^^ AS A REMINDER ^^^

IF THE INFORMATION YOU POST CAN NOT BE FOUND IN AN APPROVED MAINSTREAM MEDIA LINK, A STATEMENT RELEASED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR AN OTHERWISE APPROVED SOURCE, YOU MAY NOT DISCUSS IT.

The currently available court documents pertaining to VB are easily accessible to the public and allowed to be linked and discussed here (as several members have been doing). Court documents no longer accessible to the public via the government site or other approved sources are off limits.

Links are REQUIRED when posting anything as fact. If you want to discuss it, provide a source link.

Sleuthing anyone other than the two missing women is not allowed. At this point, no one has been named a suspect or person of interest.

Members choosing to disregard this and other instructions from Administrators or Moderators will have their posting privileges suspended. Zero Tolerance.

 

[Universecalling]

Do we know whether Kelley has been involved with this family or the supervised visits before? Perhaps it wasn’t that for her this was just a case of “wrong place, wrong time” but that the perpetrator also had it out for her?

I guess it all comes back to why the police are saying the public isn’t in danger… They haven’t explicitly said they believe whatever happened was targeted but that may be to cover their own backs? Or it could mean that they believe the perpetrator is deceased but then I doubt LE would have publicly said they’re hopeful the women are alive. I understand why we, as the public, don’t get all the details but it sure is confusing!

I believe it was stated that this was Kelley’s first time accompanying VB in official capacity for a supervised visit.
If I remember correctly, she was listed as fourth or fifth appointed supervisor by the court.
If the situation was at a boiling point, and this was bound to happen, what freakin bad luck for that poor woman.
Others on the list probably couldn’t do it bc of the holiday weekend, or other reasons. Ugh

 

[shefner]

I wouldn't be surprised to learn these women were diverted to a separate location where they encountered an unexpected confrontation of some kind. After the incident, the vehicle was returned to the location where it was eventually found, at a spot chosen because it was several miles before their original destination.

If something like this occurred, the chances of finding evidence from the perpetrator/s in the vehicle would be high.

 

[whitelilac]

There are multiple well sites right in the vicinity of where the car was found.View attachment 494720

I'm still very concerned about these oil wells in the area. There are no forests, no rivers or lakes, no wilderness, the area is as flat and desolate as a pancake....where could these woman be? I have these awful Watts scenarios in my mind.
Were they transported far away? Where's the nearest wilderness area.
Then I suppose they could be buried in the middle of a vast field or under a barn.
We need them to be found.

 

[otto]

This is where Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley were supposed to show up to pick up kids, but they never made it. Their car was found abandoned about 7 minutes away.Days later still no sign of the moms. @NewsNation

https://twitter.com/x/status/1775938876973924623

View attachment 495084

That looks like this location




Google Map

 

[CuriousCricket]

This is where Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley were supposed to show up to pick up kids, but they never made it. Their car was found abandoned about 7 minutes away.Days later still no sign of the moms. @NewsNation

https://twitter.com/x/status/1775938876973924623

View attachment 495084

Looks as though there may be some good tire tracks to study to see if any are from the abandoned car . . . Just because it was reported they never showed up at the meeting place, does not mean that is true.

 

[otto]

Looks as though there may be some good tire tracks to study to see if any are from the abandoned car . . . Just because it was reported they never showed up at the meeting place, does not mean that is true.

The building posted on X looks like an abandoned gas station with two car bays. I think that's the general location, but the house and farm might be across the street.

It's an unusual place for a hand-over given that Veronica Butler requested police attendance for hand-over of children in 2021-22.

Why didn't they meet at a populated location?