Found Deceased OK, Veronica Butler 27 & Jilian Kelley 39, Vehicle Abandoned, Texas County, 30 Mar 2024 #7 *Arrests*

[Rixey]

APR 30, updated MAY 1, 2025

https://www.myhighplains.com/news/local-news/texas-county/temporary-judge-to-oversee-case-involving-death-of-2-kansas-women/

One of the suspects, Tad Cullum, filed a motion for the original judge to recuse himself. The judge was a lawyer for now-defendant Tifany Adams back in 2010 during a civil case. That motion was denied.

Following an appeal, the motion was denied again on Wednesday. A temporary judge was assigned while the appeals process continues.

The newly appointed temporary judge is Justin Eilers. Here is some background info on him

https://trellis.law/judge/justin.p.eilers

And here's the background info for Judge Parsley

https://trellis.law/judge/jon.k.parsley

 

[Soulmagent]

APR 30, updated MAY 1, 2025

https://www.myhighplains.com/news/local-news/texas-county/temporary-judge-to-oversee-case-involving-death-of-2-kansas-women/

One of the suspects, Tad Cullum, filed a motion for the original judge to recuse himself. The judge was a lawyer for now-defendant Tifany Adams back in 2010 during a civil case. That motion was denied.

Following an appeal, the motion was denied again on Wednesday. A temporary judge was assigned while the appeals process continues.

Why would a judge not want to recuse himself in this case?
I see why the defendant appealed. I would have to, I would not want a judge on my case that had any type of client privilege relationship . In the interest of justice ,I do not see what the big deal it seems to be when it is suggested.

 

[Knox]

APR 16, 2025

Judge denies Tad Cullum’s motion for recusal in Oklahoma murders

A judge has denied Tad Cullum’s motion for recusal in the murder case of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley.

www.newschannel10.com

15 years ago, in 2010, Judge Parsley was the lawyer for Tifany Adams in a civil case in Cimarron County.

Because of that, Cullum and his attorneys said there is a level of bias and impartiality on Judge Parsley’s part and is asking him to disqualify himself from this case.

https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/judge-denies-new-judge-for-suspect-in-murdered-moms-case/

Tad Cullum’s attorney filed a motion for Judge Jon Parsley to recuse himself because Parsley represented fellow defendant Tifany Adams in an unrelated case. The attorney claims that raises questions about the judge’s ability to be impartial.

On Wednesday, Parsley denied the motion. He said that the representation of Adams in a marriage dissolution case was wrapped up in 2011, and Cullum was not involved in that case.

Co-defendants Adams and Paul Grice were also supposed to appear in court on Wednesday, but their dates were pushed back.

Why wouldn’t this judge just recuse himself instead of risking an appeal down the road? That makes no sense to me.

 

[Knox]

The newly appointed temporary judge is Justin Eilers. Here is some background info on him

https://trellis.law/judge/justin.p.eilers

And here's the background info for Judge Parsley

https://trellis.law/judge/jon.k.parsley

If the appeals court doesn’t remove Parsley, I’m going to wonder about the validity of the judiciary system in OK.

Can a judge be forced to retire or removed from serving all together? What does that process look like?

 

[Soulmagent]

If the appeals court doesn’t remove Parsley, I’m going to wonder about the validity of the judiciary system in OK.

Can a judge be forced to retire or removed from serving all together? What does that process look like?

I cant believe you have not already been questioning the validity of them.
They can be removed from their robes for misconduct .

 

[Knox]

I cant believe you have not already been questioning the validity of them.
They can be removed from their robes for misconduct .

I haven't kept up with this case, pop in every once in a while for an update?

I'm asking for an opinion - is the refusal to recuse enough to get him removed from service.

 

[Rixey]

I haven't kept up with this case, pop in every once in a while for an update?

I'm asking for an opinion - is the refusal to recuse enough to get him removed from service.

No, the refusal to recuse is well within the judge's right. And it would be highly unusual for it to be considered as any sort of reason to remove a judge from the bench.

Like (almost) all criminal court judges, Judge Parsley was a practicing attorney long before becoming a judge, and in his private practice he handled many different type of cases for many different clients. In a sparsely populated area like that area of the OK panhandle there are not a lot of options, so it makes sense that he would have encountered at least one of the defendants during that time.

Defendants make motions seeking for a judge to recuse themselves/be removed all the time for a wide variety of reasons, some valid, some ridiculous. They really have nothing to lose by asking -- and trying to seed doubt about a judge's ability to remain impartial is also a motive for the defense.

I am sure this appeal will be considered appropriately and a determination will be made because of the relative laws & the evidence, not because of any sort of malfeasance. I could easily see it going either way, and frankly, I expect that no matter who is sitting on the bench, as long as TC has money, his attorney will continue to file motions and to appeal any decision or verdict that doesn't go their way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it also doesn't mean there is necessarily a reason to put too much stock in the claims made in those motions.

It will be interesting to see how this part of things play out, but ultimately I hope all 5 defendants leave the custody of the prison system in a hearse without ever having had a happy moment again.

 

[Rixey]

Why would a judge not want to recuse himself in this case?
I see why the defendant appealed. I would have to, I would not want a judge on my case that had any type of client privilege relationship . In the interest of justice ,I do not see what the big deal it seems to be when it is suggested.

If a judge was removed every time a defendant wanted them to be would mean a perpetual game of musical chairs for judges. There must be a valid reason and a high standard to avoid utter chaos. Not saying there is/isn't a valid reason in this instance, just that doing it whenever suggested would indeed be a really big deal.

 

[Knox]

No, the refusal to recuse is well within the judge's right. And it would be highly unusual for it to be considered as any sort of reason to remove a judge from the bench.

Like (almost) all criminal court judges, Judge Parsley was a practicing attorney long before becoming a judge, and in his private practice he handled many different type of cases for many different clients. In a sparsely populated area like that area of the OK panhandle there are not a lot of options, so it makes sense that he would have encountered at least one of the defendants during that time.

Defendants make motions seeking for a judge to recuse themselves/be removed all the time for a wide variety of reasons, some valid, some ridiculous. They really have nothing to lose by asking -- and trying to seed doubt about a judge's ability to remain impartial is also a motive for the defense.

I am sure this appeal will be considered appropriately and a determination will be made because of the relative laws & the evidence, not because of any sort of malfeasance. I could easily see it going either way, and frankly, I expect that no matter who is sitting on the bench, as long as TC has money, his attorney will continue to file motions and to appeal any decision or verdict that doesn't go their way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it also doesn't mean there is necessarily a reason to put too much stock in the claims made in those motions.

It will be interesting to see how this part of things play out, but ultimately I hope all 5 defendants leave the custody of the prison system in a hearse without ever having had a happy moment again.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question! Off to read back, to get more information.

 

[Spyderlady]

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Four of the five people charged with murdering two southwest Kansas mothers were in court on Wednesday....
The fifth suspect, Tad Cullum, was not in court. His case is paused while his appeal to get a new judge plays out. A hearing on testing DNA evidence is also delayed until July, while Cullum’s appeal is figured out....
For the four who were in court on Wednesday, the judge assigned status hearings on July 30.
Judge Jon Parsley scheduled an arraignment for Adams and Cole Twombly for Nov. 5....

https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/four-suspects-in-murdered-moms-case-appear-in-court/

 

[Muddy K]

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Four of the five people charged with murdering two southwest Kansas mothers were in court on Wednesday....
The fifth suspect, Tad Cullum, was not in court. His case is paused while his appeal to get a new judge plays out. A hearing on testing DNA evidence is also delayed until July, while Cullum’s appeal is figured out....
For the four who were in court on Wednesday, the judge assigned status hearings on July 30.
Judge Jon Parsley scheduled an arraignment for Adams and Cole Twombly for Nov. 5....

https://www.ksn.com/news/crime/four-suspects-in-murdered-moms-case-appear-in-court/

With this case - and I'm pretty sure not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of Veronica and Jilian since they were slaughtered by these miscreants - I recall that old saying about how the wheels of justice grind slowly, but they grind thoroughly, and I find myself wishing justice could be meted out just as quickly as the murders were. I hate that they get the reprieve of waiting, when their victims didn't. JMO.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAY 15, 2025

Trial date set for suspects in death of Veronica Butler, Jillian Kelley

Tiffany Adams and Cole Twombly will go on trial next spring.

www.kwch.com

The court set a trial date for the week of May 18, 2026 for Tifany Adams and Cole Twombly. ...

Cora Twombly and Paul Grice are also charged in the case and will testify against the other defendants -- they return to court in November.

Tad Cullum petitioned the court to have the judge in his case removed due to a conflict of interest. The court assigned a temporary judge to oversee his proceedings.

MAY 14, 2025

Dates set for further proceedings in Texas County murders case

Four out of the five defendants appeared in court today to discuss setting dates in the murder trial of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley.

www.newschannel10.com

Judge Parsley offered dates in August for a jury docket, which the defendants declined, opting for dates in November of this year and May of next year.

The courts scheduled the four defendants for one more further proceeding on July 30 to discuss the consumptive testings motion as well as any other motion or issue that comes up in the mean time.

The courts set a tentative jury trial date for the week of May 18, 2026, with the state saying it will take about six weeks per defendant to try each case.

 

[CuriousCricket]

With this case - and I'm pretty sure not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of Veronica and Jilian since they were slaughtered by these miscreants - I recall that old saying about how the wheels of justice grind slowly, but they grind thoroughly, and I find myself wishing justice could be meted out just as quickly as the murders were. I hate that they get the reprieve of waiting, when their victims didn't. JMO.

On one hand, I agree. On the other, knowing how stressful and fraught being in limbo is - the anxiety and the stress. I don't know but that I'm glad they have endless days and nights to ponder their fates to wish just if only . . . they had done something differently, if only they had not been so easily led, if only they could sleep in their own bed, rest in their own easy chair just one more time . . . . if only. If only. Waiting is a way of punishment, too.

 

[Muddy K]

On one hand, I agree. On the other, knowing how stressful and fraught being in limbo is - the anxiety and the stress. I don't know but that I'm glad they have endless days and nights to ponder their fates to wish just if only . . . they had done something differently, if only they had not been so easily led, if only they could sleep in their own bed, rest in their own easy chair just one more time . . . . if only. If only. Waiting is a way of punishment, too.

I get it, I do, and I agree. It's just that with this lot, I doubt tools like insight, introspection, self-reflection or soul searching are readily available to any of them. If they had been, IMO, these cruel, barbaric killings would not have happened.