By Paige Stockton and Shelby Vogel
Preliminary hearings began Tuesday for the defendants in the murders of Kansas mothers Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley.
31-year-old Paul Grice, 43-year-old Tad Cullum, 54-year-old Tifany Adams, 50-year-old Cole Twombly and 44-year-old Cora Twombly are all facing two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree.
In court Tuesday, Adams waived her right to a preliminary hearing and a speedy trial.
She joins Cora Twombly and Paul Grice who also waived their rights to a preliminary hearing.
Cora Twombly has entered a plea agreement with the state.
She pled guilty to counts one and two of first-degree murder. The agreement dismissed cases three and four for kidnapping.
Cora Twombly also entered a guilty plea for conspiracy.
The state will recommend a sentence of life with 30 years suspended.
Cora also testified during Tuesday’s hearing regarding the planning and day of the murders.
She said the planning began in August of 2023 and the first attempt to kill Butler was in February of this year.
Court documents state the two women were stabbed to death before being buried inside a freezer.
Three of the suspects are also charged with removal of a dead body and desecration of a human corpse.
The hearings that are expected to last for three days.
Further proceedings for Grice and Adams will be held in February.
