OSBI identifies two bodies found as missing Kansas women Veronica Butler, Jilian Kelley

Jana Hayes and Cheyenne Derksen, The Oklahoman
Updated ·1 min read
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The bodies of two Kansas women who went missing in Oklahoma this spring have been positively identified, law enforcement officials announced in a social media post.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced that on April 16, the Oklahoma chief medical examiner's office positively identified the bodies of 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones, along with everyone throughout their community,” the post said.

The announcement comes after the OSBI reported recovering two bodies in rural Texas County Sunday.

Butler and Kelley were first reported missing in the Oklahoma Panhandle March 30. The two women were on their way to a supervised visit with Butler's children, but never made it to the pickup location or to a birthday party Butler's family expected her at.

Four individuals, including the grandmother of Butler's children with whom she was in a bitter custody battle, have now been charged with murder in connection with both Butler and Kelley's deaths. There was a period of two weeks between the women going missing and the arrests, during which time investigators released little information about the case.

Fundraisers on GoFundMe were started recently to raise money for the families of Veronica Butler, at right, and Jilian Kelley.
Fundraisers on GoFundMe were started recently to raise money for the families of Veronica Butler, at right, and Jilian Kelley.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Two women found dead in Oklahoma identified as missing Kansans: OSBI