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The two Kansas women, who disappeared over the weekend, are still missing, with investigators announcing Wednesday that they suspect foul play.
Veronica Butler, 27 and Jilian Kelley, 39, have not been seen since they left together to pick up children in Oklahoma. The car they were last seen driving was found abandoned near a highway in Texas County, Oklahoma, in the state’s panhandle between Kansas and Texas, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said Sunday they were asked by another local law enforcement agency in the area to investigate the “suspicious disappearance.” The agency said that they found “evidence to indicate foul play” based on a recent search of the abandoned car.
“We are still searching for these victims and there are no arrests at this time. We ask that anyone with additional information to contact us,” OSBI said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Hunter McKee, an OSBI spokesperson told USA TODAY that the “investigation is ongoing.” Additional information about the case was not made available Thursday morning.
McKee said the women are believed to be “in danger,” since no one has heard from them in days and their vehicle was last seen in “a very rural area of the state as well,” according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital
A timeline of events so far
- Saturday, March 30: Texas County, Oklahoma, Sheriff’s Department posts missing poster on social media, providing details about the women’s physical appearance and photos.
- Sunday, March 31: Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation announced they were asked to assist, investigating “suspicious” disappearance in Texas County.
- Wednesday, April 3: OSBI said that “based on the information obtained from the victim’s vehicle, our investigators believe there was evidence to indicate foul play.”
Search continues, abandoned found on the side of the highway
It wasn’t immediately clear what the connection between the two women is, but they were both traveling to “pick up children,” according to the Endangered Missing Advisory activated by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
“They never made it to the pickup location. Their car was located abandoned on the side of the road,” the advisory states.
Butler has several tattoos, including “a Chinese symbol on her left forearm and sunflower on her left shoulder.” Butler is 5 feet, 4 inches with red hair and green eyes and was last seen wearing blue short sleeve shirt, denim shorts and Heydude shoes.
Kelley has a butterfly tattooed on her left forearm, police say. Kelley has brown hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing whitewashed blue jeans, a long sleeve shirt and tan-colored shoes.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation by phone at 1-800-522-8017 or via email at tips@osbi.ok.gov.
Contributing: Sarah Al-Arshani; USA TODAY
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Read More: Veronica Butler, Jilian Kelley case timeline: Kansas women missing
