The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, and Texas County, Oklahoma officials provided an update Monday on the discovery of two bodies and the arrests of four people in connection with two missing women from Kansas.

27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley of Hugoton were last seen on March 30th when they were traveling to pick up children, but they never made it to the pickup location.  Their vehicle was found south of Elkhart, Kansas, in rural Texas County, Oklahoma.

Texas County Sheriff Matt Boley said with evidence that was found in the car and information that was coming in, it was determined that this was not a random incident, and the two women were targeted.    Texas County District Attorney George Leach III said officials from Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas were involved in the investigation and around 100 law enforcement officers took part in the search for the two women.    Leach said people were calling in and providing tips, “and the information we received from them was critical.”

OSBI spokesman Hunter McKee said two bodies were found in Texas County, and the next step will be to identify the bodies and determine the cause of death.  He could not comment on a motive or other details of the investigation.   He said the children that the two women were supposed to pick up are safe, but he could not reveal where they are.

Two men, ages 50 and 43, and two women, ages 54 and 44, are being held in the Texas County jail on charges of first degree murder and kidnapping.   McKee said all four arrests were made without incident, and no other suspects are being sought.

OSBI director Aungela Spurlock and FBI-Oklahoma City acting special agent in charge Sonia Garcia expressed condolences to the families of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley.  They said law enforcement agencies will continue to work together as the investigation moves forward.