Affidavits released in Texas County, Oklahoma on Monday revealed that the deaths of two southwest Kansas women was the result of a child custody dispute involving an anti-government group called “God’s Misfits.”

Officials in Kansas and Oklahoma began looking for 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley of Hugoton after they failed to show up in Oklahoma to pick up Butler’s two children, ages 6 and 8, for a March 30th birthday party.   Their abandoned car was found by Butler’s family at a rural intersection where they were supposed to pick up the children.

The affidavits state that one of the four suspects arrested in Oklahoma is the grandmother of the children, and the other suspects are with the “God’s Misfits” group.  Butler and the grandmother were involved in a custody battle over the children.

Texas County District Attorney George Leach III said the affidavits were sealed to protect the children.  He said after the four suspects were arrested and officials made sure that the children were safe, the affidavits were unsealed.  The four suspects are expected to make a court appearance Wednesday in Texas County.