Four Oklahoma men who had gone missing earlier in October were found dead and dismembered in Deep Fork River, according to police.
Per The New York Times, the four men, identified as Mark Chastain, 32; Billy Chastain, 30; Mike Sparks, 32; and Alex Stevens, 29, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, were last heard from on Oct. 3. Police Chief Joe Prentice said the four men had all been killed by gunshots to the head before being dismembered, and added that investigators believed the friends planned to “commit some type of criminal act” after they departed Billy Chastain’s home on bicycles around 8 p.m. on Oct. 9.
A witness had informed authorities that he had been invited to join the men and that they told him they were going to “hit a lick big enough for all of them.”
“That is common terminology for engaging in some type of criminal behavior, but we do not know what they were planning or where they planned to do it,” Chief Prentice added. Police have been unable to recover the murder weapon or any of the men’s bicycles.
“Unfortunately, I have no description of the bicycles,” Chief Prentice said. “At least one, and we believe all, of the boys had multiple bicycles, and there’s no way to know which ones they were on.”
Chief Prentice said police are waiting to obtain cell phone records and had requested video surveillance from businesses in the area. He estimated the men’s remains were dumped in the river on the night of Oct. 9 or in the early morning hours of Oct. 10.
The bodies were discovered by police after a passer-by noticed something suspicious floating in the river on Friday morning.
Chief Prentice added they were currently searching for Joe Kennedy, the owner of a local salvage yard, deeming him a “person of interest.” Mark Chastain’s cellphone had pinged near the salvage yard prior to his death, and Prentice said authorities had uncovered “evidence of a violent event,” but wouldn’t elaborate.
No charges have been filed yet, but police said Kennedy has been missing since Saturday, one day after he told investigators he didn’t know any of the deceased. Chief Prentice said he believes they didn’t have a relationship but added that Joe Kennedy’s disappearance is concerning because he may be suicidal. On Monday, Chief Prentice said authorities had found Kennedy’s car abandoned behind a store in Morris, Oklahoma, six miles east of Okmulgee.
