TULSA, Okla. (Scripps News Tulsa) — Okmulgee police announced Monday that human remains found in the Deep Fork River belonged to four men reported missing last week.
Mark Chastain, Billy Chastain, Mike Sparks, and Alex Stevens have been missing since October 9th.
Investigators said all four bodies had gunshot wounds and the bodies were dismembered before being put in the river. Last week, investigators updated families about the remains found in the case it turned out to be their loved ones.
RELATED: Bodies found in river during search for four missing men in Oklahoma
“I hope this ain’t them, but it’s looking like it might be,” Bennie Harjo, who knew them said. Harjo is a friend of the four men who disappeared. He pulled up to where police had Sharp Road blocked off after Friday afternoon’s discovery.
The family of two of the men involved has a GoFundMe to support the family.
“I would call evidence that there is potentially foul play involved,” Okmulgee Police Chief Joe Prentice said. Prentice said just before 2:00 p.m. Friday someone reported a mysterious item in the area near the bridge over Deep Fork River.
“Officers responded and discovered what appears to be multiple human remains along the river,” Prentice said.
These photos provided by the Okmulgee Police Department show Mark Chastain, Billy Chastain, Alex Stevens & Mike Sparks. (Okmulgee Police Department)
Police blocked off the road leading to that bridge as investigators worked on gathering more evidence. Police said multiple agencies worked day and night to recover and process those remains and find out who they belonged to. Prentice sent out an update around 10 p.m. saying the bodies had been recovered from the water.
Prentice said a witness told them the men planned to ‘commit a criminal act’ when they left. Police said they want to talk to a person of interest, Joe Kennedy, they say he owns the salvage yard and an adjacent property. Police said evidence of a violent event was found at the salvage yard. He hasn’t been seen since Saturday and may be suicidal.
Police found Kennedy’s car behind an abandoned building in Morris.
This story was originally published Oct. 17 by KJRH in Tulsa, an E.W. Scripps Company.
