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Okmulgee Police Department in Oklahoma have confirmed that four dismembered bodies recovered from a river on Friday belonged to a group of missing men. Authorities say they are searching for a person of interest following their murders.
On Monday police Chief Joe Prentice confirmed the bodies of four men pulled from the Deep Fork River, Southwest of the city of Okmulgee, on Friday belonged to Mark Chastain, 32; Billy Chastain, 30; Alex Stephens, 29; and Mike Sparks, 32, who were reported missing overnight last Monday. The cause of death for the men is still pending, but police confirmed all four had gunshot wounds and their bodies were dismembered before they were dumped into the river. Prentice could not specify when exactly the bodies were placed in the river but guessed somewhere between late Sunday night or early Monday morning.
The four men were close friends, and were believed to have left Billy Chastain’s home in Okmulgee Sunday night by bicycel. Investigators believe that the men planned to commit some kind of criminal act when they left a residence, but added they do not know where or what the men planned to d. Investigators found evidence of a “violent event” on an adjoining property to a salvage yard the police had initially searched. While police have not named a suspect, they said Joe Kennedy, owner of two salvage yards, is considered a person of interest. Kennedy was reported missing Saturday night and may be suicidal. He is believed to be driving a Chrysler with Oklahoma license plate number LSA245. Police chief Prentice said that no charges have been filed against Kennedy but “investigators would like to speak with him again.”
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