Families Devastated As Okmulgee Police Continue Murder Investigation

The families of four men missing are devastated to find out not only were the men murdered, but their bodies were dismembered.

Family members had been hoping for the best and now, they’re filled with grief and shock.

“There's gonna be that void, there's gonna be that hole, there's gonna be just that memory. It's all we got now, the memories of them, and it hurts,” said Ashley Carnes, Mark & Billy Chastain's cousin.

Police now want to talk to the person of interest in this case, Joe Kennedy, who owns the salvage yard next to a property where investigators found blood.

Police said they questioned Joseph Lloyd Kennedy II once and he denied knowing the four men, but now they want to talk to him again. However, no one has seen him for three days and those who reported him missing said he could be suicidal.

Officers did find his blue PT Cruiser Monday afternoon abandoned behind a business in Morris.

"Mr. Kennedy is a person of interest that we would like to talk to and currently not a suspect,” said Chief Joe Prentice, Okmulgee Police Department.

Police said the four missing men, Mark Chastain and his brother Billy, Mike Sparks and Alex Stevens all had gunshot wounds and their bodies were dismembered before being dumped in the Deep Fork River.

"It would take a considerable amount of time to put the bodies in the condition that they were and then dump them in the river," said Chief Prentice.

Records show Kennedy is a convicted felon currently serving a 10-year deferred sentence for a previous shooting at his salvage yard back in 2012 which expires next May. That time, six men broke into his business, A&A Salvage and he shot at them, hitting one, who survived. All six were charged with burglary.

Kennedy was also charged in 1998 in Okmulgee County with attempting to receive stolen property.

Police said they are still piecing together exactly what the four men had planned and what led to their deaths.

"We believe the men planned to commit some type of criminal act when they left the residence on west 6th street. That is based on information supplied by a witness who reports they were invited to go with the men to quote on quote hit a lick big enough for all of them,” said Chief Prentice.

Chief Joe Prentice said their search didn’t turn up anything at Kennedy's salvage yard, but they did find blood at an adjoining property.

“A very methodical search was conducted Saturday at the salvage yard on 20th street as well as the surrounding properties. Nothing remarkable was observed inside the salvage yard but evidence of a violent event was discovered on an adjoining property,” said Chief Prentice. "I’ve worked over 80 murders in my career. I have worked murders involving multiple victims. I have worked dismemberments, but this case involves the highest number of victims and it’s a very violent event, so I can’t say I’ve never worked anything like it but it’s right up there at the top.”

Chief Prentice said they are conducting interviews, looking through more surveillance footage and waiting on phone records.

If you have seen Kennedy or have any information that could help with this investigation, call the police.