Found Deceased OK - Mark Chastain, Billy Chastain, Mike Sparks, Alex Stevens, Okmulgee, 9 Oct 2022

[katydid23]

It is common around here for bikes to be used by thieves because they are quieter than cars and can go places people in cars can't follow. Men on bikes around closed businesses after dark sounds mighty suspicious to me. I'm guessing, and only guessing, someone got tired of being a victim of theft and made victims of who they decided were the thieves. The bodies were dumped. The bikes were not - maybe due to the fear of fingerprint evidence being recovered. This is a solvable crime and I think it will be solved.

Another, similar possibility---

I was looking up stuff about scrap collecting and catalytic converters thefts and sales---our neighborhood has had a horrible rash of those thefts for awhile now.

Apparently, small groups of men will go 'collecting' and after awhile they will meet up with 'the buyer.' The buyer is often someone who has a front as a car parts store or a salvage yard, and they buy the stolen parts and resell them.

Maybe the men were meeting up with the buyer and things went sideways? It can be a deal in the thousands of dollars and that kind of negotiation can escalate quickly.

p.s.

from what I am reading by googling, one cannot go into a salvage yard and sell a used catalytic converter anymore, without showing ID, to put on record, because of all the thefts occurring. So cc thieves need to work secretly to fence their products.

 

[Scrapper18]

That brown water is not exactly inviting for a funsy, spur-of-the-moment, feet-first, dip.

Okie here. Our dirt is a lot of red clay. Most of our lakes and ponds look “dirty”. This has never stopped Okies from enjoying water. I’m not convinced they went for a leisurely dip. But, don’t let the water color fool ya.

 

[Erutan]

I don't suppose you, or anyone else maybe, might have a link to that information with the time? The times don't add up from what I have read, and I just wanted to get it lined up in my mind. TIA.

Apologies, I don't know -- as I'm assuming LE thought they'd left at 8pm due to a 1st sighting on camera, or a family member's account ?

I'm going to check around , but the times of what LE surmise are vague !
Cameras are going to be important in figuring out their whereabouts that night.
The phone of one man pinged at a second salvage yard, but I'm not sure if LE said what time ?

Maybe LE know and aren't saying ?
I'm also curious if they've brought anyone in for questioning yet ?
M00.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

What a bizarre scenario. I agree most likely a vehicle was used and they were dropped in from the bridge. Maybe someone thought the water was deeper than it is. My guess is the bikes will be found dumped not too far away.

 

[Stunned]

What a bizarre scenario. I agree most likely a vehicle was used and they were dropped in from the bridge. Maybe someone thought the water was deeper than it is. My guess is the bikes will be found dumped not too far away.

If they weren’t already crushed in a compactor somewhere that might have one of those type of things on the premises.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

If they weren’t already crushed in a compactor somewhere that might have one of those type of things on the premises.

That did occur to me too I have to admit. Just not sure traces of evidence would be risked, but you could well be right.

 

[katydid23]

If they weren’t already crushed in a compactor somewhere that might have one of those type of things on the premises.

Yes, something like that probably. I think 4 mens bikes would have been seen already if they were just dumped as is.

 

[Knox]

Okmulgee Police Department​

Thursday, 10/13/22
Update on "The 4 Missing Men" from Chief Prentice:

Investigators spent the day gathering video and additional GPS information. They also followed up on potential sightings. We were unable to confirm any reported sightings. An interview was conducted today regarding a report that a citizen observed all four men walking down the street around 2AM on Tuesday morning. This also cannot be confirmed with independent witnesses or video.

This evening and tomorrow we will begin the long and tedious process of sifting through the hours of video as well as the GPS data.

Additional locations have been identified as potential sources for more video and they will be contacted tomorrow. Search warrants have been submitted for phone records and warrants for Facebook accounts will be forthcoming.

It is important to remember that without an actual appearance of the missing men on video along the path we have been able to establish by phone data, we can't definitively say the missing men took that path. Rather only one of their phones did. We will continue to investigate and are following any evidence we uncover.

Additional updates will be sent as available.

In this update from Thursday, the Chief is saying they do not have any of the men on video-

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Yes, something like that probably. I think 4 mens bikes would have been seen already if they were just dumped as is.

LE weren’t looking in the area they were found though according to the reports posted upthread, so it’s possibly early days still for searches.

 

[sunshineray]

Now I am confused. The "initial" report said they left around 8pm. The missing posters said they had not been seen since 5pm. Jessica says she last spoke to her husband at 5:24pm, which might be in keeping with they left at 5 pm or with he called before they left.

Leaving to bike ride after dark at 8pm is odd. Leaving at 5pm is only a little odd. Does anyone know why the last time anyone saw them was 5PM and yet LE believes they started the bike journey at 8PM?

Was that maybe a reporting error?

 

[Knox]

Apologies, I don't know -- as I'm assuming LE thought they'd left at 8pm due to a 1st sighting on camera, or a family member's account ?

I'm going to check around , but the times of what LE surmise are vague !
Cameras are going to be important in figuring out their whereabouts that night.
The phone of one man pinged at a second salvage yard, but I'm not sure if LE said what time ?

Maybe LE know and aren't saying ?
I'm also curious if they've brought anyone in for questioning yet ?
M00.

Jessica said her husband's phone pinged last around 5:24 p.m. Sunday. All she wants is to "bring them home."

Four Oklahoma men mysteriously disappear for days after bike ride: 'I'm feeling lost'

Oklahoma police say four men who are 'close friends' were reported missing Monday after they left for a bike ride on Sunday.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Kapua]

Where are the bikes or bike parts?

 

[Spiritecho]

In regards to tattoos asked above, I can't quote for some reason, Billy had a large chest tattoo

Update: Bodies of four men recovered from river near Okmulgee

While the Okmulgee police chief confirmed just after 10 p.m. Friday that the remains were those of four men, he could not confirm that they were the bodies of the four local men who had been missing since Sunday.

tulsaworld.com

Mark has one on his upper chest of a cross.

The odds of this NOT being the 4 missing men is low in my mind. We will have to wait to hear the autopsy results, it wouldn't surprise me if they had blunt force trauma, gunshot, stab wounds, overdose, etc.

How heartbreaking for their families.

 

[Knox]

I don't suppose you, or anyone else maybe, might have a link to that information with the time? The times don't add up from what I have read, and I just wanted to get it lined up in my mind. TIA.

Don't think there is a definitive answer to your question - at this time.

Mark's phone last pinged at 5:24 according to his wife. Chief has repeatedly said they left Billy's house at 8 PM.
Mark has an GPS app on his phone (I think it's Life360), his wife was able to track him to both scrap yards with the gas station stop in between. After that it was turned off.

Hopefully this stuff gets clarified along the way ...

 

[HongKongPhooey]

In regards to tattoos asked above, I can't quote for some reason, Billy had a large chest tattoo

Update: Bodies of four men recovered from river near Okmulgee

While the Okmulgee police chief confirmed just after 10 p.m. Friday that the remains were those of four men, he could not confirm that they were the bodies of the four local men who had been missing since Sunday.

tulsaworld.com

Mark has one on his upper chest of a cross.

The odds of this NOT being the 4 missing men is low in my mind. We will have to wait to hear the autopsy results, it wouldn't surprise me if they had blunt force trauma, gunshot, stab wounds, overdose, etc.

How heartbreaking for their families.

I think gunshot is the most likely. If they were killed, which I think they were, someone overpowered all four of them.

 

[Ghostwheel]

Was that maybe a reporting error?

It's possible. LE has not corrected it, but there might be a reason not to pin down the time. If I were them, I'd be holding everything close to the vest until I'd gotten as much evidence as I could: phone records to see where past trips took them, bank records, anything on their bodies that might indicate a different crime scene, searching salvage yards for bicycles, etc. It's best not to tip your hand if there is a chance you could find something that would lead to the perpetrator.

Think about it, four men go missing, four male bodies turn up. The chances of these being four random other people is very small. It would make sense that what is taking so long isn't just identifying the bodies, but also getting every other piece of evidence they can get from those bodies, phones and whatever else they gathered (beer cans or what have you) from the bridge and surrounding areas on the off chance it leads them to someone or somewhere sooner rather than later.

 

[sunshineray]

It's possible. LE has not corrected it, but there might be a reason not to pin down the time. If I were them, I'd be holding everything close to the vest until I'd gotten as much evidence as I could: phone records to see where past trips took them, bank records,, anything on their bodies that might indicate a different crime scene, searching salvage yards for bicycles, etc. It's best not to tip your hand if there is a chance you could find something that would lead to the perpetrator.

Think about it, four men go missing, four male bodies turn up. The chances of these being four random other people is very small. It would make sense that what is taking so log isn't just identifying the bodies, but also getting every other piece of evidence they can get from those bodies, phones and whatever else they gathered (beer cans or what have you) from the bridge and surrounding areas on the off chance it leads them to someone or somewhere sooner rather than later.

Yes they have a lot to investigate! Witnesses saying they saw the men on Monday and Tuesday, all the data they have to subpoena and video evidence to collect.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Read about this case yesterday in the news and had no idea that it would take such a horrible turn. I really thought they would be found. Four men!!! What in heaven's name could have happened?! (rhetorical) Will start familiarizing myself with the details. Have a lot of reading to do.

 

[LoisDenominator]

Don't think there is a definitive answer to your question - at this time.

Mark's phone last pinged at 5:24 according to his wife. Chief has repeatedly said they left Billy's house at 8 PM.
Mark has an GPS app on his phone (I think it's Life360), his wife was able to track him to both scrap yards with the gas station stop in between. After that it was turned off.

Hopefully this stuff gets clarified along the way ...

Is it possible that the 5:00 time is the last time Mark was seen (by his wife) - and was when he left for Billy's house, where he was with the others until they all left for the first salvage yard at 8:00?

 

[Stunned]

Read about this case yesterday in the news and had no idea that it would take such a horrible turn. I really thought they would be found. Four men!!! What in heaven's name could have happened?! (rhetorical) Will start familiarizing myself with the details. Have a lot of reading to do.

Looks like something bad going on in Oklahoma and it isn’t a tornado! IMO