Remains found in river in search for missing Oklahoma men
Body parts “protruding from” an Oklahoma river were found by authorities Friday in their search for four men who went missing during their Sunday bike ride, police said.
Officers found multiple human remains sticking out from the surface of Deep Fork River around 1:49 p.m. after a caller reported suspicious items in the water, Okmulgee Police Chief Joe Prentice said at a press conference.
“There is definitely what appears to be body parts protruding from the water,” Prentice said, noting the remains lie “immediately adjacent to a bridge.”
Police are unable to determine whether the remains belong to missing men Mark Chastain, 32, his brother Billy Chastain, 30, Mike Sparks, 32, and Alex Stevens, 29.
Only two of the men left with cell phones, and both went straight to voicemail following their departure. One phone last pinged at a salvage yard.
Officials, “out of respect,” notified the families of the discovery, even though the remains have not yet been identified, Prentice said.
Bicycles have not been found at the scene, he noted.
Prentice said police do not know how many bodies are in the water, whether they have been dismembered or whether they sustained gunshot wounds because the remains are partially submerged.
“This is what I would call evidence that there’s potentially foul play involved,” Prentice said.
Officials will likely work through the night to retrieve the remains and photograph the scene, but may have to suspend the efforts until the morning, Prentice said.
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