Authorities in Oklahoma are looking for information regarding the shooting, dismemberment, and throwing into river death of four friends, which the local police chief described as a horrific occurrence.

The four men, Billy Chastain, 30, Mark Chastain, 32, Mike Sparks, 32, and Alex Stevens, 29, were last seen in Okmulgee, a city of about 11,000 people located 38 miles south of Tulsa. They were reported missing last Thursday. Police Chief Joe Prentice stated that the men were residents of Okmulgee.

Oklahoma Authorities Found 4 Dismembered Bodies

Before finding remains that were positively confirmed as those of the missing men on Monday, investigators searched the area for several days. Before they disappeared, the four were allegedly plotting some sort of criminal conduct, according to Prentice.

In a Monday press conference, Prentice stated that he had given the families of the four individuals his assurance that police would investigate what had occurred, as per The Washington Post via MSN.  According to Prentice, Joe Kennedy, the owner of the scrapyard, is a person of interest in the quadruple murder. Kennedy hasn't been identified as a suspect, according to Prentice.

The police reported that Kennedy was missing on Monday. He was allegedly driving a car that had been reported stolen in Okmulgee County when he was discovered on Tuesday, according to Daytona Beach Shores police. Prentice claimed that the victims had planned to commit a crime that evening, citing a person who had been asked to take part but turned it down. The alleged planned crime's specifics are unknown to police.

On Friday, the four  men's dismembered remains were discovered in a river. Nothing suggests a connection between Kennedy and the victims, according to Prentice. He stated that Kennedy had denied knowing them. According to officials, the victims' bicycles are still missing, ABC News reported.

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Victims' Family in Distraught

The blue Chrysler PT Cruiser that belonged to Kennedy was later described as having been found abandoned behind a business by police in Morris. Prentice stopped just short of declaring Kennedy dangerous, but added, Investigators, are looking into how it came to be there.

The investigator declared, "I have no evidence that Kennedy is a threat to anyone else. But I'd proceed with care. Kennedy is missing, so if you see him, please contact the police."  Most of the remains were discovered on Friday, but somebody pieces weren't uncovered until Sunday and Monday morning, according to authorities. 

Although the victims' loved ones were ready for accurate identifications, they were taken aback by how brutally the men were killed. According to Prentice, the family was shocked to learn more about the dismemberment and were in terrible distress.

Even though the case has changed from a missing person inquiry to a murder investigation, Prentice assured loved ones that officers will continue to move forward with the same determination. He said, "We've been working nonstop all week. We spent the entire weekend on the road, and we'll keep moving forward at the same pace to attempt to determine exactly what happened to their lives and who was responsible," according to NBC News.

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