OKMULGEE COUNTY, Okla. — The search continues for four men who were reported missing Sunday afternoon in Okmulgee County.
Crews from the District 25 Violent Crime Task Force were seen combing through a salvage yard south of Okmulgee near Highway 75. The task force includes officers from the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the District Attorney’s office.
They are searching for 32-year-old Mark Chastain, his 30-year-old brother Billy Chastain, and their friends 32-year-old Mike Sparks and 29-year-old Alex Stevens.
The men have not been seen or heard from since taking off on bicycles from Billy Chastain’s home Sunday evening.
Okmulgee Police Chief Joe Prentice says crews are conducting a grid search of the salvage yard where Mark Chastain’s phone was last pinged.
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Investigators believe Mark and Mike are the only two who left the area with cell phones.
At this point, Chief Prentice does not believe foul play is involved. “The longer they’re missing, the more concerned I am but I have yet to find any evidence that there’s any foul play involved,” he said in an interview shortly before 2pm.
The search is ongoing and Prentice says additional resources will be arriving later Wednesday afternoon, including a K9.
Because the terrain can be difficult to walk across, officers are using drones to help in their search.