Person-of-interest in killing of 4 Oklahoma men said he planned to jump from hotel balcony

An Oklahoma man who is a person of interest in the killing and dismemberment of four men in that state told Daytona Beach Shores police that he was suicidal and planned to leap from a hotel balcony, according to a charging affidavit.

Joseph Kennedy II, 67, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was being held without bond Friday at the Volusia County Branch Jail, where he has been since his arrest Tuesday when he was stopped driving a stolen truck he said belonged to a friend, the affidavit stated.

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Daytona Beach Shores Police Officer Laura Diedesch received an alert about 8:29 a.m. Tuesday from a license plate reader that a black Toyota Tundra with Oklahoma plates had been reported stolen, according to the charging affidavit.

Diedesch and other officers stopped the truck on A1A at the Botefuhr Avenue approach and arrested Kennedy, who was the only occupant, the affidavit stated.

Kennedy told police that “he was suicidal, with plans to jump off of a hotel balcony,” the affidavit stated.

Kennedy said he had permission to drive the truck

Kennedy said the Toyota Tundra belonged to a friend, according to the affidavit. Kennedy said that about two months ago, the friend said he could use the truck “whenever he wanted,” the affidavit stated.

Kennedy told police he went to the Tundra owner's house on Oct. 14 and, without telling his friend, drove off in the vehicle, the affidavit stated. He said the keys were in the truck.

Kennedy told police that “he intended to drive to Florida for the weekend. He did not go home like planned,” and said he was suicidal, the affidavit stated.

Kennedy had been reported as a missing person in Oklahoma.

“He advised he was not a missing person and was not in any danger,” the affidavit from Daytona Beach Shores police stated.

Daytona Beach Shores police charged Kennedy with grand theft of a motor vehicle.

His arraignment is set for Dec. 20 before Circuit Judge Elizabeth Blackburn at the S. James Foxman Justice Center in Daytona Beach.

4 dismembered bodies in Deep Fork River

Kennedy is a person of interest in the deaths of four men Okmulgee whose dismembered bodies were found in the Deep Fork River in Oklahoma, according to the Okmulgee Police Department. The victims' bodies had gunshot wounds, investigators said.

Mark Chastain, 32, Billy Chastain, 30, and Mike Sparks, 32, all of Okmulgee were reported missing by Mark Chastain's wife on Oct. 10. A few hours later, Alex Stevens, 29, of Okmulgee, was reported missing by his mother, police said.

All four friends were believed to have left Billy Chastain's home on bicycles around 8 p.m. Oct. 9, according to a news release from Okmulgee police.

Okmulgee police said they spoke to Kennedy II once, but after finding blood on a property adjacent to his salvage yard, police tried to reach him again, but he had disappeared.

The warrant issued for Kennedy's arrest in Okmulgee County District Court is in connection with a 2012 case where the bond was set at $500,000, Okmulgee police said.

Kennedy is represented in the Volusia County case by the 7th Circuit Public Defender's Office of Matt Metz, who said on Friday that they are weighing the situation.

“We are actively considering all options in regard to his extradition and we are not yet sure of what the final result will be,” Metz said.

Bryan Shorstein, a spokesman for 7th Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza's office, declined to comment on the case.

In May 2013, Kennedy received a 10-year deferred sentence in Oklahoma after pleading guilty to assault and battery with a deadly weapon and a charge of obstructing an officer, according to a story in The Oklahoman.

Prosecutors accused Kennedy of shooting a man with a .380 caliber pistol at Kennedy’s salvage yard, The Oklahoman story stated.

Okmulgee County District Attorney Carol Iski on Tuesday asked an Oklahoma judge to order Kennedy to appear so that the court could consider imposing an immediate sentence since he violated his agreement by leaving Oklahoma without permission, the story stated.

Okmulgee Police Chief Joe Prentice said in a phone interview on Friday that he was not aware of the status of any extradition request.

Prentice described in general the extradition process, which he said would be handled by the court system. He said that at some point there will be a hearing during which Kennedy will be asked whether he wants to waive extradition.

If Kennedy agrees to be extradited, he will be transferred to Oklahoma. But if he decides to challenge extradition, then there must be legal filings and the matter goes to the Oklahoma governor’s office. The governor's office will then request that the Florida governor’s office extradite Kennedy, Prentice said.

If a defendant fights extradition, a hearing will be scheduled to determine a number of factors, including whether the person in question is the same individual wanted in another state, according to the 7th Circuit State Attorney's Office.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, help is available at 800-539-4228 or by calling a suicide and crisis lifeline at 988.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Oklahoma killings: Person-of-interest planned to jump from Daytona hotel