Witness: Census Worker Was Naked, Gagged

Ohio Man Who Discovered Body Said Government Employee's Hands, Feet Were Bound with Duct Tape

(AP)  A part-time census worker found hanging in a rural Kentucky cemetery was naked, gagged and had his hands and feet bound with duct tape, said an Ohio man who discovered the body two weeks ago.

Jerry Weaver of Fairfield, Ohio, told The Associated Press on Friday that he was among a group of relatives who discovered the body of 51-year-old Bill Sparkman on Sept. 12.

"The only thing he had on was a pair of socks," Weaver said. "And they had duct-taped his hands, his wrists. He had duct tape over his eyes, and they gagged him with a red rag or something.

"And they even had duct tape around his neck. And they had like his identification tag on his neck. They had it duct-taped to the side of his neck, on the right side, almost on his right shoulder."

Weaver said he couldn't tell if the tag was a Census Bureau I.D. He said he didn't get close enough to read it.

State police Capt. Lisa Rudzinski would not confirm Weaver's description of the crime scene. Two people briefed on the investigation said various details of Weaver's account matched the details of the crime scene, though both people said they were not informed who found the body. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case.

Both of the people briefed on the investigation said, for instance, that a Census identification badge, which Census workers are instructed to wear when they go on door to door work, was found taped to his head and shoulder area.

Authorities have released very few details on the death. Coroner Jim Trosper has said the word "fed" was written on Sparkman's chest with what was likely a felt-tip pen. Weaver said he was not close enough to see anything written on the body's chest.

State police had announced the cause of death was asphyxiation, then clarified Friday that was a preliminary determination pending a full medical examination of the body. Rudzinsky said investigators hadn't yet determined whether the death was a homicide, suicide or accidental.

Weaver, who works for a family topsoil business in Fairfield, said he was in town for a family reunion and was visiting family gravesites at the cemetery when he and relatives came across the body.

The scene left Weaver without a doubt how Sparkman died.

"He was murdered," he said. "There's no doubt."

Weaver said the body was about 50 years from a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck. He said Sparkman's clothes were in the bed of the truck.

"His tailgate was down," Weaver said. "I thought he could have been killed somewhere else and brought there and hanged up for display, or they actually could have killed him right there. It was a bad, bad scene."

"It took me three or four good nights to sleep. My 20-year-old daughter ended up sleeping in the floor in our bedroom." he said.

Clay County Sheriff Kevin Johnson declined to comment on the investigation because the department is only playing a supporting role but said patrols have increased in the Daniel Boone National Forest since the body was found.

The Census Bureau has suspended door-to-door interviews in the rural county pending the investigation.

Trooper Trosper said it was clear this wasn't a natural death but said all other possibilities were being considered.

"This case has many facets," he said. "To investigate cases, you have to rule out different scenarios. We are not able to rule out many scenarios at this time, and that's what makes this a difficult case."

[bubbadubba]

<<<Not to take away from this tragic story, but maybe I should apply as a proof-reader at CBS>>>>

Someone told me you have to speak Spanish to work at CBS so if you don't you won't be considered for a job.
By the way, I ask again, exactly what does an editor do? Looks like they do nothing to me.

[bubbadubba]

See what can happen when right wing talk show hosts tell their listeners every single day that "Obama is Hitler" and the government is controlled by "fascists who want our freedom" and US is now run by "Nazis"?
YOU HELPED GET THIS MAN KILLED LIMBAUGH, based on information and belief.
This is only the start as it looks like Limbaugh's real goal is to get someone to hurt our President, based on information and belief.
Somebody put Limbaugh in jail where he belongs, based on information and belief.

[bubbadubba]

The tip off is that the man was found naked, that proves without a doubt this is the world of neo con fascists.
I would bet they played tapes of Limbaugh, Hannity, and Beck as they did those things to this man.
Remember, every single day all those right wing talk show fools do is say how evil Obama and his socialist government are and how Obama and the black people are planning to take over the US and kill white people.
When they catch who did this they should find out if they are big Limbaugh fans and if they are Limbaugh should be arrested and charged with incitement to lynching, incitement to commit hate crimes and any other thing they can come up with.
Freedom of speech is one thing, deliberately trying to get people to kill other people or hurt our President is not freedom of speech.

[apndrgn]

I know one thing, from the tree's perspective, this tree was not fed. This tree is being sarcastic.

[walkerig]

Bill Sparkman was a hard working American doing 3 Jobs to pay for his cancer treatment. Something he probably should not have had to be doing considering his illness but hard working poor people according to the GOP and their America hating Limbaugh sycophants are not allowed medical care.

The census job he was doing was to gather the information the nation needs for the nation to function.

The information needed for everything from defense and police and emergency services to road building and education. Information used by business and government alike.

He was murdered and displayed in the way too familiar to all those who fought the last Civil Rights war and that sickens every right thinking true American.

It was a lynching.

His ID card stuck to his head with gaffer tape.

His hands bound behind his back and stripped naked.

And reportedly the word "Fed" scrawled on his chest.

Americans know their history, and the strange fruit that hangs on southern trees.

Even to this day there is a disgusting habit practised by some who falsely call them selves patriots, of hanging a noose from a tree.

I fear Bill Sparkman may be the first casualty in a new civil rights movement. The fight for a right for life for the poor, hungry and sick of America.

If there are dark forces within the GOP bent on dividing America as a pretext to succession and a second Civil War they will find the United Stated of America is not sleeping.

[thomderr1]

Is this what we are becoming? So involved is political ramblings that we kill unarmed government employees?

So much for the presidents plan to encourage volunteerism.

[formrusmcsgt]

Rudzinsky said investigators hadn't yet determined whether the death was a homicide, suicide or accidental.
---
How absurd can these people be?

Who could, accidentally or intentionally, duct tape themsevles up and then still manage to hang themselves?

[ErnestNM]

The local police could be in on it.

[themooniac]

I'm pretty sure it was Michelle Bachman (R) MN 6th district, read some
of her inflammatory, insane, rhetoric about the census in general.

[borandy]

Ah wait a minute! census worker? or an Acorn worker? Perhaps someone did'nt like the fact that this Acorn worker was taking a GPS reading of their home? Extreme reaction I agree, but thats the chance you take with your life when you do such immoral work. Google "Acorn GPS". Perhaps if the government would stay out of everyones business including other countries people won't get hurt. I'm suprised we have not seen more of such things really! Sad world we live in, even more sad that it's the governement under Rockafeller that make this world such a dangerous place to be. Wake Up People there's more going on than you might think. I'm sorry this man had to die and that his family is now without him. But I bet you it had something to do with what he was doing.

[themooniac]

Exactly, Does anyone know where Michele Bachman - Republican (MN 6th district) when this happened? Does she have an alibi? Read some of her writings and wonder why things like this happen.

[tmittelstaed]

"...but thats the chance you take with your life when you do such immoral work. Google "Acorn GPS"..."

All I can say is that I sure hope that you get psychological help before you hurt somebody. Claiming that the census is immoral is rubbish. But, I have a solution for idiots like you. Let's just have the Census workers leave this Kentucky area alone. They can just put down a population of zero. Then the Kentucky residents that did this to this census worker will lose their congressional representation and won't have a say in government any longer, which is fine by me.

[crispy-gmx]

What he was doing was the constitutionally required census! There is NOTHING to indicate he had anything to do with Acorn! You are a moron!

[Ms_enza]

Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;

God to Moses, baby. A census is thus a godly thing...

[prajaowain]

Although I am not a big fan of the government,this is a very awful thing to do to your fellow man. I hope they catch the individual or individuals that did this.

[incog-nito]

"Rudzinsky said investigators hadn't yet determined whether the death was a homicide, suicide or accidental."

Hmmm... Maybe he accidentally hung himself by tying his hands together and climbing up to the rope. I'm sure the investigators are still trying to figure this out.

[stuart-johns]

LOL!

[salmoc44]

This is why all census workers should carry firearms while out taking the Census. Right Cons?

[ErnestNM]

Only a far-right-fringer would do something like this.

And, it's right smack dab in the middle of their territory.

[themooniac]

I hope the Feds are all over this right wing nutcase deal. Congrats to people like Michelle Bachman (R) MN-6th district for their insane, inflammatory rants against the census and census takers (AKA the US Governmaent) in general. They are trying to blame it on pot farmers and homicidal maniacs now. LOL. Only in Kentucky.

[Ms_enza]

Congrats to people like Michelle Bachman (R) MN-6th district for their insane, inflammatory rants against the census and census takers They are trying to blame it on pot farmers and homicidal maniacs now. LOL. Only in Kentucky. -- by themooniac

What makes you think these are different people? Michelle Bachman is the fetal alcohol syndrome poster child. Michelle Malkin too... you could put pumpkins on the bridge of their noses and not block their views.

[jxknowles]

I'd like to reserve judgement until the FBI catches the animal who did this. And they will, based on the description of the crime scene. That's enough DNA and fingerprint evidence to track him with his DNA or any other family member jailed on a felony.

Let's not put political tags on this incident. Anyone who would kill a cancer survivor, father of two, who was as dedicated to work as Bill Sparkman, in this fashion, is psychotic. He is only representative of other psychotic killers.

[Ms_enza]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzae_SqbmDE

[cs4466]

Sounds like a bitter neocon murderer on the loose to me.

[Ms_enza]

Isn't this the part of the country where they filmed "Deliverance"?

Is there any expectation that the land Banjo Boy and the GOP stronghold would have changed? Since 1900?