Terror in Kentucky: Census Worker's Murder

Body Found Naked, Hanging From Tree in Cemetery; Had Been Gagged, Duct Taped, 'Fed' Scrawled on Chest

(CBS/AP)  It was a bizarre and gruesome discovery in a remote section of eastern Kentucky: Bill Sparkman, a 51-year-old teacher and part-time worker for the United States Census, was found two weeks ago hanging from a tree with the word "Fed" scrawled on his chest in felt tip pen.

A man who said he was among those who found the body told tells the Associated Press that Sparkman was naked, bound at the hands and feet with duct tape and gagged - details that have not yet been confirmed by authorities.

Jerry Weaver of Ohio told the Associated Press he was visiting a cemetery in rural Kentucky with family members on Sept. 12 when he, his wife and daughter saw the body.

"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.

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

Weaver said the body was about 50 yards from a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck.

Friends: Hanging Victim Devoted to Kids

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.

Authorities have said a preliminary cause of death was asphyxiation, pending a full medical examination. According to a Kentucky State Police statement, the body was hanging from a tree with a rope around the neck, yet it was in contact with the ground.

"And they even had duct tape around his neck," Weaver said. "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."

Both of the people briefed on the investigation confirmed that Sparkman's Census Bureau ID was found taped to his head and shoulder area. Weaver said he couldn't tell if the tag was a Census ID because he didn't get close enough to read it. He could see writing on Sparkman's chest, but could not read that it said "fed."

Sparkman, a Boy Scout leader and substitute teacher, was supplementing his income as a part-time census field worker. Authorities have refused to say if Sparkman was at work going to door-to-door for census surveys before he died.

(Left: A 2008 photo of Bill Sparkman speaking to a 7th grade class.)

A retired state trooper who worked with Sparkman at Johnson Elementary School, some 30 miles from where the body was found, said he warned Sparkman that some people in the rural area are hostile.

"I said, 'Bill you be careful when you go over to eastern Kentucky to do your census work. Some of the people over there may not understand that you're just collecting statistics,'" friend Gilbert Acciardo told CBS News.

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.

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

"We are not able to rule out many scenarios at this time, and that's what makes this a difficult case," he said.

According to the sheriff, there's only been one murder in Clay County in three years, reports CBS News correspondent Dave Browde.

Although anti-government sentiment was one possibility in the death, some in law enforcement also cited the prevalence of drug activity in the area - including meth labs and marijuana fields - although they had no reason to believe there was a link to Sparkman's death.

After Sparkman's body was found, the Census Bureau suspended door-to-door interviews in Clay County until the investigation is complete.

[Urbanwatchdog]

Glen Beck,Rush Limbaugh,and Bill O'Reilly murdered this man and his blood is on their hands. These 3 men have traded in their Klan robes for Brooks Brothers suits. When I see these 3 hate mongers and polarizers I can still see the white pointed hats on their heads.

[wyodutch]

Probably a Mexican drug ring... they're thick in that area.

[gboyd41]

Stuart-don't you think it was an archist who did this?

[mecanik-2009]

"Federal worker killed. Guess that will bring happiness to Rush Limbaugh and his ilk. They should be arrested for inciting murder. Those rednecks are real quick to adopt any idea that involves "killin"."

After reading this above comment, I think Darrel and his other brother Darrel wrote it.

[mecanik-2009]

This has all the ear marks of a back woods inbread cooking meth for the drug trade. Probably Darrel and his other brother Darrel with a third grade education and a 65 IQ.

[hamiltoningrate]

Check out Drudge Report and the brutal killing of a teen by a mob in Chicago. They kicked him and beat him with bats, when he was already nearly dead. This has to be a national story.

[bradkt1]

This outpouring of hostility is not just focused on federal census workers. Just ask anyone who works for the federal government and who has to deal with the public. This is a direct result of all of this amgry anti-government rhetoric coming from some politicioans on the far right, radio and television talk show commentators and talking heads and political operatives with their staged events.

[sunspro]

Federal worker killed. Guess that will bring happiness to Rush Limbaugh and his ilk. They should be arrested for inciting murder. Those rednecks are real quick to adopt any idea that involves "killin".

[NotPartyControlled]

Why save a few billion and combine the Census Department with the US Postal since they pretty much do the same thing of keeping track of who lives where. Cut back on the duplication and spending.

[Raya54]

The Census doesn't keep track of who lives where. They keep track of address where people might live, so they can visit them for surveys or to conduct the full Census every 10 years. It's not unusual to get an assignment and when you arrive at the address, find an empty slab where a trailer used to be or a vacant house.
The Post Office, on the other hand, only visits an address if they have a letter/package for that address.
It might seem the same, but it's only similar. Like a tractor trailer truck and a train. Both are carrying freight, but neither can do the others job and it wouldn't save any money to combine them. You wouldn't tell an engineer, "When you get this train to Dallas, can you run by Wal-Mart and drop off their shipment, then drop by Taco Bell and deliver their burritos?"
And by the way, the ones who claim the problems the US Post Office is having staying profitable is proof the US Government can't run health care, or whatever, are showing just how lost in the past they are.
The Post Office is not profitable because of the Internet. People don't send letters, they e-mail, so the post office doesn't sell stamps and has a reduced work-load for their mail carriers, so they have to cut hours. The US Postal service is probably the most efficient mail service in the history of the world, and it's a shame that talking-heads tear them down to use as an example of government failure.

[erasmus111]

by gunownerdan September 28, 2009 9:46 AM EDT
I wish Bill Sparkman had a gun so he could protect himself.


Why are you so stupid? SERIOUSLY, I want to know.

Do you think that whoever killed this guy said, "Hello guy! Guess what? I'm going to come over there and kill you now. I'm just letting you know that so you can get your gun!". NO! Whoever it was would have surprised him and so therefore it would be unlikely that he would have gotten to his gun!

Potsmokin,guntotin,beerswillin,gunownerdan. Are you sure you aren't pillpoppin too, gunownerdan? : )

[bokoo143]

They wrote "PED" not "FED" on him.

[gunownerdan]

I wish Bill Sparkman had a gun so he could protect himself.

[skyk-2009]

gunownerdan, Strange! A census worker ARMED?? Now I wonder what the Becks of this world would say about that. He doesn't appear to be the type that would Own a gun and since when should people be armed on the job? Don't we have ENOUGH violence there already?

[rmonroe401]

I just want to say one thing. If you don't support the President of the United States you are unpatriotic. Only unpatriotic communists do not support the President. Well them and Nazi's.

[actornaught]

by Raya54 September 27, 2009 11:47 AM EDT

This is VERY important stuff. It should be much better publicized than here. Please find a bigger outlet to express this to.

[erasmus111]

Paranoia is a dangerous disease. I don't think that a person with this disease can be cured.

[Raya54]

As someone who has worked for the Census for over a decade, I have seen the change in people we try to interview for the various surveys we conduct. And the change has not been positive.
Since the election of Obama it has become more hostile and the people more irrational. The field staff hears more and more quotes from the fear-mongers thrown in our faces. We mention health, they say we're out to help set up "death panels". We tell them the surveys help allocate federal money for local schools, they say that's so the government can brain-wash their children.
They scream in our faces, slam the door on us, call out their dogs, threaten to get their gun, and follow our field workers for miles in rural areas to intimidate them.
People tell us they aren't answering any questions for this socialist government or that we're gathering information so the government can come take their guns. Some will tell you outright they aren't answering any Census while that "N..." is in the White House.
We're accused of spying for the FBI, DEA, and anyone else they've heard of and can toss out.
I have 15 field staff I supervise. Of them, 11 are women. And of them, 9 are grandmothers. Those are the people the hate-mongers want people to fear and to threaten if they come to their door.
I have had them call me crying because someone cussed them out, then followed them for three miles till they found a gas station to pull into before they dared using their cell phone, afraid the person would run them off the road if they saw them calling for help.
I recently had an older lady who had worked for us for about 8 years, a cancer survivor, quit because she said her nerves were in tatters from the threats and hate-filled things people say to her. She said she was having trouble eating and sleeping and, even though she needed the job for her insurance and medicines, she felt it was more harmful to her health to continue. But mostly, she said, she was just afraid.
We're trying to gather information that helps fund roads, schools, unemployment, and other things of benefit to the communities we're surveying and yet a growing segment of those communities are hostile to us based on some multi-millionaire spewing hate for the government from the TV or radio, not to make things better, but to make sure they have a bigger audience so they make more money.
I don't know if the murder of the Census worker was a direct result of what the killer(s) heard from the fear-mongers and hate-peddlers, but people who commit such cowardly acts of violence often look for validation. The Son of Sam claimed a dog told him to kill. Timothy McVey had extreme right-wing anti-government literature in his home. Hitler believed the Jews caused Germany to lose World War I. Combine an unhinged, irrational mind with what they interpret as a "sign" that they should act and you will see innocent people killed.

[dagrandma]

Gee, I wish Rush or Sean or Glenn would interview you.

[casionova]

Best comment I've ever read on this site.

[ffoulkes-2009]

I think all people that speak with anonymity due to either not being authorized to speak to the public or something being considered classified should be prosecuted, as should be the 'reporter' who prints the quotes. This is getting ridiculous. How can we prosecute people for giving away 'State Secrets' if the media is allowed to do so in just about every story they print?

[zim573]

I think many are missing the point here. There is a family who lost a loved one due to some nut job and just for the record they are everywhere not just in KY. I am truly sorry about the loss and pain the family and friends have had to endure. This is horrific and never should have happened. I have had several families call and write because they have had losses due to workplace violence. There are thing that you can do to protect yourself whether it is a coworker, stranger or estranged. The Article should include solutions as well to keep this from happening to another. Our youth are particularly prone to this type of thing and should have extensive training in this area and often have little more than give them the money.

USMWF

[tafhdyd]

I heard an interview with a convicted killer from the "back woods" of one of the states in that area many years ago. His comment and justification was that it is OK to kill someone you don't like or crosses you as long as they are not kin. I guess that comes from the fact that a lot of the family trees around there don't have any branches.

[blog4free]

As it stands, there is no evidence whatsoever that this murder was committed by a conservative. Still, this room is packed with idiotic liberal scum haters slobbering and blubbering all over themselves hoping to use this poor man's death to somehow convict every conservative in the country of something they had nothing to do with. You're pathetic. You're worse than pathetic. You're nutjobs... clearly. There nothing even remotely as vitriolic on any conservative talk show as the hate being spewed by the liberal morons in here.

[Solarrays247]

blog4free September 26, 2009 9:52 PM EDT
As it stands, there is no evidence whatsoever that this murder was committed by a conservative. Still, this room is packed with idiotic liberal scum haters slobbering and blubbering all over themselves hoping to use this poor man's death to somehow convict every conservative in the country of something they had nothing to do with. You're pathetic. You're worse than pathetic. You're nutjobs... clearly. There nothing even remotely as vitriolic on any conservative talk show as the hate being spewed by the liberal morons in here.
***************************************************************

Nope...no evidence whatsoever that this murder was committed by a conservative, blog4free. And as of approx. 11:39pm EST, I have yet to uncover any post accusing a "conservative" of committing the murder. You wouldn't be putting words in other's mouths, would you?

What type of person would you guess would murder someone....and write the word, "fed" on his chest...which is kinda accurate seeing as how Mr. Sparkman was working for the federal government in the capacity of a census taker. Want to just take a guess the type of profile that would describe this type of person?

[ffoulkes-2009]

I, personally would associate that behavior with someone with something to hide, or a reason to fear or hate the Federal Government. That could be anyone one of any political background who does illegal activities or is pursued by the government.