Was Census Worker Bill Sparkman A Child Predator?

Update: Before any more people start going bonkers that I'm accusing Sparkman of anything, take a breath. I've done a fair amount of crime blogging mixed in with politics over time. One doesn't rule anything in or out without some firm answers. People feel free to speculate about Meth labs and pot fields but none have been reported in the area, yet. All I'm doing is looking at any and all possibilities.  You'd think a moonshiner, or Meth head would have just buried the guy. Why hang him and invite the Feds into it by writing Fed on his chest? Why strip him naked and bind and gag him, which has serious sexual overtones?

I have no idea what happened, but from the reporting I've seen, neither does anyone else. If he adopted a boy as a single man, or was married and split with the wife and kids, who knows. But I never assume I know a story or motive until I know it. Right now we don't. I'm simply speculating on one possible alternative, however impolite.

Someone may as well say it given some peculiar details. The strangest quote I've seen in all the reporting around apparently murdered Census worker Bill Sparkman is this one from his Mother located in Florida.

“I have my own ideas, but I can't say them out loud. Not at this point,” she said. “Right now, what I'm doing, I'm just waiting on the FBI to come to some conclusion.”

She didn't say she had been advised not to speculate. Being in Florida she has nothing to fear from Kentucky locals, so why the secrecy? Add that to the somewhat mysterious way this case is being revealed by authorities and whatever is behind it, I wouldn't be surprised if there's another surprise in store here.

The condition of the body and his being naked also seems curious. Why strip someone down to their socks only to kill them? Finally Sparkman's bio and work history suggests at the least he was not just your average guy. No teaching degree, no full-time means of employment and no wife or kids so far as I am aware. But he certainly did gravitate towards children. I can't help but wonder if this wasn't a revenge killing disguised to look like something else. If he did have issues in this regard and messed with the wrong kid, it isn't as if something like that can be ruled out until we know more.

Sparkman’s mother, Henrie Sparkman of Inverness, Fla., told The Associated Press her son was an Eagle scout who moved to the area to be a local director for the Boy Scouts of America. She said he later became a substitute teacher in Laurel County and supplemented that income as a Census worker.

There also seems to be a huge number of small unnamed cemeteries in that area. I haven't even seen the name of the cemetery he was found in released. Interesting case, if nothing else. But I'm far from certain it has any political ramifications.

Comments

[Lala]

I read that he had two kids but wasn't married. Some thought at first that he committed suicide for insurance money.

[Lala]

Hoskins Cemetery in rural Clay County near Manchester, Ky.,

[FeFe]

Remember grasshopper, things are not what they seem, and tip your hotel maid.

[Captain Joe]

Half of the boy scout leaders I have known were queer fellows. I think this guy committed suicide. This guy had to have undressed himself in the back of his pickup and walked to the tree, where he put the rope around his neck, gagged himself, taped his eyes and neck, his feet, wrote fed on his chest, and taped his hands together (in front), and promptly died.

[Sturgis Drain]

This is one of the most despicable posts I've ever seen on a blog. There is absolutely no evidence or indications this man was a child predator. If Riehl posted this loathsome garbage, he owes an immediate apology to Mr. Sparkman's family and to his readers.

[Dan Riehl]

One point I forget, the body was in advanced decomposition. Was there a missing persons report on him? If not, he might have been quite a loner to in his personal life.

There's nothing wrong with speculating brain drain, don't get your panties in a twist.

[j.]

The reporting sucks on this guy. Last night I did a number of searches to find out more into on this guy. He did have a college degree and worked as a reporter for a long time and with the BSA, which I think his father also had a connection with. He adopted a boy, and eventually they both moved to this town in KY, because of his BSA job. He has lived there for 12 years. When the BSA job disappeared, (and I don't think it was meant to last forever), he worked as a class assistant while he got his teaching creditials so he could teach. He did get his credentials last Spring and he has been student teaching and doing the Census thing. When he didn't show up for his school job on 9/10, one of the people who works there, who also happens to be a cop, went looking for him the same day. His body was found on 9/12.

[j.]

I read that he had two kids on the blog, but his local paper only said he had one adopted son in his 20s who lives in Tenn.

He really wasn't a longer because of all the activities he was involved in.

He was dead for about 2 days, so his body was not that decomposed.

He has a computer at home and it and his home have been entirely searched. If he were a pervert, I think they would have discovered it by now.

[j.]

To be clearer: some blogs and commenters are reporting that he had two sons, but his home paper only reports one adopted son.

[j.]

He wasn't a loner. (My typing sucks.)

[Dan Riehl]

Obviously, I'm not claiming to know. I'm just looking for reasons someone might have to kill the guy. Period.

[Calypso Jones]

Was he a single guy adopting?? if so, i'd find that problematic and telling.

[craig]

Let me do a little speculating. Some right wing gun nut on a steady diet of talk radio thought he was standing up against socialism. He probably won't be the last either. For too long this country has ignored the incredible bile that conservatives spew on a constant basis. If you hate taxes, government and regulation but love guns you'd be much happier in Somalia. It would definitely be more your speed.

[24AheadDotCom]

"Craig" stole my line about Somalia, aside from the guns part.

As for this post, it's disreputable. I don't know if I'm going to bother adding it to this list of other disreputable people because it's even worse than what they're saying; they're just trying to go after BeckBachmannRush:

http://24ahead.com/census-worker-found-hanged-kentucky-see-whos-politicizing-it

[Dan Riehl]

What a bunch of idiots. Crime blogging isn't news blogging. Any investigation puts every possible option on the table and begins to eliminate possibilities. If you think some haven't considered it, you don't know squat about solving something. You don't make up your mind about what it can and can't be up front. The guy led an atypical life by any standard. The killing had a pseudo sexual theme given he was bound, gagged and naked. This was a very unusual murder and someone wanted that body found. If some druggie killed him they would have buried him in the woods and he never would have been found. Someone wanted to send a message here. What we don't know is what it was.

[JustOneMan]

Hmmmm...the same maid that found David Carradine hanging in his hotel room in Thailand now works at a motel 5 minutes from where Bill Sparkman was found hung...

Coincidence or something more?

[j.]

Of course, the police are investigating every angle. They would be negligent if they did not. However, I believe those types of crimes leave certain types of evidence, i.e., his computer. And they must have interviewed his son by now. These days, it is part of the curriculum to teach kids how to complain if they are being abused. So, I think if something like that occurred, they would have discovered it by now.

The police, however, still refuse to rule out it was an "accident" which is another way of saying auto-erotic asphyxiation.

[bailey]

"Someone wanted to send a message here. What we don't know is what it was."

We sure don't. We could never even guess what "message" was being sent by the word "FED" on his chest and the ID taped to his neck.

Bring in a psychic! WHAT MESSAGE COULD THIS POSSIBLY BE?!?!?!?

[j.]

those types of crimes leave certain types of evidence, i.e., his computer and "souvenirs", child erotica, etc. Again, if they found any, I think the story would have broke.

[Tully]

the body was in advanced decomposition

The only source I could find for that was his mother, who seems to possibly be short a marble or two. I wouldn't assume it was a cast-in-stone fact. In any case, "advanced decomposition" is not a rigidly defined scientific term and doesn't mean much without more info. A naked body with full air exposure for 24 hours or more in a warm climate can get nasty FAST.

This was a very unusual murder and someone wanted that body found.

Agreed, though I beg to note that suicide is self-murder. Once again, not enough info.

[Sturgis Drain]

The guy was a teacher, former Eagle Scout, Boy Scout leader and part time census worker. His fellow employees and the kids he taught all thought he was a great guy. Yep, definitely a sexual predator. I wonder, does Riehl have a wife and kids? Does he do any volunteer work or go places that might have children around? Does his mother ask weird questions about him? And check out his "friends" on Facebook. One of them is a little girl. What's up with that?

[Dan Riehl]

"a teacher, former Eagle Scout, Boy Scout leader and part time census worker. His fellow employees and the kids he taught all thought he was a great guy"

Yeah, it isn't as if we haven't read that a hundred times about just such a fellow.

[BellaChloe]

His best friend, a retired state trooper, reported him missing. He described Riehl as a great guy who was not experienced with the area he worked to take census, which was some distance from where his body was found. If it were a revenge killing for sexual deviance, I could think of hundreds of alternate words to write on his chest, other than "FED". Speculate all you want, the FACTS are taking the story in a different, less salacious direction.

[BellaChloe]

Also, he did have his teaching credentials - a portion of the speech he gave at his graduation ceremony was played on one of the XM/Sirius channels on Thursday. It was really him, the school verified it.

[BellaChloe]

oops - meant Sparkman (not Riehl), got distracted.

[Tom]

I agree with the others: this post is despicable. You're clearly applying a vile trope about boy scout leaders to the situation, then reading what you want to see in Sparkman's mother's utterly contentless comment.

Here's hoping those you care about receive better treatment when they pass away.

[Dan Riehl]

Well, Tom, when I pass away I don't think I'm going to care too much what people say. Heck, I'm still alive and couldn't care less about your opinion, now. Imagine that?

[Proud progressive]

It would make sense that a Right Winger with no actual facts would accuse this man of such a despicable crime instead of dealing with the fact that the "real Amer'cans" are up their old tricks. They used to castrate Black men that they lynched and sell their genitalia in jars for a nickle. But of course I'm sure you think those thousands of men "brought in on themselves" as well. So sick.

[mike farmer]

Hmm, if I was going to make a rightwing statement about the evil of progressivism, I don't think I'd choose a part-time census worker as my victim. That would be like the Unibomber sending a bomb to someone because they wore penny-loafers.

[j.]

There are websites on the internet dedicated to the subject of decomposition. I would remind you that the conditions at Jonestown were very harsh - heat, humidity, and exposure. For reference, the first photographer, arrived 48 hours later and the second, 72 hours later. As you can see, the bodies are decomposing rapidly but still identifiable.

[Lala]

Someone on another blog said maybe it wasn't FED, maybe it was F'ED.

[Dan Riehl]

The liberals are flocking. lol They crack me up. You can smear an entire ideology based on wild-eyed speculation, but God forbid you suggest some things seem strange about the guy. It amazes me that crime blog readers were so much more adult than the political ideologues.

[jpc]

Here's Craigslist post from that area made on 9/8/08:

"need a teacher/mentor? (ky-wv-oh tri-state)

e: 2009-09-08, 3:01PM EDT

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

looking for those who need a teacher-mentor wanting to learn about man to man fun. i'm older but not a troll i am a good and patient teacher.

•Location: ky-wv-oh tri-state
•it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1364383794"

Boy Scout leaders are "mentors"; teachers are "teachers", and someone over the age of 50 could be "older"

The erotic asphyxiation scenario is plausible. Consider Jeffrey Dahmer or John Gacy.

Or another infamous part-time census worker: Dennis Rader.

[Pavel]

Seems as though Riehl was busy playing D&D when doing his "research" for this story. Speculating out of whole cloth, and admitting that you have no facts to support your suppositions? When you post that kind of twaddle in a public forum...well let me just say that it's illegal in my state.

This is the most despicable hit piece on a poor, dead man I've ever read. As an attorney, I would suggest that Danny seriously consider amending or removing his piece. Because of the traffic this "crime blog" is now receiving, it would certainly (and not even in the abstract) violate libel laws.

Defamatory, libelous, and just plain sleazy. As your mother might say, "shame on you, Danny."

[ThomasD]

There also seems to be a huge number of small unnamed cemeteries in that area.

It's Appalachia. You can't drive five miles down a road without passing someone's family plot. They're about as numerous as cornfields.

[ThomasD]

Oh and kudos for pissing off Pavel. A moron too stupid to know that you cannot libel the dead.

[Sam the Plumber]

This might be the dumbest post in the history of the Internet.

[mommadona]

Go to hell.

[Tom]

Slow clap for jpc if that was a joke. If not, uh...

Seriously, is this what "crime blogging" is about? I admit I'm speaking from a position of ignorance. But really, do you guys just find criminal situations with unanswered questions, then Google for salacious connections and interpret any hits as "leads"? It sure *seems* that way. It's not exactly a rigorous methodology.

[Dan Riehl]

The irony - if the census worker were right wing, or God forbid a preacher, they'd be the ones suggesting the guy had an unusual background. Only they'd go further than I did with it. They'd have convicted him already.

Exit question: Can you libel a liberal given that they're brain dead?

[Joey Maloney]

There's an awful lot of information on the Internet suggesting that Glenn Beck raped and murdered a young girl back in the 1990s. I'm not suggesting that Dan Riehl was involved in this horrible crime but I can't understand why he hasn't denied it. It certainly raises suspicions.

[Calypso Jones]

and what's with Mr. Sparkman's hat? rather odd.

[BellaChloe]

I didn't know "fact checking" was the same thing as "smearing"... wow, I did learn something from this blog.

[Ed Marshall]

o0o0o0o, I pissed off the liberals being an ass!

Moron.

[Paul]

Dan Riehl and some of his defenders are a bunch of sickos. Really - did you think twice about smearing this man?

I hope you people burn in hell.

[Mike]

Maybe he was the kind of pervert who fantasizes about beating up kids he sees on the subway.

[unriehl world]

I think Dan Riehl raped him and killed him, consistent with what may be Riehl's potential pattern of homosexual rape and mass murder. Before any more people start going bonkers that I'm accusing Riehl of anything, take a breath. I've done a fair amount of crime blogging mixed in with politics over time. One doesn't rule anything in or out without some firm answers.

[BellaChloe]

The issue with your "crime reporting" is not that you are suggesting an admittedly plausible scenario, it is that you got so many facts wrong (facts that would be easy enough to investigate). Assumptions based upon erroneous facts are, in and of themselves, faulty assumptions (even if they are true). I don't know what group of liberals you associate with, but my brand of liberals consciously chooses to wait until all the evidence rolls in before we go about ruining a man's reputation (especially one who can no longer defend himself). And, yes, before you accuse me of hypocricy, I do the same for conservatives, liberals, moderates, and undeclareds. This is the type of bell that is difficult to unring.

[BellaChloe]

"hypocrisy" - dang, gotta pay attention.

[Lala]

Over at HuffPO they are accusing Beck/O'reilly/Limbaugh of inciting the anti-government sentiment that caused his death.