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

[Tony Scalito]

"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."

Oh, yeah? Well, I'm a Supreme Court Justice and nuh uh!

/shouldn't a lawyer know that pure speculation, identified as such isn't libel?

[Tony Scalito]

/and then there's that little problem with "libeling" a dead guy...

[BellaChloe]

Story about William Sparkman receiving his teaching degree, published 03/14/2008 in The Times Tribune:

Never give up

Laurel County man doesn’t let cancer stop him from obtaining teaching degree

http://www.thetimestribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_074094330.html

[BellaChloe]

I never made any accusations about what type of person killed this man, if it was not suicide. I don't know what happened and am waiting to hear what the investigation brings. YOU are the one making accusations.

Also, I'm not sure I understand the connection between Meth labs, pot fields, and "unhinged right-wingers". If you could clarify how all these things interrelate, that would be a huge help to me and my loser friends.

[Interested Bystander]

WOW, maybe you should stick to political blogging and leave the crimes to the crime bloggers. Before you go bonkers, I am not accusing you of not knowing what you are talking about.

BTW, true crime bloggers do not speculate, they investigate crimes no difference than a PI or LE would do. That means interviewing potential witnesses and getting facts. Not throwing out inflammatory speculation.

"Why strip him naked and bind and gag him, which has serious sexual overtones?"

Ah, maybe to destroy evidence and to keep him from shouting out for help? BTW, usually when you hang someone, you bind their hands so they can't reach up and grab the rope. Or were there sexual overtones in Clint Eastwood's "Hang Em High"?

Geez. Please do not crime blog at home, leave it for the trained professionals.

[BellaChloe]

have a field day with this one - plenty of sentences within that you may take out of context to support your speculation that Mr. Sparkman was a child predator (you're welcome)

Friends: Hanged Census Worker Loved Children
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-26-census-worker-remembered_N.htm

[Lala]

True Crime bloggers always speculate. Try reading them sometime.

[MarkJ]

Dear Paul,

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

Sooooo....did you ever think twice about smearing President Bush vis a vis 9-11 and the GWOT? We all know the answer to that one, don't we?

"I hope you people burn in hell."

*Ahem* When did you and your good-time buddies switch gears and start believing in Hell? And to think, all these years you've been telling us it's just a religious superstition.

[Attack Macaque]

I have no idea whether or not Dan Riehl is a pedophile who likes raping young boys. But, you know, one doesn't rule anything in or out without some firm answers. I'm just speculating on one possible alternative.

[JadedByPolitics]

WOW Dan you have hit a nerve with the leftist haters....they cannot bear for one moment that anyone other then some rightwingers killed this man and you my man gave another hypothesis. They have been slandering the RIGHT for days over this man's murder and yet for one moment you give another view and they are having heart palpitations. Hilarity has ensued! Keep punching them in the mouth Dan WE Rightwingers love the show :)

[notandidiot]

"Being in Florida she has nothing to fear from Kentucky locals, so why the secrecy?"

Uh. Her son was just murdered and hung from a tree. YTF do you think she's uncomfortable. Douchebag.

[Lala]

So Dan I was over at W/S and they are speculating a lot, some are wondering if he was gay.

But, they also posted this - maybe some official don't like feds too much

CLAY COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION OFFICIALS ARRESTED AND INDICTED

Department of Justice
MARCH 19, 2009

CLAY COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION OFFICIALS ARRESTED AND INDICTED FOR RACKETEERING AND VOTER FRAUD CONSPIRACY

LEXINGTON—The United States Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation jointly announced today that five Manchester, Ky. officials, including the circuit court judge, the county clerk, and election officers were arrested pursuant to a federal indictment that accused them of using corrupt tactics to obtain political power and personal gain.

The 10-count indictment, unsealed today, accused the defendants of a conspiracy from March 2002 until November 2006 that violated the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). RICO is a federal statute that prosecutors use to combat organized crime. The defendants were also indicted for extortion, mail fraud, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to injure voters’ rights and conspiracy to commit voter fraud.

According to the indictment, these alleged criminal actions affected the outcome of federal, local, and state primary and general elections in 2002, 2004, and 2006. The indictment accused the defendants of the following criminal actions.

It goes on to name all the indicted people. The indictment of a person by a grand jury is an accusation only, and that person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

[j.]

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

He was treated for leukemia and the chemotherapy caused him to lose his hair. Didn't like the bald look.

[Lala]

correction

maybe some County officials don't like the Feds

[Dan Riehl]

Lala - But what would they gain from killing a lowly census employee? I understand there is a lot of anti-Federal sentiment in the region, even w/o that. My first guess was also drug related. But someone had to be pretty stupid to invite Federal LE in with this.

Hopefully we'll find out one day. I do think it's possible we'll never get an answer. I'm uncomfortable that the story took so long to come out. That also suggested to me that local LE was trying to play it down. Only when the Ohio guy opened up did it get even more bizerre.

Strange case, that's for certain. I hope we do get answers in the end.

[j.]

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).

Untrue. And things are not easy to investigate because the MSM and the lefty blogs have published so much erroneous information one has to literally sift through piles of crap looking for a substantiated fact.

Assumptions based upon erroneous facts are, in and of themselves, faulty assumptions (even if they are true).

Sort of like what you just did.

[T.J. James]

Congratulations on destroying any credibility this blog ever had with one ugly, despicable posting.

[Ed Marshall]

Hilarity has ensued! Keep punching them in the mouth Dan WE Rightwingers love the show :)

Well, that's all that matters. I'm glad a poorly sourced, error-riddled, accusation of child molestation against a murder victim pissed off the other tribe and gave you some LOLs on Sunday night.

[Lala]

The KY people on that board say it's a rough area, outsiders are looked at suspiciously. Also, his boss had told him to be cautious in that area.

There's another story that his feet were touching the ground, he was naked except for his socks.

[Barbara]

You're vile and disgusting! This is a political, NOT a crime blog! So you are blaming the victim of this crime? I wouldn't put it past you fascists!

[ngw]

Does Dan Riehl fellate goats? It would be irresponsible not to speculate...

[Richard N.]

Is Riehl a grave robber, fear-monger and anti-Semite? Did he really harm his neighbor's pet like the whispers say? I'm not saying he is for sure, but there's certainly reason to doubt or at the very least QUESTION. I think it's time for Riehl to prove himself. Prove himself, I say!! Put these horrible accusations to bed by telling the truth to the American public!!

[Jaim]

Stay classy, wing-nuts.

[Dr. Moshe Hong]

I guess it would be irresponsible NOT to wildly speculate without any proof whatsoever, right?

Is this really what passes for citizen journalism these days? This country is in bad shape.

[Peach]

Thinking outside of the box, was "FED" really "F""ed" Like you are "F" ed and not to mean Federal Employee that everyone assumes. It's at least as plausible as anything else being bandied about. Also, if is associated with drugs than I disagree with Dan i that a methy would hide the body. They own those hills and when a man comes sniffing around saying he's with gov and all he wants is statistics? The druggy thinks FEDS!!! as in DEA undercover or informant and he says -- I'll give the government statistics and tell your all DEA friends too.

[Ellen Britzer]

Did Dan Riehl rape an infant, then cook and eat it?

All I'm doing is looking at any and all possibilities. One doesn't rule anything in or out without some firm answers.

Fact checking starts first with facts, not imagination.

[Peach]

Where did my comment go?

[Peach]

Nevermind. Internets are strange sometimes.

[Ashla]

Sir, this is an incredibly spurious theory that you have presented, and I think you owe this man and his family an apology.

[Peach]

"Fact checking starts first with facts, not imagination.
"

Please tell left bloggers who are speculating that people no where near Kentucky are responsible for this poor souls death.

[Peach]

I was just thinking that perhaps Sarah Palin's uterus is responsible for what's happened here.

[Beth]

Before the Census worker, there was this story:

Ga. man indicted in female soldier's beating
JONESBORO, Ga. — A white man accused of beating a black female Army reservist while yelling racial slurs at her outside a suburban Atlanta restaurant was indicted Wednesday on felony charges.

Troy Dale West Jr., 47, of Poulan, Ga., faces one count each of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and first-degree cruelty to children under the indictment filed in Clayton County Superior Court. He also faces two counts each of battery and disorderly conduct, which are misdemeanors.

West's lawyer, Larry King, declined comment.

Police allege that West screamed racial slurs as he kicked and punched Tashawnea Hill, in the presence of Hill's 7-year-old daughter, on Sept. 9 outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Morrow, about 15 miles south of Atlanta.

......and now comes this story:........
Charges say white assailants hurled racial epithets as they attacked two black men in Brooklyn Park.

They beat and kicked the 18-year-old while screaming a racial epithet, and they ordered him to strip naked, he told police. Then they robbed him of everything he had, including his Air Jordans, blue jeans and shirt. Police said Thomas has a mental capacity of someone 8 to 10 years old.

"They were saying stuff like, 'We hate the president; we're gonna kill the president, his wife and his kids,'" Thomas recalled from his front stoop Friday, his left eye puffy and discolored. "They said every black person that comes through our park, we're gonna kick their butt. We don't like black people, period."

The assault, and another on a second black man -- Thomas' uncle -- just blocks away, led authorities Friday to file assault and robbery charges against Anthony P. Kilpela and Bryan C. Westerlund, both 21 and both white, of Minneapolis.
......................

We're the "right's" outrage over these stories? Where's Rush, Hannity Beck and the rest of the idiots?? Did they cover these stories like the one of the little boy on the bus? These folks are such flippin' jokes, it's not even funny. Hypocrites, all of them. They only care about "law and order" and being "patriotic" or "good Christians" when "their guy" is in his office. When they are out of power? To hell with it all--let's burn the place down, rip up the flag. Government completely sucks when your guy is out of power, right? LMAO You fool no one.

Look here, this country will forge ahead with or without you. If you want to become marginalized loons, chained to talking heads like Beck & Rush (who don't even believe half the crap they say. They call you all mindless sheep behind closed doors--just know that) to get your daily cup of "empowerment" well, eat up. But, you will be left behind. Believe it or discover this the hard way. The choice is yours.

[J]

it's possible dan reihl is a sexual predator. there is a rumor on the internet that he had an inappopriate relationship with a 13 year old girl in 2005. why won't he answer these allegations?

[Cruel Jest]

Better close down the comments soon, Dan. I don't think you're man enough to take it.

[richard]

Dan, I have to say, you've hit a new low.

Love the disingenuousness of giving this post the headline, "Was Census Worker Bill Sparkman A Child Predator?" and then tossing in, "Update: Before any more people start going bonkers that I'm accusing Sparkman of anything, take a breath."

You're telling us to take a deep breath after you've just smeared somebody with as vile a smear as one can imagine? You can't just blithely toss that out there and then say, "Well, I was just wondering." Well, I guess you CAN do that, but it robs you of any credibility and makes you seem like someone crying fire in the crowded theater. Very wrong, very bad. Can you imagine me putting up a headline on my blog, "Is Dan Riehl a Child Predator?" Heck, I was just askin'.

[Buckets]

Actually Lala, they're accusing Michelle Bachmann of inciting the anti-government sentiment, mainly because she said this about the census:

"Take this into consideration. If we look at American history, between 1942 and 1947, the data that was collected by the Census Bureau was handed over to the FBI and other organizations at the request of President Roosevelt, and that's how the Japanese were rounded up and put into the internment camps," said Bachmann. "I'm not saying that that's what the Administration is planning to do, but I am saying that private personal information that was given to the Census Bureau in the 1940s was used against Americans to round them up, in a violation of their constitutional rights, and put the Japanese in internment camps."

See, she's not SAYING that's what the Administration is going to do, it's just a random fact that occurred to her at that moment that seemed relevant for some reason.

Meanwhile, it seems it's more "Riehlistic" to assume Sparkman's killing was revenge for a hypothetical child rape which was then for some reason covered up by writing FED on his dead body, instead of assuming he was killed for working for the FEDeral government.

[Calypso Jones]

Very Odd how the AP flubbed this story from the beginning. Making up things as it went along...but not so surprising for AP since it has taken plenty of prior...shall we say 'artistic license'. Then the authorities remark on the inaccuracies reported as truth in the initial reports. Left wing bloggers jumping the gun blaming the man's death on right wing talk show hosts, tea party-ers and/or conservatives. Someone sure seems to be spending a lot of time diverting attention.

[Larry]

Riehl, I recognize yellow journalism when I see it. You shoud be ashamed of yourself.

[j.]

Actually, after days of the left has been flinging, it's funny to see you leftards boiling over with rage over this. Any crimes that occur in the next 72 hours, we will know who to blame for it. Your incitement for violence is noted.

[notmyrealnameduh]

im waiting for the law and order episode O-o

[peter jackson]

Like several other states, pot is Kentucky's number one cash crop. If someone thought he was a narc, that would explain the "fed" thing. I have no connection with the state, but revenuers don't have a happy history there.

By the way, does anyone know if it was written upside down and or backwards? I'm not speculating about the man, just the circumstances surrounding his death. Poor bastard.

yours/
peter.

[Jeff]

Census and the school require background checks prior to employment for whatever that is worth. If you were looking for another angle for his death other than the Fed angle I am sure suicide/insurance would be the most likely motivation for his demise. As a federal employee he would have access to pretty good life insurance if he so desired...but then you would have to wonder...who would he leave it to? His grown son?

[w.p.]

ask you qq? how those kids two boys got involed... sound like more werid oppited way his family in history why those boys are age fellow them like thier parens in past good or bad???? just wonder i never heard that...

[Dan Riehl]

One thing cracks me up here about the libs. They lobby for the schools to talk to kids about any and all kinds of sexual issues, including frank discussions about sexual predation, abuse and so forth. We're even told that one of the reasons the problem goes on as it does is because it isn't talked about more openly.

But heaven forbid it's brought up in another context simply as speculation. Suddenly it's taboo.

I wonder if this tendency to advocate private and classroom discussions with children about sexual issues doesn't suggest that today's progressives are all pedophiles at heart? Just askin questions. : )

Perhaps some studies are in order. Hmm. In fact, didn't Obama have some unusual interactions with an individual with such a history as a child? Maybe we're on to something here!! The NIMH definitely needs to study this under the next Republican administration. We may have a shadow government of Democrat pervs running loose!! :o

[mountain]

I remember when I was a child--in eastern kentucky--my grandparents was afraid of census workers. when the census came to our door--no one was allowed to open it. and everyone was silent. Lots of people in the hollers still believe that the census people are a threat to them. I would say that his death is connected to that.

[Dallas]

Reminds me a little bit too much of stories I've read from the 50's and 60's, where being a "Fed" in the south was a death sentence because "Fed" meant you were trying to force integration and shut down the Klan.

I seem to recall that census workers were very often treated this way in decades past. As agitated as white supremacist groups have become since Obama got elected, I wouldn't be surprised if they're not ramping up their old tricks.

If this isn't the work of the Klan or some similar group, they did a damn good job of making it look that way.

[Peter]

"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."

Is it really any worse than the state-run media and leftwing blogs trying to convict town hall protesters and tea party attendees as well as rightwing blogs and talk radio of the killing? To quote Shakespeare: "Me thinks thou dost protesteth too much."

[Peter]

I think al-AP, the PuffHo, DUmmyworld, et al., owe me an apology for saying I'm responsible because I don't goosestep along to their Messiah.

[Brother]

I just heard from an anonymous source that Bill Sparkman was a registered Republican, so there might something to Dan's speculation that Sparkman was a paedophile.

[Peter]

"does anyone know if it was written upside down and or backwards ..."

No one knows if it was written at all. That was part of an al-AP report that is so full of false information that it can no longer be considered credible. Law enforcement has confirmed nothing, no one even knows if he was performing census duties or what he was last doing. The only reason the FBI was called in was because he had performed work for the census.

Al-AP has made up things out of thin air and framed its original story to fit a false premise of rightwing hatred and violence and the moonbats have taken and run with it making things not true or not verified "fact." In effect, they've created their very own set of "facts."

You can't debate them because their "facts" are their "facts."