This was Bound to Happen

Census worker hanged with 'fed' on body

By DEVLIN BARRETT and JEFFREY McMURRAY (AP)

WASHINGTON — The FBI is investigating the hanging death of a U.S. Census worker near a Kentucky cemetery, and a law enforcement official told The Associated Press the word 'fed" was scrawled on the dead man's chest.

The body of Bill Sparkman, a 51-year-old part-time Census field worker and occasional teacher, was found Sept. 12 in a remote patch of the Daniel Boone National Forest in rural southeast Kentucky. The Census has suspended door-to-door interviews in rural Clay County, where the body was found, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Investigators are still trying to determine whether the death was a killing or a suicide, and if a killing, whether the motive was related to his government job or to anti-government sentiment.

Investigators have said little about the case. The law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss the case and requested anonymity, said Wednesday the man was found hanging from a tree and the word "fed" was written on the dead man's chest. The official did not say what type of instrument was used to write the word.


The U.S. Census Bureau is overseen by the Commerce Department.

It is probably wise to stay outa Daniel Boone National Forest while asking locals a lot of nosy questions door-to-door. When the fedgov made it OK to seize folks property where dope was found, growers started growing on government land. They get kinda angry when folks go snooping around.