AP sources: Probers eye census worker's insurance (son convinced his father was killed)

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON — Investigators trying to solve the mystery of a census taker found hanging from a tree with the word "fed" scrawled on his chest are examining whether he manipulated the scene in order to conceal a suicide and make a life insurance claim possible for his son, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

The dead man's son, Josh Sparkman, said in an interview with the AP that he found paperwork for the private life insurance policy among the personal files of his father, Bill Sparkman, but wasn't sure of the amount or when it was taken out. He said authorities have told him nothing about the case and haven't produced a death certificate, which is usually needed to make an insurance claim.

Two law enforcement officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case, said investigators were trying to determine whether Bill Sparkman committed suicide but altered the scene to make it look like a homicide, allowing his son to collect.

Life insurance policies typically do not cover suicides within a certain time period after the policy begins.

Sparkman said he was convinced his father was killed, in part because there were several items missing and apparently stolen from his car. Police have declined to comment about any of the items removed from the car except for a census computer, which was not found although its case was.

"If it's deemed suicide, there's no point in even looking at insurance," the son said. "There's no such thing as suicide insurance. The money is not the concern. I just want to know what happened to my dad."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jbzG_...

[MNDemNY]

1. Smells.

[The Northerner]

3. Hard times?

With the economy in the condition it is, desperation can result in people resorting to engaging in questionable money-generating schemes.

[blm]

6. Not in this man's character from all I've read of him. He's a survivor AND a hard worker.

..

[timeforpeace]

2. (son convinced he would cash out)

[Eric J in MN]

4. I don't believe it was a suicide. NT

NT

[KansDem]

5. This doesn't make sense...

...investigators were trying to determine whether Bill Sparkman committed suicide but altered the scene to make it look like a homicide, allowing his son to collect.

If I wanted to commit suicide in order to have family members collect life insurance, I wouldn't do something like hang myself and try to make it look like a murder. I'd try doing something like driving my car off the road and over a cliff. Or into a bridge pylon or other immovable object. How could these be any more gruesome than what the police say the deceased did?

It seems making it look like an accident would be much easier than making it look like murder.

I think this whole affair stinks and I hope the son finds the answer...

[blm]

7. Exactly - setting up a murder scenario would BEG for a bigger investigation.

The man wasn't stupid, and his lifestory showed him to be a hardworking survivor - NOT suicidal.

[WriteDown]

10. Hanging is a relatively easy death...

The one's you describe are gruesome.

[KansDem]

11. Really? I would think asphyxiation would be agonizing...

Whereas suddenly turing the car's wheel and slamming into a wall at 70 mph would be much quicker.

Or how about drowning? Jack London's protagonist in "Martin Eden" did himself in by drowing...

[WriteDown]

13. They say that asphyxiation, drowning, and freezing to death

are not that bad. You kind of just go to sleep. The fright of taking in that first gulp of water is the worst part. Any sort of severe trauma can be hellish.

[ixion]

8. they're bending over backward to call it a suicide

sounds fishy to me.

Anytime someone is found dead with their hands bound, I am skeptical of calling it a suicide.

[Ian David]

9. I am shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, to find an insurance company avoiding a pay-out! n/t

[Dennis Donovan]

12. Is the FBI involved or is it just local law enforcement?

I thought this was being treated as a federal crime?

Local law enforcement might have a motive to cover-up IF a suspect had ties to them or to someone important in the state of KY.

The suicide angle doesn't compute on several levels.

[era veteran]

14. Car FBI where are you

Fed worker, working on job, Fed on his chest, suicide my ass. What is the purpose of FBI? God, save us from KSP.

[Raster]

15. "....committed suicide but altered the scene to make it look like a homicide...

So, I'm, gonna kill myself and then alter the crimescene to make it look like a murder.?.?.?

[BrklynLiberal]

17. lolol I was going to ask..Did he alter it before or after he hung himself?

[yellowcanine]

18. Yeah I wondered about that also - the "scene" doesn't exist before the "suicide".

And he sure isn't going to alter it afterward.

[BrklynLiberal]

16. This brings to mind an article Isaw several years ago.

Some man in Arkansas was shot 3 times in the back...and it was ruled suicide. DUH!!!!

[David Zephyr]

19. Kick.

This story needs more attention.