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'Fed' Written on Chest of Hanged Ky. Census Worker

FBI investigating if incident was based on anti-government sentiment

By the Associated Press

Posted Sep 23, 2009 9:26 PM CDT
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(AP) – A US Census worker found hanged from a tree near a Kentucky cemetery had the word "fed" scrawled on his chest, a law-enforcement official said today, and the FBI is investigating whether he was a victim of anti-government sentiment. The official did not say what type of instrument was used to write the word on Bill Sparkman, a 51-year-old part-time Census field worker and teacher. He was found Sept. 12 in rural southeast Kentucky.

The Census Bureau has suspended door-to-door interviews in rural Clay County, where the body was found, pending the outcome of the investigation. An autopsy report is pending. "Our job is to determine if there was foul play involved—and that's part of the investigation—and if there was foul play involved, whether that is related to his employment as a Census worker," says an FBI rep.

Census enumerators check computer data during a training session in Dummerston, Vt., May 19, 2009.
Census enumerators check computer data during a training session in Dummerston, Vt., May 19, 2009.   (AP Photo)
A Census vehicle.
A Census vehicle.   (AP Photo)
Census enumerators check computer data during a training session in Dummerston, Vt., May 19, 2009.
Census enumerators check computer data during a training session in Dummerston, Vt., May 19, 2009.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 35 comments
riffran
Sep 24, 2009 12:53 PM CDT
But he is probably right. The press would go into a feeding frenzy
Pragmaticrealism
Sep 24, 2009 11:42 AM CDT
perfect, rembrandt
MarkFL
Sep 24, 2009 8:54 AM CDT
Jiblitz is an idiot but please Newser, stop censoring comments. It is a waste of time. You will never stop them. His comment contained an unpopular political opinion but it was not insulting or crude or filled with profanity. He or She was expressing a possible motive and not even advocating that the killer was justified. Censorship is worse than the worst opinion.

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

 
FBI • crime • murder • Kentucky • hanging • US Census • Bill Sparkman • anti-government sentiment

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