Michelle Malkin » An important update on the Kentucky census worker case: Insurance scheme probed

An important update on the Kentucky census worker case: Insurance scheme probed

By Michelle Malkin • November 13, 2009 12:48 PM

Do you remember when the Left convicted prominent conservatives, myself included, in the death of the Kentucky census worker in September?

I do.

Here’s a reminder.

Andrew Sullivan pointed his finger at “Southern populist terrorism, whipped up by the GOP and its Fox and talk radio cohorts” in a post titled “No Suicide,” which decried the “Kentucky lynching.”

When I called him and other nutroots opportunists out for exploiting the case and when I reiterated that authorities had NOT ruled out suicide, he smugly nominated me for his “Malkin Award” and wrote: “Many of the details she pooh-poohs have now been confirmed. In fact, the murder seems even grislier the more you examine it.”

Oh, really?

In fact, law enforcement officials are still investigating the case as a possible suicide — and are raising the possibility of an insurance scheme by Bill Sparkman for his son:

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.”

Unfortunately, not everyone wants to know what really happened. Only what fits the “right-wing speech kills!” narrative.

More inconvenient facts the Left will ignore:

Sparkman, 20, who is unemployed, said he’s convinced his father could not have committed suicide, even though law enforcement officials previously told the AP on condition of anonymity that they were looking closely at that possibility and increasingly doubted he was killed because of his government job, as was first feared.

There were no defensive wounds on Bill Sparkman’s body, and while his hands were bound with duct tape, they still were somewhat mobile, suggesting he could have manipulated the rope, the officials said. He was found hanging from the tree yet was in contact with the ground. Homicide, suicide and an accident were all being considered as a manner of death, authorities said.

No matter. The criminalization of conservatism continues.

~ For the latest breaking news, be sure to join Michelle's e-mail list ~

Posted in: census

Printer Friendly

comments (25)

See what others have said

Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.

Comments

#1

On November 13th, 2009 at 12:55 pm, John Deaux said:

So has Andrew Sullivan apologized yet?

Waiting…
#2

On November 13th, 2009 at 12:57 pm, JammieWearingFool said:

I’m sure the angry left will be tripping over themselves in the rush to apologize for their reckless rush to judgment.

Charles Johnson is unavailable for comment.
#3

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:04 pm, b-cat said:

and while his hands were bound with duct tape, they still were somewhat mobile, suggesting he could have manipulated the rope, the officials said.

Or he could manipulate the rope and then tape his hands.
#4

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:05 pm, verogolfer said:

I’ve been a police reporter and this sounds like a rather unique and creative insurance scam. But liberals can’t get excited about that.
#5

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:06 pm, Rob said:

But it MUST be the fault of conservatives… EVERYTHING is the fault of conservatives… sigh.
#6

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:07 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

I still say he was mistook for a revinoor and Snuffy Smith snuffed him!
#7

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:11 pm, By Choice said:

It’s all Bush’s fault…..
#8

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:12 pm, b-cat said:

Wasn’t his insurance company one of those evil insurance companies I’ve heard alot about lately?

-Channeling leftwing dope.
#9

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:12 pm, Misscheryl said:

Really, things are going very well for the left these days. Karma sucks.
#10

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:15 pm, letget said:

I am having a tiny problem with what Bill said, he found paperwork for a private life insurance policy, but wasn’t sure of the amount or the date. I do not recall any policy of any kind that does not have an amount or the date on the paperwork. This could have been a draft, but if it is a signed policy by the insurance company, all the information should be on it.
L
#11

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:17 pm, tre said:

Well, Michelle, you, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, et.al. drove him to suicide!

Shame on you!

*SARC*
#12

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:25 pm, wingleader said:

nope..you’re all wrong…he was murdered and the insurance company tampered with the scene to make it look like suicide so they wouldn’t have to pay
#13

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:26 pm, Danceswithdachshunds said:

b-cat said:

That plus –

“…yet was in contact with the ground.”

Isn’t that sort of contrary to the concept of ‘hanging’?
#14

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:36 pm, Bogtrotter said:

“Sparkman, 20, who is unemployed, said he’s convinced his father could not have committed suicide,..”

And I’m convinced he is now worried about the insurance company not paying off.
#15

On November 13th, 2009 at 2:04 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

On November 13th, 2009 at 1:07 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

I still say he was mistook for a revinoor and Snuffy Smith snuffed him!

Snuffy snuffed a revinoor?

Snuffy: Andrew Sullivan is a revinoor Sullivan will claim he’s no revinoor and that is how you will know he is: revinoors lie.

Thanks Rogue, thanks Snuffy, Goodnight Mrs. Calabash.
#16

On November 13th, 2009 at 3:01 pm, mgraves said:

Fed scrawled on chest = Right Wing Wacko did it, no trial needed

Shouting Allah Akbar = “We don’t know all the answers yet, and I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts.”
#17

On November 13th, 2009 at 3:32 pm, RedDog said:

Andrew Sullivan pointed his finger at “Southern populist terrorism, whipped up by the GOP and its Fox and talk radio cohorts” in a post titled “No Suicide,” which decried the “Kentucky lynching.”

I used to really like Andrew Sullivan. He was one of the first early conservative bloggers I followed regularly, along with Michelle. I actully exchanged a couple emails with him 10 years ago regarding the “death tax” issue. As an expat Brit he seemed to think that tax was OK and did not think that kids should get to inherit their parents wealth – believed that it perpetuated an unequal class system. Maybe it does to some degree. Look at people like John Kerry. I suppose I should have seen the writing on the wall. He was a brilliant writer and thinker at one time but he has devolved into a common leftist harpy. After what I have learned of AIDS sufferers and the medications used to treat it, I am more convinced that his radical behavior change is part of the disease process. Very sad. He’s a decent human being.
#18

On November 13th, 2009 at 3:46 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

“…yet was in contact with the ground.”
Isn’t that sort of contrary to the concept of ‘hanging’?

Yes, he forgot the block of ice to stand on.
#19

On November 13th, 2009 at 4:14 pm, 29Victor said:

The media, with absolutely zero evidence, was so sure that this man’s death was brought about by a “Right-Wing Extremist.”

And yet they’re still scratching their heads about the motivation of the Ft. Hood shooter.

Sweet.
#20

On November 13th, 2009 at 4:15 pm, MTNEER said:

Does anyone know if this is a state case or has the federal gov’t taken over?
#21

On November 13th, 2009 at 5:26 pm, Dimsdale said:

You mean liberals are “jumping to conclusions?”

I’m shocked!
#22

On November 13th, 2009 at 7:10 pm, TimothyJ said:

After a life insurance policy is in force for two years, suicide is no longer excluded for coverage. It’s called a “cooling off” period with the assumption that any problems a man has at the time he takes out the insurance policy will be moot two years later. The actuaries have figured in the costs of suicides after two years, and have rated the policies accordingly.
#23

On November 14th, 2009 at 9:46 am, Corky Boyd said:

The Obama administration is trying desperately to find a smoking gun in the hands of conservative talk radio and websites. They want to declare a “clear and present danger” to shut them down or exert control through the FCC.

But they keep having pesky little problems like Jihadi radio and websites that are the real threat.
#24

On November 14th, 2009 at 5:52 pm, Wyatt Earp said:

No worries, lefty lunatics like Charles Johnson never apologize. They just wait it out and hope people forget. It’s sad, really.
#25

On November 16th, 2009 at 12:21 am, englishqueen01 said:

No worries, lefty lunatics like Charles Johnson never apologize. They just wait it out and hope people forget. It’s sad, really.

Yeah – what the heck happened to Johnson and Little Green Footballs? Wasn’t he a conservative at one point?