bloggie

A Kentucky census worker found naked, bound with duct tape and hanging from a tree with "fed" scrawled on his chest killed himself but staged his death to make it look like a homicide, authorities said Tuesday.

Bill Sparkman, 51, was found Sept. 12 near a cemetery in a heavily wooded area of southeastern Kentucky. A man who found the body in the Daniel Boone National Forest has said Sparkman also was gagged and had an identification badge taped to his neck.

Authorities said Sparkman alone manipulated the scene to conceal a suicide. Police said he had talked with others about ending his life, though authorities did not say specifically who in a news release.

Sparkman had recently taken out two life insurance policies that would not pay out for suicide, authorities said. If Sparkman had been killed on the job, his family also would have been be eligible for up to $10,000 in death gratuity payments from the government.

Weird.

Police said he had talked with others about ending his life, though authorities did not say specifically who in a news release.

I'd like a public interview with these people.

Who wins with a suicide determination ?

Local Police. Homicide of an on the job census worker brings in the FBI. Not a welcome presence in rural Kentucky.

Insurance carriers. They don't pay out.

Not local police. The FBI will be brought in anyways I expect. A conclusive decision as to whether this is a homicide or suicide would take more evidence I'd think.

Life insurance doesn't pay out in case of suicide, does it?

One policy was taken out in late 2008; the other in May.

#6 zorkmidden: Oh, OK. Then in this case insurance company will not pay, but if it was a day over 2 years, then most insurance companies would pay, a little factoid they really don't want you to know.

#7 packen@work: What do you mean, for accidental death?

Wow, they pay for suicide? That is a well-kept secret!

He should have staged it as auto-erotic strangulation, there wouldn't have been many questions asked. I guess it's too shameful a way to die though.

#10 zorkmidden: but one must plan ahead!
What a strange thing though - if a person had to wait for a deadline (eww) that was months away before they could take such action, they maybe they would have a change of heart? Bet a lot of suicides would be alive today if they had to wait before going through with it.

Many insurance companies pay for a suicide after the policy has been in effect for two years. Mine will.

It makes sense, how many people will take out a policy and wait that long? And, as far as I know, any company can still refuse to pay if they can prove someone did deliberately wait that long. i.e. fraud.

State insurance laws vary so it is futile to be certain in any one case.

I just heard on the radio that the man's hands were bound in front. But very loosely with one strand of duct tape. And so his hands could easily have moved enough to arrange everything else.