FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - 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 strangled Sept. 12 with a rope
around his neck near a cemetery in a heavily wooded area of the
Daniel Boone National Forest in southeastern Kentucky. Authorities
said his wrists were loosely bound, his glasses were taped to his
head and he was gagged.

Kentucky State Police Capt. Lisa Rudzinski said an analysis
found that "fed" was written "from the bottom up." He was
touching the ground, and to survive "all Mr. Sparkman had to do at
any time was stand up," she said.

"Our investigation, based on evidence and witness testimony,
has concluded that Mr. Sparkman died during an intentional,
self-inflicted act that was staged to appear as a homicide,"
Rudzinski said.

Sparkman's mother, Henrie Sparkman of Inverness, Fla., bristled
at the conclusion: "I disagree!" she wrote in an e-mail to The
Associated Press.

Authorities said Sparkman alone manipulated the suicide scene.
Rudzinski said he "told a credible witness that he planned to
commit suicide and provided details on how and when."

Authorities wouldn't say who Sparkman told of his plan, but said
Sparkman talked about it a week before his suicide and the person
did not take him seriously. He told the person he believed his
lymphoma, which he had previously been treated for, had recurred,
police said.

Sparkman also had recently taken out two accidental life
insurance policies totaling $600,000 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.

Sparkman's son, Josh, previously told AP that his father had
named him as his life insurance beneficiary. Josh Sparkman said
earlier this month he found paperwork for the private life
insurance policy among his father's personal files but wasn't sure
of the amount. Police wouldn't say who the beneficiary was.

The Census Bureau suspended door-to-door interviews in the rural
area after Sparkman's body was found, but a spokesman said normal
operations would resume in Clay County next month.

Anti-government sentiment was initially one possibility in the
death. Authorities said Sparkman had discussed perceived negative
views of the federal government in the county.

A friend of Sparkman's, Gilbert Acciardo, previously told AP
that he warned Sparkman to be careful when he did his census work.
Acciardo, a retired Kentucky state trooper, said he told Sparkman
people in the area would perceive him differently because he worked
for the federal government.

"The death of our co-worker, William Sparkman, was a tragedy
and remains a loss for the Census Bureau family. Our thoughts and
prayers are with his family and friends," said census spokesman
Stephen Buckner.

Sparkman's mother has said her son was an Eagle scout who moved
to the area to be a local director for the Boy Scouts of America.
He later became a substitute teacher in Laurel County and
supplemented that income as a census worker.

Friends and co-workers have said that even while undergoing
chemotherapy for cancer, Sparkman would show up for work smiling
with a toboggan cap to cover his balding head. They said he was
punctual and dependable.
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Associated Press writer Hope Yen in Washington contributed to
this report.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)