David Sparks, a 24-year-old white male from Lancaster, Kentucky, was booked into jail on Thursday, July 11 relating to the disappearance of Savannah Spurlock Sparks is believed to have been one of the final people seen with Spurlock after she left a Lexington bar near the University of Kentucky on January 4. Sparks has been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence and is currently being held in Madison County Jail, according to Kentucky.com.
“The Kentucky State Police, Richmond Police Department, Lancaster Police Department, Garrard County Police Department, and the FBI responded to the location on Fall Lick Road in Garrard County, and conducted a coordinated search of the property. As a result of the search, human remains were located, and have been taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for an autopsy and identification,” a statement read.
“As a result of ongoing investigation David Sparks, 23 years old of Lancaster has been arrested and is lodged in the Madison County Detention Center charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence and Abuse of a Corpse. The ongoing death investigation is being conducted by KSP Post 7 Detective Tye Chavies. He was assisted at the scene by KSP Personnel, the FBI, Richmond PD, Garrard County PD, Lancaster PD, and the Garrard County Coroner.”
Sparks was arrested after a man called authorities to report a “foul odor” coming from his property. Sparks was a primary suspect in the case, so authorities searched his property and found human remains buried along with additional evidence, according to the local CBS news affiliate.
This is not the first time the property was searched.
The home on Fall Lick Road was searched once before. Richmond police searched the home and towed away a car on Jan. 22. Sparks lives at the home and was one of the last people to be with Spurlock. Investigators believe Spurlock, 23, was last seen Jan. 4 after she left a Lexington bar and went with a group of men to a home on Price Court in Garrard County. Police interviewed the men seen with Spurlock on surveillance video outside the bar.
Spurlock was the mother of four children.
What Happened?
Richmond Police Department
According to a report from the Lexington Herald-Leader, Savannah was last seen leaving The Other Bar on South Limestone in Lexington with two unidentified men on Friday, January 4.
Since her disappearance, police said they identified and questioned three men who were with Savannah Spurlock the night of her disappearance. However, while Richmond Police Lt. Col. Rodney Richardson said that three men have been questioned, police have not filed any charges.
via Newsweek:
Elaine Moore, one of Spurlock’s aunts, told the Lexington Herland-Leader that the men told police Spurlock had left the bar on foot. Moore said that Spurlock spoke to her mother around 2:30 a.m. when she was leaving the bar and told her that she would be home in a few hours.
On Thursday, Spurlock’s family released a video to thank those who have prayed for her safe return and helped look for her.
“We wanted to say thank you to all who have been praying so fervently for Savannah’s safety, that she would return safely to her babies, to her family, to her mother and father,” her aunt Lisa Thoma said in a Facebook video. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for those who helped search, for those who do all they can.”
On Thursday, July 11, David Sparks was taken into custody and charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence and Abuse of a Corpse.