The death of William Sparkman

We shouldn't jump to conclusions on this, but here is what we know. The body of a 51-year-old census taker named William Sparkman was found earlier this month, officials in Kentucky announced yesterday. Sparkman was hanged. The letters "F-E-D" were reportedly, according a law-enforcement source who spoke to local media, scrawled across his chest. In marker or blood or what is not known.

They don't even know for sure yet that it's a homicide. Sparkman was a single father earning a teaching degree working two jobs while fighting cancer -- all that and a local Boy Scout troop leader. It was the Boy Scout gig that brought him to the part of rural Kentucky where he worked and was found dead. HuffPo has culled together various details and reports.

As I say, no hasty conclusions yet. Rural census takers have to visit every dale and hollow, every remote shack, in their area. He could have had the misfortune to run across a nut, a drunk, or someone running a meth lab. But if -- I say if -- this turns out to be what it looks like it might be, then this will count as a very bleak day for this country.