Human remains discovered in Garrard County identified as Savannah Spurlock

GARRARD COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A man has been arrested and charged in connection with the disappearance of a missing mother of four.

David Sparks was taken into custody and charged with tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse. Kentucky State Police say that human remains were found on a property on Fall Lick Road in Garrard County.

The remains were found just before midnight. During a press conference Thursday, Kentucky State Police said that the remains were positively identified as the missing 23-year-old Savannah Spurlock.

Investigators say that they are still waiting for the autopsy results for a cause of death.

KSP confirmed that it was a tip that led them to the home. According to an arrest citation, someone in the home contacted police saying they smelled a foul odor coming from the property.

They said the property belongs to the parents of one of the suspects who troopers believe was one of the three people with whom Spurlock was last seen. Upon arrival, officers located concealed remains buried under the ground behind the home.

They also discovered items belonging to Spurlock. Sparks has not been charged with murder, but police call him a "primary suspect." He has no prior convictions for violent crimes.

On Thursday afternoon, Sparks was arraigned in Garrard County. A not guilty plea was entered and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday, July 15 at 9 a.m.

The FBI's evidence response team was at the scene. Law enforcement officers were seen carrying out a large container.

The scene on Fall Lick Road cleared around 1 a.m.

This is not the first time that police have searched this home. Police also searched this property in February.

Spurlock went missing in January of 2019 when she left "The Other Bar" in Lexington. She was shown on surveillance images leaving the bar with two men. Spurlock's mother said she FaceTimed her later in the night with several people. Police said that the three men who have been questioned have denied having anything to do with her disappearance. KSP says that one of the three men was David Sparks. State Police say the other two men have not been charged, and they will not speculate on if the other two men will be charged in the future.

Spurlock's phone went out of service around 8:30 a.m. on the morning she disappeared, according to police.

In the days and weeks following Spurlock's disappearance, police searched several areas in Garrard County and even seized a white vehicle. Police have yet to say what evidence, if any, was found inside the vehicle.

The search for Spurlock has led police back to Garrard County several times. In April, police received a tip on the disappearance of Spurlock that led them to a cave, but nothing was found.

In June, police said they were making major progress in the case.