GARRARD COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — If he's never paroled, David Sparks won't be a free man again until soon after turning 75. Sparks (25) agreed to a 50-year prison sentence for his role in the disappearance and death of a then-23-year-old Savannah Spurlock.
Judge Hunter Daugherty accepted Sparks' change of plea in Garrard County Circuit court on Tuesday. Sparks also pled guilty to charges of evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse as part of the deal. Those charges combine to carry a sentence of six years, which will run concurrent to the 50-years Sparks will serve for murder. Commonwealth's Attorney, Andy Sims, tells LEX 18 that Sparks won't be eligible for parole for at least twenty years, or 40% of the term. Sims said the death penalty wasn't on the table even if the case went to a jury, and he isn't sure if Sparks or his attorneys would've accepted a life sentence in a plea negotiation. He is, however, glad for Spurlock's family so that they can continue the grieving process with this bit of closure.
In January of 2019, Sparks, who will be formally sentenced on December 17, admitted to taking Spurlock, a mother of four, to a location in Garrard County following a night out in Lexington. He said he acted alone in killing Ms. Spurlock before tying her legs together, wrapping her in plastic bags, and burying her body in the backyard of his parents' home on Fall Lick in Garrard County.
Following an exhaustive search, which lasted for more than six months, authorities were tipped off to Spurlock's possible location when a foul odor was detected outside the Sparks' home.
