4 Men Leave a Bar With a 22-Year-Old Mom. Her Body Was Found 6 Months Later

Savannah Spurlock was a 22-year-old mother of four who simply wanted a night out to unwind. It had been only a month since she'd given birth to twins, and she was ready for a few hours of fun with friends. But that night — Jan. 4, 2019 — would become her last. Savannah never returned home, and the mystery of what happened to her sparked a nationwide search that ended in an unthinkable tragedy. This is the haunting story of her disappearance — and the dark secrets that followed.

What led to Savannah's disappearance that night?

Savannah Spurlock left The Other Bar in Lexington, Kentucky, with three men she had just met. It seemed like an ordinary night out for her first taste of freedom since giving birth. David Sparks, one of those men, drove her along with two of his friends to his family's home in Garrard County — over 40 miles away from the bar. Surveillance footage captured them leaving together, unaware that this would be the last time Savannah was seen alive.

Sparks and the other two men knew each other; they were friends, out for a night of fun. Savannah rode in the car with two of the men, while the third followed closely behind. What started as an ordinary night out quickly spiraled into something far more sinister. By the time the night ended, Savannah would be left in the care of David Sparks — a decision that would cost her life.

How did David Sparks become the primary suspect?

While all three men left the bar with Savannah, it was Sparks who took the darkest turn. After arriving at his house, the two other men eventually left, leaving Sparks alone with Savannah. According to their statements, Savannah had fallen in and out of consciousness, and Sparks had acted inappropriately toward her. They left, but one of the men later encouraged Sparks to tell the truth about what had happened after they were gone.

Police questioned all three men, but their accounts only raised more suspicion around Sparks. They corroborated parts of his story, such as the fact that Savannah had gone to his house, but gaps in their versions of events made it clear something was being hidden. As police dug deeper, it became increasingly obvious that David Sparks wasn't just the last person to see Savannah — he was the key to unlocking what had happened.

What evidence pointed directly to Sparks?

David Sparks quickly found himself under the investigative spotlight. His behavior struck officers as strange — cold, calculated, and far too calm for someone who was supposedly innocent. Sparks told police that Savannah had left his house on her own the next morning, but no evidence supported that claim. His house had been freshly cleaned, and investigators discovered blood spatter in his bedroom closet, which had clearly been wiped down. It was later discovered that the blood belonged to Savannah.

The most chilling clue, however, came from a letter found in the drawer of his bedside table. In this letter, Sparks wrote about his "dark true side" and his disturbing desire "to squeeze the last breath out of another human," as reported by Lex 18. He insisted it had nothing to do with Savannah, claiming he'd written it years earlier. Investigators didn't believe him. As they continued their search, the truth became harder for Sparks to hide.

How did police finally find Savannah's body?

Six long months passed without answers. Her family and friends clung to hope, but every search came up empty — until July 10, 2019. A neighbor near the Sparks family's property in Garrard County reported a foul odor. When police arrived, they dug through the dirt and unearthed Savannah's remains, wrapped in plastic and buried in a shallow grave. Her body had been bound, a tragic end to a horrifying mystery.

The discovery also confirmed a crucial piece of evidence: Savannah had been buried in a rug taken from Sparks' home. The day after she disappeared, Sparks texted his sister, asking for help buying a new rug. His attempt to cover up the crime only further implicated him, and his connection to her death could no longer be denied.

Why did David Sparks kill Savannah?

Despite his guilty plea, David Sparks never revealed why he killed Savannah. Investigators found no clear motive, and Sparks never explained how or why he took her life. His phone history offered a glimpse into his mindset — he obsessively searched for updates on "Richmond missing mom" during the months following her disappearance, as if he couldn't look away from the chaos he had caused.

One haunting detail stands out. While Sparks was in jail, a guard discovered disturbing drawings of bound women in his cell, raising the possibility that his crimes might have stemmed from darker impulses than anyone realized. Whatever his reasons, Sparks took Savannah's life in a way that left many questions unanswered — and her family with a wound that would never fully heal.

How did Savannah's family react to Sparks' guilty plea?

In December 2020, David Sparks finally admitted to his crimes, pleading guilty to murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. While this spared Savannah's family the trauma of a trial, it didn't bring them the closure they had hoped for. Shaq Smith, the father of three of Savannah's children, summed up the family's frustration saying, "I feel like it's a relief for everyone who was close to Savannah, that there will be no trial to sit through. But to me justice wasn't served," he told WHAS11.

Though they no longer had to wonder about what happened to Savannah, the pain of her loss — and the horror of how her life ended — remains. For Savannah's family, and for those who followed the case, the question of why she died at the hands of David Sparks still lingers.

References: Savannah Spurlock Case: What to Know About Kentucky Mom Found Dead After Leaving Bar With 3 Men | 'I hope she's alright': David Sparks' police interview after the disappearance of Savannah Spurlock | David Sparks pleads guilty to Savannah Spurlock's murder nearly 2 years after her disappearance