Investigators are working to determine if the human remains found in a nudist ranch in San Bernardino County belong to a missing couple. Annette Arreola reports for Today in LA on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.
What to Know
- Seventy-three-year-old Stephanie and Daniel Menard, 79 were reported missing Sunday by a friend after their unlocked car was discovered near their Redlands home.
- A tip led investigators to a neighbor of the Menards at a nudist resort, who was arrested after his home was torn down in a SWAT operation.
- Authorities said human remains were found in bags in a concrete bunker Friday under the home.
Human remains were found Friday under the house of a 62-year-old man who was arrested a day earlier at a San Bernardino County nudist resort on suspicion of murder in connection with the disappearance of his neighbors over the weekend.
The remains, which have not been identified, were found by a fire department confined space search-and-rescue team in bags in a concrete bunker under the house of Michael Royce Sparks, who was arrested Thursday night after a search at and SWAT operation at the home. Sparks was found underneath the home, which was torn down by an armored sheriff's department vehicle when the suspect was armed and barricaded inside, Redlands public information officer Carl Baker said, adding that a tip from someone at the resort led authorities to the suspect.
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The arrest comes nearly a week after the disappearance of 73-year-old Stephanie and Daniel Menard, 79, who were reported missing Sunday by a friend. They were last seen at 10 a.m. Saturday at their home in the 26000 block of Keissel Road. Their unlocked car was found nearby. Stephanie Menard's purse was found at their home, as were the couple's cellphone.
Their dog Cuddles also was missing.
Baker said there was evidence that led authorities to believe the couple's remains were still on Sparks' property about 70 miles east of Los Angeles. A cadaver dog "alerted" on at least one body at the property, Baker said at a midday news conference.
“We are confident that they are deceased and that they are still here on the property,” Baker said.
Baker said Thursday's arrest came after several attempts to contact Sparks inside his home. When there was no response, law enforcement officers used an armored SWAT vehicle to tear down the house.
"There was significant damage to suspect's residence when we broke in to search it," Baker said. "We had to secure the scene overnight to make sure it's safe to enter. We have cadaver dogs we'll be using to located victims' remains."
Sparks was found at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Baker said.
Details about a motive were not immediately available. Residents said they believe Sparks lived alone.
A woman who said she called 911 Sunday to report the missing couple said she was concerned after they didn't show up for a regular Friday potluck and karaoke night at a neighbor's house. On Sunday, Irene Engkraf said she was on her way to church when they noticed the abandoned car. They checked the house and went to church, but there were no signs of the Menards at either location.
She then entered the Menard's house and, after finding the purse and cellphones, called 911, she said. There were no signs of a disturbance.
The Olive Dell website describes the ranch as a residential RV park and family friendly nudist resort.
