A couple suddenly disappeared from a nudist resort in California — and the investigation has only gotten more upsetting as it continues.
According to KTLA, Stephanie and Daniel Menard were last seen at their residence at the Olive Dell Nudist Ranch in Redlands on August 24. When they never came to church the following day, a worried friend reported them missing. And it’s not just Stephanie and Daniel who vanished. Their dog, a white Shih Tzu named Cuddles, is also missing. Oh no!
Concern for the pair grew when police found their car unlocked close to their home with the keys inside — also, Stephanie’s bag, along with both their phones, was discovered at their house. Over the past week, the disappearance of Stephanie and Daniel has been a mystery. But now, the police have some unfortunate answers. First, they’re positive the couple is dead — and that their neighbor was involved in their death!
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On Friday, the Redlands Police Department announced on Facebook that they arrested 62-year-old Michael Royce Sparks for murder. In a press conference, Redlands Police Department spokesperson Carl Baker further explained Sparks was apprehended on Thursday night at his place in the Olive Dell Nudist Ranch after police “received information from a source that a person who was involved in their disappearance was here on the property.”
According to KABC, a SWAT team swarmed his house, which is next door to the Menard’s place. They even went so far as bulldozing the home in an effort to find Sparks and the missing couple! Baker added in the conference:
“We made several attempts to contact the subject with no response. So at that point, we had a search warrant and went into the home, and for the officers’ safety, we used a battering ram and remote cameras in order to conduct that search.”
“Went into the home” is one way to put it. You can see the house in shambles after a bulldozer ripped apart the fencing and brick (below):
But it was apparently the right move! During their extensive search, police discovered Sparks hiding under the home and negotiated with him to come out. He eventually “surrendered voluntarily” and was then arrested for murder and booked into the West Valley Detention Center. No word yet if he was wearing clothing at the time.
Obviously, if law enforcement took him into custody for murder that means they think Stephanie and Daniel are dead. Baker confirmed in the press conference that they “are confident they are deceased and that they are still here on the property.” They “don’t have any word on Cuddles” right now.
And sadly, KTLA reported on Friday that Baker revealed human remains were found under the home in a bunker-like concrete structure, where Sparks was hiding during the police search. At this time, the coroner has not identified who those remains belong to. He explained:
“Right now, we’re just removing evidence, and we have confirmed that at least some of that is human remains.”
Devastating…
It is unknown what led Sparks to allegedly commit these heinous crimes. Baker refused to comment on the “motive.” However, ABC reported that friends claim the two were harassed and feared for their safety as they are part of a potential lawsuit involving the nudist ranch. Could that have led their neighbor to kill the couple? Hmm. Watch the press conference (below):
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[Image via Redlands Police Department/Facebook]
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