Human remains have been found in a concrete bunker beneath the home of a suspect arrested in connection with the disappearance of an elderly California couple who vanished from a nudist community.
Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was arrested for murder Thursday, days after Stephanie Menard, 73, and Daniel Menard, 79, were reported missing from Olive Dell Ranch in Redlands.
The Menards and their beloved dog, a small Shih Tzu named Cuddles, were last seen leaving their home on the nudist ranch around 10 a.m. on Aug. 24, near where their unlocked car was later found.
Authorities confirmed that human remains were found at Sparks’ home on Friday after he was arrested following a lengthy standoff with police.
“Redlands Fire Department members, certified in confined space operations, entered the crawl space beneath the suspects’ home and began removing bags of evidence that were located in that crawl space. At this time I can confirm the presence of human remains beneath the home,” Redlands spokesman Carl Baker said.
Human remains were found at the home of a suspect arrested in connection with the disappearance of Stephanie Menard (right), 73, and Daniel Menard (left), 79.
Authorities confirmed that human remains were found at the suspects’ home on Friday after it was reduced to rubble following a lengthy police standoff.
The remains have not been identified by the coroner’s office, but police said they are treating Menard’s disappearance as a homicide.
Video obtained by KABC Cadaver dogs and search crews were shown digging through the rubble of Sparks’ damaged home.
Police arrived at the home after receiving a tip from the public that a person involved in her disappearance was in the house.
According to the Redland Police Department, Sparks was found hiding underneath his home during his arrest.
Michael Sparks, 62, was arrested Thursday on a murder charge in connection with the couple’s disappearance.
Police removed bags of evidence from Sparks’ home and identified human remains
A SWAT-style vehicle with a hydraulic ram drove up the side of Sparks’ property.
Authorities approached his home with remote video equipment, and footage of the arrest showed a SWAT-style vehicle with a hydraulic ram tearing up the side of Sparks’ property.
“He had a rifle and tried to kill himself when police discovered him,” Baker said.
‘The gun misfired… it didn’t fire.’
The reason for her disappearance is unclear, but neighbors told the local news station that Sparks and the Menards were neighbors and that there was tension between them.
“When I first moved here, he told me how much he hated them, and he hated Dan specifically because Dan cut the tree… he trimmed the tree,” said Tammie Wilkerson, who also lives in the community.
Community members said Sparks and the Menards were neighbors and there were tensions between them.
The Menards’ beloved dog, a small Shih Tzu named Cuddles, is also missing.
The couple was last seen leaving their home on the nudist ranch around 10 a.m. on Aug. 24, near where their unlocked car was later found.
On the day the Menards disappeared, investigators said the couple’s car was found unlocked not far from their residence in the nudist community of Olive Dell Ranch.
Police added that Stephanie’s purse was discovered in the home, as well as her and Daniel’s cell phones.
Authorities said Daniel has been diagnosed with diabetes and suffers from dementia, complicating matters and lending a sense of urgency to the search.
