Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the disappearance of an elderly California couple who vanished from a nudist community.
Michael Sparks, 62, was arrested for murder Thursday night, days after Stephanie Menard, 73, and Daniel Menard, 79, were reported missing Sunday.
At a news conference after the arrest, police said Sparks was a neighbor of the couple and was suspected of foul play following a tip from someone in their neighborhood in Redlands, California.
Authorities are continuing an urgent search for the couple, who were last seen leaving their home at the Olive Dell nudist ranch around 10 a.m. Saturday, near where their unlocked car was later found.
Stephanie Menard, 73, and Daniel Menard, 79, were reported missing Sunday.
Footage from the arrest showed a SWAT-style vehicle with a mangled hydraulic ram on the side of Sparks’ property, where police believe the Menards’ bodies are.
According to the Redland Police Department, Sparks was found hiding under his home during his arrest, and was only taken into custody after a lengthy standoff with police.
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.
Police say they are treating Menard’s disappearance as a homicide and are searching for their bodies, which they believe are on Sparks’ property.
According to police, cadaver dogs and search equipment were seen at the home and Menard’s dog is also believed to be dead in the area.
ABC News He said police arrived at the home after receiving a tip from the public that a person involved in her disappearance was in the house.
Sparks’ home sustained significant damage during the dramatic arrest and police are now working through the rubble in hopes of finding the couple’s bodies.
Police say they are treating the Menards’ disappearance as a homicide and are searching for their bodies.
Police pictured at the scene of Sparks’ arrest, where he was reportedly found hiding under his home and was only taken into custody after a lengthy standoff with police.
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 since their bodies have yet to be found.
As the search for the Menards continues, friends and neighbors said they were distraught over the couple’s disappearance.
“Every day is getting longer and longer and I’m getting more and more worried,” said Sandy Marinelli, a friend of the couple. alphabet.
“There’s nothing to go on right now.”
Tammie Wilkerson, another friend, said it wouldn’t have made sense for the Menards to leave their car behind.
“There’s no way Stephanie or Dan could have walked out of that car. She has a cane. She was at home.”
The Menards’ beloved dog, a small Shih Tzu named Cuddles, is also missing.
Authorities said Daniel is diagnosed with diabetes and suffers from dementia, complicating matters and lending a sense of urgency to the search.
The Menards, who are very active in their church and the Olive Dell community, were described as kind people.
“They’re very sweet,” Wilkerson said through tears. “There’s not a single bit of evil in them, which makes this whole thing confusing.”
Friends of the Menards told ABC that the couple was being harassed and they fear this could be linked to her disappearance.
Anyone with information regarding the disappearance is asked to contact Redlands Police at (909) 798-7681 or Detective Thomas Williams at twilliams@redlandspolice.org.
