REDLANDS, CA – In a gripping investigation surrounding a missing couple from a Californian nudist community, the police have apprehended a suspect after concluding the couple has sadly passed away.
The arrested individual, Michael Sparks, 62, lived next to the missing individuals. He was taken into custody on Thursday evening on charges of murder. Sparks was located and apprehended from beneath his own residence after Redlands Police Department officers conducted an extensive negotiation. He has since been transported to the West Valley Detention Center.
The missing persons report for Stephanie Menard, 73, and Daniel Menard, 79, was filed on Sunday. On Thursday, Redlands Police Department officials addressed a press briefing, where they announced suspicions of foul play instigated by insights from an informant residing in the same neighborhood as the couple.
Search operations for the couple’s remains are currently underway, with the police suspecting them to be located on the accused’s property. Specialized teams, including cadaver dogs, have been deployed in the search. Meanwhile, the couple’s white shih tzu, Cuddles, remains lost.
During the course of investigations, officers were informed about the involvement of a person present on the property, leading to the immediate lockdown of the area and the eventual arrest of Sparks.
Although the process led to extensive damage to Sparks’ home, the police intend to resume search operations once the premises are deemed safe.
The missing couple was last seen at around 10 a.m. local time on Saturday at their residence in the Olive Dell Ranch, a family nudist resort. Their unlocked vehicle was located down the road from their residence later that day. Inside their home, the police found Stephanie Menard’s handbag and both their cell phones.