Human remains found beneath home of alleged killer of couple at nudist resort

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. – A couple who disappeared about a week ago in Colton are likely dead, and human remains were found under the home of a man who was arrested a night earlier on suspicion of murder, police said Friday.

Redlands Police Department spokesperson Carl Baker made the announcements during a pair of news conferences held at Olive Dell Ranch, where Stephanie Menard, 73, and Daniel Menard, 79, were last seen on Aug. 24.

The couple was reported missing by a friend the next day when they didn’t show up for church.

The suspect in the case, identified as 62-year-old Michael Sparks of Redlands, was arrested on suspicion of murder around 9:30 p.m. Thursday after being found under his home next door to the Menard’s residence on Keissel Road.

Under that home was a bunker-like concrete structure about 5 feet high, Baker said, and in that bunker were human remains, though the coroner has not yet positively identified who those remains belong to.

“Right now, we’re just removing evidence, and we have confirmed that at least some of that is human remains,” Baker said.

On Thursday, Sparks was found in that bunker, and he surrendered voluntarily after a period of negotiations. “I won’t say that he’s been cooperative,” Baker said. “He did have a rifle and he did attempt to kill himself when police discovered him but the rifle misfired.”

Earlier that day, police were investigating the couple’s disappearance at the nudist resort when they received information that the person likely responsible was there on the property, Baker said.

Officers attempted to contact the suspect at the home and eventually brought in equipment to breach the residence. Sky5 was overhead when an armored vehicle ripped apart the home.

Sparks was armed with a rifle and refused to come out, and less-intrusive methods of removing him were unsuccessful, Baker said.

City crews evaluated the badly damaged home to make sure it was safe for a recovery crew to enter before they did so.

“We’re not going to send them in if there’s a danger of a structure collapsing on them,” Baker said.

Concern initially grew for the Menards last week when personal items like cell phones and Stephanie’s purse were still inside their home. The Menards’ vehicle was found unlocked with the keys still inside, parked just down the road from their house.

Neighbors said they knew the 62-year-old as “Sparky,” and some described him as a loner, but also a nice person.

One neighbor, John Hills, said he remembers when Sparks started digging underneath his home.

“About two and a half years ago, he borrowed my mule in order to excavate a basement under his trailer,” Hills told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. “He told me he needed to build a space that would keep him cool during summer because he was having a hard time affording the electricity.”

Another neighbor, Tammie Wilkerson, said she was aware of disputes between Sparks and the Menards including a disagreement over a tree.

Wilkerson said Daniel would trim Sparks’ tree when branches would grow and hang over their property line which would reportedly anger Sparks.

“I know he didn’t like the Menards, he said it many times that he hated them. But, I never thought he would do something like this,” Wilkerson said.

Redlands Police said the couple’s dog, a small white Shih Tzu named Cuddles, was also missing.

“We don’t have any word on Cuddles, their dog,” Baker said during the Friday morning news conference.

Baker did not comment on what may have led to the couple’s disappearance. “I’m not going to speak to motive,” he said.

Sparks is being held at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga without bail.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.