REDLANDS, Calif. (AP) — A next-door neighbor was arrested in connection with the disappearance of a couple from their home at a Southern California nudist resort, police said Friday.
Investigators have reason to believe the couple are dead and that their bodies are in the neighbor’s home, said Carl Baker, spokesperson for the Redlands Police Department.
The 62-year-old suspect was arrested and booked into jail for investigation of homicide Thursday night after being found underneath his house at Olive Dell Ranch.
The arrest was announced after a lengthy search Thursday in which authorities used a tactical vehicle with a battering ram to break into the residence. The house needs to be shored up before investigators can safely enter, Baker said.
“We are confident that they are deceased and that they are still here on the property,” Baker said. He did not release any information about a possible motive.
A friend reported Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79, missing Sunday. They were last seen at their home Saturday morning.
Police said the couple’s unlocked car was found later Sunday, not far from their residence, and both their phones, along with Stephanie Menard’s purse, were still inside their home. Their dog was also missing. Daniel Menard was described as a diabetic with dementia.
The Olive Dell website describes the ranch as a residential RV park and family friendly nudist resort.
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