Police in California have arrested a suspect in the disappearance of an elderly couple who went missing from a Redlands nudist ranch last weekend.
Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was arrested for murder late Thursday night and booked at West Valley Detention Center, Carl Baker, a spokesman for the Redlands Police Department, told reporters Friday morning.
Daniel Menard, 79, and his wife, Stephanie, 73, were last seen around 10 a.m. Saturday at the Olive Dell Ranch, a family-friendly nudist RV park in Redlands, roughly 65 miles east of Los Angeles.
Their unlocked vehicle was located down the road from their residence later that same day. The couple and their dog, a small white Shih Tzu named Cuddles, were missing. Personal items including their cellphones and Stephanie’s purse were found inside their home.
Neighbors previously expressed concern for the couple’s safety, saying it would be unusual for them to leave on foot without their belongings since Stephanie has mobility issues and Daniel suffers from diabetes and dementia.
On Thursday, detectives said they suspected “there may have been foul play.”
“While we were here [at the ranch], knocking on doors and canvassing the area, we got information that a person who is potentially involved in the disappearance of the couple was here,” Baker said during a news conference.
He did not identify the suspect at the time or provide further information on the tip they received.
After unsuccessfully trying to locate the suspect for several hours, detectives focused on his residence.
On Thursday afternoon, tactical police vehicles and K-9 units were seen scouring the area, as SWAT teams used armored vehicles to tear down the walls instead of entering the home “for the officer’s safety,” Baker said.
Not knowing if the suspect was armed, investigators also used remote video to search the area.
According to Baker, the suspect was located “under” his home at approximately 9:30 p.m. local time, and surrendered voluntarily “after some negotiation.”
The Menards and their dog are believed to be dead and their bodies somewhere on the property.
“Currently, we are trying to locate the victims,” Baker said Friday.
Due to extensive damage done to the home during the search, officials first had to ensure the structure was safe so cadaver dogs and search teams could safely enter the residence to look for the bodies, he added.
A sheriff’s department cadaver dog deployed around just before 11 a.m. indicated the presence of at least one body in the residence.