An elderly nudist couple living in a southern California nudist community has been reported missing and presumed dead by police. Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79, were last seen at their home in Redlands, California. Their neighbor, Michael Royce Sparks, 62, has been arrested on suspicion of homicide.
On Friday, police used a tank-like vehicle to smash into a home where they believed the bodies of the missing couple would be found. Human remains were discovered in bags in a concrete bunker underneath the house, but they have not been identified yet. The arrest of Sparks followed after a dog trained to find cadavers indicated the presence of at least one body under the house on Friday morning.
The couple was reported missing by a friend after they were last seen on Saturday morning and their pet dog was also missing. Their unlocked car was found later on Sunday, not far from their residence, with both of their phones, along with Stephanie Menard’s purse, still inside the home. Daniel Menard, a diabetic with dementia, was described as a kind and gentle person by friends.
The arrest of Sparks came after police received information that he was involved in the couple’s disappearance and was on the property. They locked down the area and eventually used a tactical vehicle to reach the suspect’s home where he voluntarily surrendered and was arrested. The investigation is ongoing and the suspect is scheduled for a court appearance on Tuesday.
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