Police in California have arrested a man linked to the disappearance of a couple from a nudist community in California, who are now presumed dead.
The Redlands Police Department reported that 62-year-old Michael Sparks, a neighbor of missing couple, Stephanie Menard, 73, and Daniel Menard, 79, was taken into custody on murder charges Thursday. His arrest came days after the couple was reported missing.
On Thursday, officers attempted to locate Sparks, searching for his residence using remote video equipment. He was discovered hiding beneath his home and surrendered after negotiations, according to Redlands Police.
Sparks is now being held at the West Valley Detention Center.
ABC News reports that police reported that the couple was missing on Sunday. In a Thursday press briefing, investigators indicated they suspected foul play after receiving a tip from a neighborhood source.
Police are actively searching the suspect’s property, where they believe the couple’s bodies may be found. Search teams, including cadaver dogs, are involved in the search.
The couple’s dog, a white Shih Tzu named Cuddles, is also unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, a friend of the missing couple, told KABC-TV that they were active members of a nudist ranch community at the Olive Dell Ranch RV Park in Colton, where they lived.
“They’re very sweet people,” Tammie Wilkerson said. “There’s not a mean bone in their body at all, which makes this very confusing.”
Their vehicle was found unlocked “down the road” from their home, police said. Stephanie’s purse and Daniel’s cell phone were both discovered inside their home.
“There’s no way that Stephanie or Dan could have walked away from that car,” Wilkerson continued. “She has a cane. It was at home, her purse, their cellphones — things they would never have left at home.”
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact Redlands police at 909-798-7681.
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[Feature Photo: Stephanie and Daniel Menard/Redlands PD]
