What we know about the couple murdered at a California nudist ranch

CNN
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A husband and wife who had settled on a nudist ranch in a remote California canyon went missing several days ago when a 911 call led police to a neighboring home.

Their neighbor, Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was charged with two counts of murder after police said he confessed to killing two people and human remains were found in his home. Authorities believe the victims were missing couple Daniel Menard, 79, and his wife Stephanie Menard, 73.

Sparks has remained in custody since his arrest and is expected to appear in court later this week. CNN has not been able to identify Sparks’ attorney or locate family members.

Redlands Police Chief Rachel Tolber said Tuesday she has never seen “a case like this” and that it is “certainly troubling.”

While authorities determine a motive, here’s what we know about their deaths and the investigation so far:

The Menards lived at the Olive Dell Ranch in San Bernardino County in Southern California, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles, near the cities of Redlands and Colton. The 100-acre property is home to campers and mobile homes, where residents have lived for years. Others came for short-term stays, including during the resort’s annual 5K race.

Irene Engkraf, a neighbor of the Menards, told reporters that the couple enjoyed playing poker, meeting friends for karaoke and attending Bible studies and church services on weekends.

“It was weird not having Stephanie sitting right next to me (in church), but I know God is with them, he is with them wherever they are, and I see them holding hands,” Engkraf said.

The couple was last seen at home on Aug. 24. The next day, Engkraf said she began to worry when the Menards did not go to Sunday service as usual. Their dog, a white Shih Tzu named Cuddles, was also missing.

She first saw the Menards’ car “abandoned” down the road from their home, then later entered the couple’s home using a spare key but found no trace of them. Stephanie’s purse and both of Menards’ phones were there, and their bed was empty, Engkraf said.

Neighbor Tammie Wilkerson told CNN station KCAL that the Menards were a loving couple who cared about each other.

“Stephanie was a little bit temperamental. She told you what she thought. She had no problem with that, and she took such good care of Dan,” Wilkerson said.

It was not until several days after the Menards disappeared that police received a tip from Sparks’ family, which led to his arrest and a days-long search for evidence at his home.

A family member called 911 and said Sparks was involved in the Menards’ disappearance, adding that he “admitted to killing two people and threatened suicide,” Police Chief Tolber said Tuesday.

“I think there may have been other people who were texted, but it was the family that called him and that’s what got us interested in him,” Tolber said.

Officers arrived at Sparks’ mobile home and found him hiding in a 5-foot-deep concrete space beneath the home. San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson described the space as similar to a “home basement” beneath the home.

Before police could arrest Sparks, they had a “lengthy negotiation” with him because he was armed and barricaded, Redlands Police Department spokesman Carl Baker said Friday. Sparks tried to shoot himself, but his gun misfired, police said.

Engkraf, the neighbor who reported the Menards missing, described Sparks as a “loner” who “didn’t socialize.”

Police said that after Sparks’ arrest last week, his home was searched and human remains were found.

Tolber declined to provide further details about the remains, but said they are believed to belong to the missing couple. She noted that police have no reason to believe there are other victims. The remains have been sent to the San Bernardino County coroner, who had not made an official identification as of Wednesday.

Police said the search lasted several days due to the condition of the building, its risk of collapse and the need to remove the rubble using heavy equipment.

Police said the Menards’ dog was not found during the search.

Their neighbor, Wilkerson, called the Menard family “very nice people” and said there was “no chance” they would walk away from the car.

“There’s not a bad bone in their body, which makes it very confusing,” Wilkerson said.

Although authorities did not provide details about a possible motive — other than that the attack was apparently not planned — neighbors spoke to reporters about the ongoing feud between Sparks and the Menards.

Wilkerson told CNN affiliate KABC that she was aware of the tensions.

“When I moved here, he told me how much he hated them, especially Dan, because Dan was cutting down the tree… trimming the tree,” she said.