Neighbor, 62, arrested on suspicion of murder in disappearance of elderly couple from California nudist ranch

The neighbor of an elderly couple who went missing from their home on a nudist ranch in California over the weekend, has been arrested on suspicion of their murders. 

Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel Menard, 79, were reported missing Sunday by a friend, last seen the morning prior at their home in the 26000 block of Keissel Road at Olive Dell Ranch in Redlands, the Redlands Police Department said. The ranch is an RV park touted as a “family-friendly nudist resort” in Southern California.

Police said they found the couple’s unlocked vehicle down the road from their home on Sunday. They also found Stephanie Menard’s purse inside her home, along with both her and Daniel’s cellphones. The couple’s dog — a small white Shih Tzu named Cuddles — was also missing. Authorities described Daniel Menard as having dementia and diabetic. 

On Friday morning, police announced their neighbor, 62-year-old Michael Royce Sparks, was arrested Thursday night in connection with their disappearance and booked on a murder charge at the West Valley detention center. 

Daniel Menard, 79, and Stephanie Menard, 73. Redlands Police Department via AP

An investigation at the ranch on Thursday led detectives to learn “that a person who may have been involved was on scene at the location,” and authorities attempted to locate him, police wrote in an update on Facebook.

Detectives tried to contact that person for several hours at their home, but got no response. Police ultimately used a TAC-CAT, an armored Caterpillar tractor used by law enforcement, to breach into the subject’s home and conducted a search using remote video equipment, but didn’t locate anyone.

Sparks was finally found underneath the home and taken into custody, NBC Los Angeles reported.

"We have not located the Menards but investigators believe their bodies are located on the property," Redlands public information officer Carl Baker told NBC News Friday.

Authorities did not disclose what led them to suspect Sparks of murder nor what the motive may have been. It's not immediately clear if Sparks has retained a lawyer.

Police were at Spark's home Friday morning “preparing to search for the bodies of the couple” but due to “extensive damage,” the structure needed to be “made safe” before searchers could enter.