More bodies found in home of man suspected of killing nudist resort couple
Additional remains were found at the home of Redlands resident Michael Sparks, 62, who was arrested last week on suspicion of murder in connection with an elderly couple who were reported missing from Colton.
Redlands Police Department investigators found the new body Sunday, the fourth day after thoroughly searching Sparks' property at the Olive Dell Ranch nudist resort.
On Aug. 29, police received a tip about the location of 73-year-old Stephanie Menard and 79-year-old Daniel Menard, who are now believed to be deceased, and attempted to locate them at their Sparks home.
The 62-year-old man had barricaded himself inside and was armed with a rifle, so police used a drone and then a battering ram to destroy the house.
He was found in a cement bunker in the basement of a home, in the same spot where a cadaver dog had alerted police to a bag full of human bones.
Authorities said Sparks attempted to kill himself shortly before being arrested, but the rifle misfired.
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Daniel and Stephanie Menard are seen in a photo provided by the Redlands Police Department. -
Daniel and Stephanie Menard are seen in a photo provided by the Redlands Police Department. -
Daniel and Stephanie Menard's home in Colton. (KTLA) -
The home of the missing couple's neighbors was raided and vandalized by SWAT team members and police on Aug. 29, 2024. (KTLA) -
The home of the missing couple's neighbors was raided and vandalized by SWAT team members and police on Aug. 29, 2024. (KTLA) -
SWAT officers converge on the home of the missing Colton couple on August 29, 2024. (KTLA) -
On August 29, 2024, a SWAT team armored vehicle arrived to execute a search warrant at the suspect's home. (KTLA) -
Sky 5 photographs Michael Sparks' home at Olive Dell Nudist Resort in Colton, California on August 30, 2024. (KTLA) -
The missing couple's car was found abandoned and unlocked a short distance from their Colton home. (KTLA)
The Menards were last seen on August 24th and were reported missing by a friend the next day after they didn't show up to church. Their abandoned car was found about a half mile away from the RV park.
The Menards and Sparks had been neighbors for many years, and neighbors told KTLA that there had been an ongoing feud between the three and that Sparks had never liked the Menards.
Authorities have yet to comment on how the murder happened, but others, like longtime friend and neighbor Eileen Engraff, have their own questions.
“if [Sparks] “How did the perpetrator drive that far and then get all the way from there and around that hill and up that hill without anyone seeing him and no one knowing who was driving,” she told KTLA's Shelby Nelson.
Authorities say they are continuing to work to positively identify the remains found on Sparks' property as those of the Menard family.
It is unclear whether the additional body found on the property Sunday represents another victim or multiple victims.
