An elderly couple who went missing from a Colton nudist ranch are now presumed dead, and police have arrested a suspect in their killings.
The Redlands Police Department arrested 62-year-old Michael Royce Sparks on Thursday night in connection with the disappearance of Daniel Menard, 79, and his wife, Stephanie Menard, 73, from the Olive Dell Ranch, according to a police news release. Sparks was arrested on suspicion of murder and booked into West Valley Detention Center.
The Menards and their dog, a small shih tzu named Cuddles, were reported missing by a friend Sunday, police said.
The Menards’ car was found unlocked down the road from their home, and Stephanie’s purse was found inside their home along with her and Daniel’s cellphones, authorities said.
Investigators were at Sparks’ home Friday morning preparing to search for the bodies of the couple, police said. The structure, which has extensive damage, needs to be deemed safe before searchers can go inside.
“Currently, we are trying to locate the victims,” Redlands Police Department spokesperson Carl Baker said during a Friday morning news conference. “We are confident that they are deceased and that they are still here on the property.”
Sparks, who was found in the home next door to the Menards’ home, surrendered after negotiating with authorities, Baker said.
