A Southern California man was arrested Thursday evening on suspicion of homicide in reference to the disappearance of his neighbors, who have been final seen at their house at a nudist ranch in San Bernardino County.
Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was booked and jailed within the disappearance of Daniel Menard, 79, and Stephanie Menard, 73, who have been reported lacking by a pal on Sunday and are actually presumed lifeless, Carl Baker, the general public info officer for the Redlands Police Division, informed reporters Friday morning.
Baker informed reporters later Friday that human stays had been discovered inside luggage in a concrete bunker below Sparks’ house, KNBC-TV in Los Angeles reported. The stays have but to be recognized.
The Menards and their canine, Cuddles, who can also be lacking, have been final seen Saturday at their house at Olive Dell Ranch, Redlands police stated in an earlier information launch. The couple’s unlocked automotive was parked throughout the road. Stephanie Menard’s purse and the {couples}’ cellphones have been discovered inside their house, in response to the Los Angeles Instances.
Redlands Police Division
Authorities looking the neighborhood on Thursday acquired info from a neighborhood resident that recognized Sparks as an individual of curiosity within the case, Baker stated. Police instantly put the neighborhood below lockdown as they sought to search out and call Sparks.
After a number of hours of makes an attempt to achieve Sparks, Baker stated, authorities used a Tac Cat, a extremely outfitted armored car, to breach his home, subsequent to the Menards’ house.
Photographs captured by KTLA-TV in Los Angeles present the armored car colliding with Sparks’ house, demolishing a portion of the construction.
Police ultimately discovered Sparks beneath his house, and he voluntarily surrendered after negotiations, Baker stated. When a reporter requested whether or not officers knew that Sparks was there after they broken the construction, Baker responded, “We believed that he was within the house and as a precaution we used the tools to make the entry and search the house.”
It’s unclear if Sparks is now cooperating with the investigation. Additionally it is not clear if Sparks has an lawyer. The San Bernardino County District Legal professional’s Workplace didn’t instantly reply to JHB’s request for info.
No motive was talked about, and the investigation is ongoing. Nevertheless, pals of the couple say they have been concerned in a lawsuit in opposition to the nudist ranch and not too long ago complained a couple of neighbor harassing them, KTTV in Los Angeles reported.