Neighbor held in disappearance of couple from California nudist resort. Both believed to be dead

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police used a tanklike car with a battering ram to smash right into a Southern California residence and arrest the next-door neighbor of a couple dwelling in a nudist group who have been reported lacking earlier this week, officers stated Friday.

Officers imagine the our bodies of Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79, are contained in the residence, although they first need to shore up the house to make it secure to go looking, stated Carl Baker, spokesperson for the Redlands Police Division.

“We’re assured that they’re deceased and that they’re nonetheless right here on the property,” Baker stated. He didn’t launch any details about a potential motive.

Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was booked into jail for investigation of murder Thursday night time after being discovered beneath the home at Olive Dell Ranch, which is described as a residential RV park and household pleasant nudist resort on its web site. The country group is in hill nation about 60 miles (96 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.

Baker didn’t know whether or not Sparks has a lawyer who can converse on his behalf. On-line jail data confirmed he was ineligible for bail and was scheduled for a Tuesday courtroom look.

A canine educated to search out cadavers indicated the presence of at the very least one physique someplace underneath the home Friday morning, however officers have been ready to enter till a structural evaluation decided whether or not the house was secure, Baker stated at a information convention.

“We’re not going to ship folks in if there’s a hazard of the construction collapsing on them,” Baker stated, noting that the evaluation may take hours to finish.

A good friend reported the couple lacking Sunday and stated they have been final seen at their residence Saturday morning. Their pet canine, a shih tzu named Cuddles, was additionally lacking.

The couple’s unlocked automobile was discovered later Sunday, not removed from their residence, and each their telephones, together with Stephanie Menard’s purse, have been nonetheless inside their residence. Daniel Menard was described as a diabetic with dementia.

Tammie Wilkerson, a good friend of the couple, instructed KABC-TV that the Menards have been type folks concerned locally.

“They’re very candy folks,” Wilkerson stated. “There’s not a imply bone of their physique in any respect, which makes this very complicated.”

The arrest adopted speedy developments that started when police have been on the park Thursday to proceed the investigation, search the world and knock on doorways.

“We acquired data from a supply that an individual who was concerned of their disappearance was right here on the property,” Baker stated. “At that time, we locked down the property.”

Police went to the suspect’s residence however makes an attempt to contact him have been unsuccessful and the tactical car was introduced in, Baker stated. Information video confirmed that the house was considerably torn open, leaving particles strewn about.

The suspect was arrested about 9:30 p.m. after voluntarily surrendering, Baker stated.