Police have discovered additional human remains at the home of 62-year-old California man Michael Sparks, who was arrested last week on suspicion of murdering his neighbors.
The victims, Daniel and Stephanie Menard, were a couple in their 70s who disappeared from the Olive Dell Ranch Nudist Resort in San Bernardino County, around 50 miles east of Los Angeles, on August 24.
Police made the grim discovery on Sunday during an extensive search of Sparks’ property following his arrest on Thursday.
He had barricaded himself in his home with a rifle when police, tipped off about the couple’s likely location, breached the house with a drone and then a battering ram.
Olive Dell Nudist Ranch, San Bernardino County, California, on August 30, 2024. Police have discovered additional human remains at the home of 62-year-old Michael Sparks, who was arrested last week on suspicion of murdering his neighbors at the ranch.
Dean Musgrove/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Redlands Police spokesperson Carl Baker confirmed in a Friday press conference that police breached Sparks’ residence and found him hiding in a concrete bunker beneath the house.
“We tried several attempts to contact him with no contact whatsoever. Eventually we brought in equipment from the sheriff’s office that we used to breach the home and then used remote video to search the area.
“We’re confident that they are deceased and that they are still here on the property,” Baker said.
The police used cadaver dogs to locate the human remains that were found on Sunday. It remains unclear if the additional human remains found on the property may be another victim or victims.
The Menards were last seen on August 24 and reported missing the next day after they failed to show up for church. Their abandoned vehicle, with the keys still inside, was down the road from their home, raising alarm among friends and neighbors.
Authorities also revealed that Sparks had attempted to take his own life with a rifle before his arrest, but the weapon misfired. He ultimately surrendered after lengthy negotiations. Sparks remains in custody without bail at the West Valley Detention Center.
Neighbors at the nudist resort described a long-standing feud between Sparks and the Menards, who had lived next door to each other for years.
Disputes over property lines and a tree trimming incident were cited as sources of tension. “I know he didn’t like the Menards,” neighbor Tammie Wilkerson told KTLA. “He said many times that he hated them. But I never thought he would do something like this.”
Police are continuing the work of positively identifying the remains found on Sparks’ property to see if they are those of the Menards. The couple’s dog, Cuddles, also remains missing.
