Current:Home > FinanceNeighbor charged with murder of couple who went missing from California nudist resort -AssetLink
Neighbor charged with murder of couple who went missing from California nudist resort
View
Date:2025-04-16 15:17:09
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — A man was charged Tuesday with the murder of two of his neighbors in a Southern California nudist community.
Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances in the deaths of Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79, court records show. The couple had been reported missing in the desert community of Redlands.
Sparks is being held without bail and is due to appear in court Wednesday. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer and online court records did not list one.
Sparks was arrested last week after he was found under a home at Olive Dell Ranch, which is described on its website as a residential RV park and family-friendly nudist resort. Authorities said they discovered human remains a day later in bags in a concrete bunker underneath the home some 60 miles (96 kilometers) east of Los Angeles.
Jacquelyn Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office, said the remains were believed to be those of the couple but authorities could not immediately confirm that. She declined to comment on how they were believed to have been killed or a possible motive.
Rodriguez said authorities did not believe there were any other victims in the case.
The couple were reported missing by a friend who said they were last seen at their home on Aug. 24. Their pet dog, a shih tzu named Cuddles, was also missing.
veryGood! (46471)
Related
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- A surge in sick children exposed a need for major changes to U.S. hospitals
- California Moves to Avoid Europe’s Perils in Encouraging Green Power
- Tennessee becomes the first state to pass a ban on public drag shows
- Trump suggestion that Egypt, Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza draws rejections, confusion
- Ireland Baldwin Gives Birth, Welcomes First Baby With Musician RAC
- EU Utilities Vow End to Coal After 2020, as Trump Promises Revival
- Auto Industry Pins Hopes on Fleets to Charge America’s Electric Car Market
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Solyndra Shakeout Seen as a Sign of Success for Wider Solar Market
Ranking
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- Pandemic food assistance that held back hunger comes to an end
- North Carolina’s Goal of Slashing Greenhouse Gases Faces Political Reality Test
- Natural Gas Leak in Cook Inlet Stopped, Effects on Marine Life Not Yet Known
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- How the EPA assesses health risks after the Ohio train derailment
- These students raised hundreds of thousands to make their playground accessible
- This $35 2-Piece Set From Amazon Will Become a Staple in Your Wardrobe
Recommendation
Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
Dolce Vita's Sale Section Will Have Your Wardrobe Vacation-Ready on a Budget
People who think they're attractive are less likely to wear masks, a study shows
Vanderpump Rules Finale Bombshells: The Fallout of Scandoval & Even More Cheating Confessions
Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
A man dies of a brain-eating amoeba, possibly from rinsing his sinuses with tap water
FDA authorizes the first at-home test for COVID-19 and the flu
First Water Tests Show Worrying Signs From Cook Inlet Gas Leak