Nudist community murders: Michael Royce Sparks charged after neighbours disappear in Redland, California
A man has been charged with the murder of a couple who were his neighbours in a Southern California nudist community.
Michael Royce Sparks, 62, was charged on Tuesday 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.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Sparks is being held without bail and is due to appear in court on 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 100km 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.
The couple was reported missing by a friend who said they were last seen at their home on August 24. Their pet dog, a shih tzu named Cuddles, was also missing.
