OAN Staff Abril Elfi
5:08 PM – Tuesday, September 2, 2024
A man has been charged with murder in connection to the killings of his two neighbors.
The couple was last seen on August 24th at their home in Olive Dell Ranch Resort, which labels itself as a “family-friendly nudist resort.”
On Tuesday, San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson, while speaking at a press conference, said that a man named Michael Royce Sparks, 62, has been charged on suspicion of the murders of his two neighbors.
Sparks faces two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of 79-year-old Daniel and 73-year-old Stephanie Menard.
Human remains underneath Sparks’s home were found by police dogs after he was arrested last week. This followed a tense and lengthy standoff with a number of officers who confronted him. Police have also said that they believe the remains are those of the Menards, who lived next door.
“We know they’re dead, and we know there’s two victims,” Anderson said about the reasoning for the charges.
A woman reported the missing couple to 9-1-1 on August 25th, saying she was worried after they failed to show up for a routine Friday potluck and karaoke night.
The woman, Irene Engkraf, also said that she saw their abandoned vehicle on Sunday while she was en route to church. Engkraf proceeded to go to church and then later searched their residence for any signs of them, but “after finding the purse and cell phones, called 9-1-1,” NBC 4 Los Angeles reported.
According to jail records, Sparks is set to appear in court on Wednesday and is ineligible for jail.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
