A California neighbor charged with murdering an elderly couple at a nudist ranch reportedly hated the alleged victims when police discovered human remains in the basement of his home.
Redlands Police Department Human remains were discovered in a concrete bunker in the basement of Michael Lois Sparks' home on Friday just after 2:30 p.m.
“Redlands Fire Department personnel qualified to operate in confined spaces entered the space beneath the suspect's home and began removing bags of evidence,” Redlands Police spokesman Carl Baker said at a news conference.
“At this time we can confirm there are human remains underneath the home,” he added.
The horrifying discovery came less than 24 hours after Sparks was arrested and charged with the murders of Stephanie and Daniel Menard, who have been missing from the Olive Dell Ranch nudist resort since Sunday.
A cadaver-sniffing dog alerted police to the basement space where Sparks was pulled out Thursday night.
Police were executing a search warrant at Sparks' residence on Thursday, but when the suspect did not cooperate, police used an armored vehicle equipped with a hydraulic battering ram to destroy the residence.
Sparks, 62, was found beneath the home and “after lengthy negotiations, voluntarily turned himself in last night,” Baker said Friday.
Investigation work was suspended until Saturday morning after the underground structure showed signs of being at risk of collapsing.
The San Bernardino County Coroner's Office is examining the remains but has not confirmed whether they are those of the missing couple.
The Menards and their dog Cuddles had been reported missing by a friend last Sunday after having last been seen leaving their home the previous day.
Police said the Menards' unlocked car was found in a road near their home that same day and Stephanie Menard's purse was found inside her home, along with her and Daniel's cell phones.
Tammy Wilkerson, another member of the Olive Dell Ranch nudist resort, said Sparks seemed to harbor a deep hatred for his elderly neighbors.
“He hated them,” Wilkerson said. He told KCAL. “He hated them and he told me so many times.
“It was a really silly reason,” she explained, “There were trees on their property line and Dan was always cutting the branches. Sparks hated it. That's what formed his hatred towards them.”
Wilkerson claims he took Sparks, who neighbors called him “Sparky,” to the store multiple times to buy supplies for the basement shelter.
“I couldn't imagine someone buying bags of cement every day,” Wilkerson said. He told KABC. “I asked him once, 'Sparky, what are you going to do with all that cement?' And he said, 'I have a project I'm working on,' and I said, 'Sure.'”
Other neighbors said they were unaware of any tension between Sparks and Menard.
“Always kind, always polite, never aggressive, never mean, just a very sweet person,” Christopher Hernandez told the outlet about Sparks.
Police have not revealed a motive for the suspected murder.
Sparks is being held without bail at the San Bernardino West Valley Detention Center.
He is due to appear in court on September 3rd.
