Silver Alert CA - Stephanie Menard, 73, Daniel Menard, 79, & Cuddles, white Shih Tzu, Olive Dell Ranch nudist resort, unlocked car found, Redlands, 24 Aug 2024

[MsMarple]

"Human remains found in bags"

Thanks for the update! I’m so sorry that sick <censored> ended their lives.

Human remains were found underneath the home of the suspect arrested in connection with the disappearance of a missing Redlands couple, authorities confirmed Friday.
…
The human remains have not yet been identified but authorities previously said the victims - Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79 - are believed to be dead.
…
The motive for the alleged killings remains unclear, but authorities said the suspect and victims were neighbors.

One neighbor described a difficult relationship between Sparks and the Menards, which possibly involved some sort of dispute over a tree that was cut down. Meanwhile, another resident who spoke with Eyewitness News was shocked to hear about the situation.

Human remains found underneath home of suspect in Redlands couple's disappearance

Human remains were found underneath the home of the suspect arrested in connection with the disappearance of a missing Redlands couple, authorities confirmed Friday.

abc7.com

No mention about Cuddles.

 

[kimmo]

Full evening presser

 

[TravelingBug]

Grisly discovery. This just keeps getting worse. What else is buried under that house?

And he (and the remains) were found in a concrete bunker about 5 ft high that was under the suspect's house.

 

[truthfinder2019]

Under that home was a bunker-like concrete structure about 5 feet high, Baker said, and in that bunker were human remains, though the coroner has not yet positively identified who those remains belong to.

“Right now, we’re just removing evidence, and we have confirmed that at least some of that is human remains,” Baker said.


On Thursday, Sparks was found in that bunker, and he surrendered voluntarily after a period of negotiations. “I won’t say that he’s been cooperative,” Baker said.

https://ktla.com/news/california/suspect-arrested-in-search-for-missing-elderly-couple-from-colton/

 

[TravelingBug]

Full evening presser

For those who can't listen:

Redlands FD certified in confined space rescues removed bags of evidence from the space. Can confirm the presence of human remains. Coroner representative on scene.

People asked why they had to break into the house like they did.

LE was on scene a long time attempting contact "for a great deal of time" and couldn't make contact.

They broke a window and entered with a drone and attempted to look around and make contact that way and couldn't get around in there and confirm.

They had reason to believe Sparks was barricaded and armed.

To protect the safety of the officers they removed the front of the house.

He WAS barricaded and armed.

He was armed with a rifle.

Won't confirm how many bodies or condition. The coroner is on scene.

No confirmation on Cuddles on the dog at this time.

No tunnels that they can tell so far, but a space about 5 feet tall that's like a bunker going under/behind the house. Someone about 5 ft could walk around in the concrete bunker. No info on if that space was furnished, etc. (It sounds like it literally goes the length of the mobile home almost?)

A city crew used a camera to check the space to determine there was evidence (bodies) and to determine it was safe to enter.

PIO doesn't know how many bags there were of remains/evidence. That'll be up to the coroner to determine.

The remains were in the bunker.

Suspect hasn't spoken about motive or anything else. Won't speak to other info (from neighbors)

Media trying to confirm if both Menards were killed. He says he can't verify it's them for sure, but it IS human remains and they ARE sure they are dead (I think media is also trying to see if there could possibly be others?)

Someone asks if they were killed in a gruesome fashion. He says, they were killed, that's gruesome, no?

The weapon (rifle) was fired but didn't go off.

Again not commenting on motive.

Won't comment on whether he said he was going to kill himself.

They came back out to follow up yesterday.

WHILE on scene to follow up THAT is when they got the tip about Sparks being on scene and then went into action to make contact, etc.

 

[truthfinder2019]

He is not speaking with detectives and has requested an attorney

 

[Inthedetails]

And he (and the remains) were found in a concrete bunker about 5 ft high that was under the suspect's house.

And then what was his plan? Leave the bodies there indefinitely? Seal up the bunker forever? Haul them away - to where?

This case is so sad and strange.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

For those who can't listen:

Redlands FD certified in confined space rescues removed bags of evidence from the space. Can confirm the presence of human remains. Coroner representative on scene.

People asked why they had to break into the house like they did.

LE was on scene a long time attempting contact "for a great deal of time" and couldn't make contact.

They broke a window and entered with a drone and attempted to look around and make contact that way and couldn't get around in there and confirm.

They had reason to believe Sparks was barricaded and armed.

To protect the safety of the officers they removed the front of the house.

He WAS barricaded and armed.

He was armed with a rifle.

Won't confirm how many bodies or condition. The coroner is on scene.

No confirmation on Cuddles on the dog at this time.

No tunnels that they can tell so far, but a space about 5 feet tall that's like a bunker going under/behind the house. Someone about 5 ft could walk around in the concrete bunker. No info on if that space was furnished, etc. (It sounds like it literally goes the length of the mobile home almost?)

A city crew used a camera to check the space to determine there was evidence (bodies) and to determine it was safe to enter.

PIO doesn't know how many bags there were of remains/evidence. That'll be up to the coroner to determine.

The remains were in the bunker.

Suspect hasn't spoken about motive or anything else. Won't speak to other info (from neighbors)

Media trying to confirm if both Menards were killed. He says he can't verify it's them for sure, but it IS human remains and they ARE sure they are dead (I think media is also trying to see if there could possibly be others?)

Someone asks if they were killed in a gruesome fashion. He says, they were killed, that's gruesome, no?

The weapon (rifle) was fired but didn't go off.

Again not commenting on motive.

Won't comment on whether he said he was going to kill himself.

They came back out to follow up yesterday.

WHILE on scene to follow up THAT is when they got the tip about Sparks being on scene and then went into action to make contact, etc.

Imagine being a 62-year huddled in a bunker under your home with two dead people you killed while your home above you is being demolished and realizing THAT is what your life has amounted to.

jmo

 

[psdumas]

Thanks for the update! I’m so sorry that sick <censored> ended their lives.

Human remains were found underneath the home of the suspect arrested in connection with the disappearance of a missing Redlands couple, authorities confirmed Friday.
…
The human remains have not yet been identified but authorities previously said the victims - Stephanie Menard, 73, and her husband, Daniel, 79 - are believed to be dead.
…
The motive for the alleged killings remains unclear, but authorities said the suspect and victims were neighbors.

One neighbor described a difficult relationship between Sparks and the Menards, which possibly involved some sort of dispute over a tree that was cut down. Meanwhile, another resident who spoke with Eyewitness News was shocked to hear about the situation.

Human remains found underneath home of suspect in Redlands couple's disappearance

Human remains were found underneath the home of the suspect arrested in connection with the disappearance of a missing Redlands couple, authorities confirmed Friday.

abc7.com

No mention about Cuddles.

 

[Chimera]

Imagine living to be the ages of the two victims, only for this monster to take what remaining years they had left.
I am sorry for all who loved Stephanie and Daniel.
And for their little pet.
Selfish and so evil.

We have a rescue cat and he brings us a lot of joy, he's a part of our family.
Omo.

He tried to kill himself but the gun did not work…

Coward !!
Imo.

 

[psdumas]

It's a new world out there when people make sure to mention the victims' pets. This is such a sick story, and to think it was possibly over a tree cutting incident.

 

[psdumas]

Imagine being a 62-year huddled in a bunker under your home with two dead people you killed while your home above you is being demolished and realizing THAT is what your life has amounted to.

jmo

It's amazing what being a societal reject like this must be,who possibly was in a rage about a tree being cut down. I'm not too much of a philosopher when it comes to murderers like this. His life doesn't matter.

 

[Boots38]

It's amazing what being a societal reject like this must be,who possibly was in a rage about a tree being cut down. I'm not too much of a philosopher when it comes to murderers like this. His life doesn't matter.

It's not over a tree being cut down at all... sadly it's about the victim simply trimming the branches back that were growing and hanging on their property. Which you can see how close homes were the branches had to be hanging right on their beautiful deck.

 

[Snoopster]

It's a new world out there when people make sure to mention the victims' pets. This is such a sick story, and to think it was possibly over a tree cutting incident.

I'm guessing that this 'feud' has been percolating for a long time (at least in the alleged perp's mind). This wasn't due to one incident. These neighbors lived practically on top of each other and both were long-term residents. I'm sure more stories will come out.

 

[Snoopster]

dbm. double post.

 

[SophieRose]

I was reading the account put out by one of the owners of Olive Dell (did not raise much money.). New information to me the Menards had lived there over two decades (had heard 10 or 15 years before,) Dan had onset Alzheimer's Disease. Also briefly mentioned the new management problems.

 

[kimmo]

I still wonder if Michael has any connection to the owners? Or if he is possibly connected to any of the civil harassment suits filed by Stephanie?

 

[Leilei]

This case was already sad, but the latest updates are just awful. It had to be more than simple tree trimming that set this guy off.

 

[crhedBngr]

He tried to kill himself but the gun did not work…

Well, goooood!

He can sit and think about what he did--hopefully, for the rest of his life in jail!

Regarding the tree-trimming, I suspect he might be an injustice collector.

JMVHO.

 

[Kemug]

I think we can assume that Cuddles is also deceased. What is it with these murdering men that they always have to kill the pets too?